Annette du Plessis - "Love?"

Annette du Plessis

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About Annette

Annette is an Artist with SouthAfricanArtists.com based in South Africa.

Annette Suzette du Plessis (her works are signed "Annette") is a multimedia artist. She is moved by that which beyond the eye can see. Her creations are expressionistic and poetic. Some people describe her work as “Chagall” like.

Nette’s work has movement and musical rhythm and she is absolutely intrigued by a play of colors.
During 2001 Annette ('nette) won an artist residency scholarship to Konst Epidemic, Goteborg Sweden through the Swedish South African partnership (Nelson Mandela Bay and Goteborg City)

On return to South Africa, Annette established the Siyaya Centre for Young Arts. Local Professional artists - came on board and supported the project.

[Some years ago, before democracy, I moved in with the African people. At that stage a person like myself required a permit from the apartheid government to be able to just enter an African township.... no interracial mingling was permitted by that notorious regime. It was an awesome experience for me, “Afrikaner meisie” , no political background, raw... raw... Just driven by the inner feeling to put an end to my own apathy and add my self to those who were persecuted, despised because of the colour of their skins. It took a weekend in the township, under the auspices of Koinonia, to enter a strange and unknown world. We toured throughout the communities, as I came to one particular area, Red Location, my insides felt like tearing out, it was physically painful to see people living under such horrendous conditions, terrible... terrible.... The place stank with utter despair, poverty, families were living bundled in army barracks built during 1903, apparently the structures were moved from concentration camps from Uitenhage to this area... I could not take in the rest of the tour, after stepping on to the "the township tour" again. People talked and explained things, but their mouths looked like fishes gaping into painful surrounding space.

I knew I could never be the same again... the experience, seeing people living like that, haunted me... I decided to make the township my world, to stamp my foot on planet earth, on the South African soil... and say!!!!! HEY, HEY, All who notice this I see, who live in apathy, stampede soil together with me...let bullets come.. prison come... whatever... but this inhumanity stop... STOP!!

Within a month great changes were made to my life. I moved in with the Buti family in Dora street, then nicknamed "Cuban crossing" without this "required permit"... a person, entering persons, people's lives..

And I stayed and stayed, dwelled, grew into the community - here I am - many years after democracy and I know this has been one of the most beautiful, heart stirring changes in my life, ever, ever... Beyond the dirty plastics pierced in the barbed wires everywhere, the filthy water streams trickling almost year out, year in.... I have discovered the beyond world in the real world... An amazing world of togetherness, tremendous pride (Xhosa people are incredibly curious, but they hide it behind a special kind of "pride" - they love to know things, people, events, everything......... I AM LEARNING, LEARNING, LEARNING....)

This experience is a blessing, making my life so worthwhile. Of course the most worthwhile and everlasting experience in my life, is being God's child, chatting to Him as I move around - (mmm wonder what people think when they see my lips constantly moving?)

How wonderful to be an artist, wonderful to have lived in great positive historical changes. How wonderful apartheid is gone! What I am as an artist, is what I soak up, willingly and unwillingly, let my art speak gently, with passion, every work alive, moving beyond the captured image... to draw and encourage all viewers to their amazing role on earth, their individual special planned and purposed lives be manifested... that is my desire, my prayer, with every work produced, that stays… or passes on...

Whether we want to know it or know, despise it, reject it, argue and reason against it, accept it… God is alive and real. He created us for Him to be His and worship and praise Him. Long ago, before creation, God knew us and created us for an amazing plan and purpose. We come here as visitors - to uncover that special plan and purpose. God says we need to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. This is not a philosophy, a debate. I used to argue against God and almost died as a teenager during a motorbike accident. Although I surrendered my life to God soon after the accident, and acknowledged Jesus as my Lord, Creator and Saviour… it took me many many years to actually really fall in love with God. During 2001 as I was in the artist residency in Sweden, 9/11 occurred and I was shaken tremendously by the events. And something wonderful happened… God swept me off my feet and filled me with deepest love for Him and for people. Great things are happening since then. I desire to be nothing and to let God pour His love into people through the talents and life that He has given me. The images and thoughts and perceptions that flow through my soul unto canvas or whatever medium, be an extension of God’s real love and compassion for people…

GOD IS SO REAL, SO AWESOME, SO AMAZING! LET ALL RISE AND PRAISE HIM… His glory cover the earth like the waters cover the sea...]

Price Range

US$67-2,305

Email

Exhibitions

Local: Nelson Mandela Bay
▲Highbury Art Gallery ~ 1993-1994
▲Wezandla ~ 1994-1995
▲King George Art Gallery ~ 1994-1998
•People, Places, Perspectives
•GAP
EPSAFC Imvaba Exhibition
•Ichthyology Department ~ 1993
Dakawa
•People, Places, Perspectives ~ 1994
•Dep. Arts & Culture (Selected works) ~ 1997
•Land, History & Self (selected Artists) ~ 1998
▲Pendula Women’s Art Exhibition ~ 1995
▲Human Rights Exhibition
•UPE & Dower College ~ 1997-1998
▲Eastern Cape Department of Arts and
Culture
•Selection Exhibition (Wezandla, Green Acres, King George) ~ 1997-1998
▲The Rebirth of Art
•Centenary, UPE ~ 1997-1998
▲Women’s Art Exhibition
•King Edward Hotel ~ 1999
▲Partnership Port Elizabeth & Göteborg
•Face to Face Exhibition ~ 2000 in Göteborg
▲Dammetjies Business Consultants
•Local artist exhibition ~ 2005

Provincial: Eastern Cape
Imvaba Exhibition
•Ichthyology Department ~ 1993

Dakawa
•People, Places, Perspectives ~ 1994
•Dep. Arts & Culture (Selected works) ~ 1997
Land, History & Self (selected Artists) ~ 1998

National: South Africa
People, Places, Perspectives
Traveling to mayor Art Galleries in South Africa ~ 1994-1995

International:
Vancouver, Canada
•1 work showing with Mariette Smith, Art Teacher at Le Broc, Vancouver ~ 1998
Göteborg, Sweden
•City to City – Face to Face ~ 2000

Education

Port Elizabeth Technikon

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