Flood: Breede River Valley (2025)
Flood: Breede River Valley Hartebees River Clay, Burnt Plant Material and Chalk on Canvas 164x396cm 2025 This work commissioned for the Spier Hotel reception, is one of the largest paintings I have ever undertaken and represents the pinnacle of a series I have been developing over the last two years, focusing on flooding across the world. My research into this subject began in March 2023, after Cyclone Freddy devastated Malawi. Since then, I have been tracking global flooding events and examining the ways in which human interventions in natural systems contribute to these disasters. My connection to this subject is also deeply personal. For over a decade, I have worked with clay sourced from the Hartebees River, a tributary of the Breede River. This river holds deep familial significance, as it once flowed through land belonging to my maternal lineage. The brilliant yellow clay from this river has become a signature material in my work, connecting three genera...
