Art Exhibitions

Venter, a self-taught artist, has developed a distinctive visual language over the past nine years, merging Christian iconography with diverse artistic traditions to interrogate themes of identity, spirituality, and modernity. Recognised through prestigious platforms such as Sasol New Signatures 2023 and 2024, the Sanlam Portrait Award 2021, and the Nando's Creative Exchange 2022, Venter has steadily gained prominence in the contemporary art scene.

Mythologies of Time delves into the ways in which history and technology shape human perception, questioning the narratives we construct around progress and innovation. Through a fusion of AI-generated imagery and meticulous hand-rendered techniques, Venter challenges the role of artificial intelligence in creative production. His work positions AI as a mechanical mirror, capable of mimicking but never truly capturing the depth of human artistic expression.

Central to this body of work is the recurring arch motif, symbolising both a passage and a rupture—representing the tensions between permanence and change, human consciousness and machine processes. Drawing inspiration from memento mori traditions, Venter reflects on the impermanence of life, emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of embodied experience, historical continuity, and existential reflection in artistic practice.

As AI becomes more embedded in creative and cultural discourse, Mythologies of Time critically examines its role in the artistic process. This exhibition is an invitation to reconsider the myths we create around technology - as well as those we create about ourselves - and its place in our evolving world.

The exhibition invites viewers into a thought-provoking dialogue about tradition in an era of rapid technological advancement. By weaving together elements of mythology, art history, and digital intervention, Mythologies of Time stands as a testament to the enduring significance of human creativity in an increasingly digitised landscape.

Address: 16 Harry Smith Street, Dan Pienaar

Tel: 051 447 9609