The Stories In-between at Artyli.com Gallery | Art.co.za Art Exhibition Listings

Artyli Gallery is excited to invite you to join us for live jazz, delicious snacks, and a glass of wine to celebrate the opening of our latest exhibition entitled, "The Stories In-Between" which showcases the artwork of artists Andrew Ntshabele and Toni-Ann Ballenden. Included in this exhibition is a new selection of sculptures by the world-renowned sculptor, Anton Smit. The exhibition will be opened by the well-known South African artist and academic, Gordon Froud, who is the Head of Visual Arts at the University of Johannesburg.

The artworks in this exhibition, are a dynamic combination due to their stylistic differences, which when exhibited together arrest one�s attention through engaging aesthetics and authentic storytelling. Andrew Ntshabele works with figurative imagery while Toni-Ann Ballenden�s works are deconstructed abstract artworks. Ballenden states that �my art is a diary of my life�s experiences� while Ntshabele�s work is about creating a new story, a way of letting go of the past and finding peace in the present.

Ntshabele�s works encourage the viewer to feel that they are included in the world of the people he has painted because of the scale of the figures. His figures are turned away from the viewer to face the background which allows the viewer to become another person in the composition engaging with the collage backgrounds. These curious backgrounds that Ntshabele has become known for, consist of a variety of interesting found documents - often from a bygone era. Ntshabele states that �I feel as if the people I am painting are engaging with the background as much as the viewer is engaging with the artwork. Ballenden�s work engages the viewer in quite a different way because it consists of many layers and complex details. The viewer is drawn into the intricate patterns and marks of the work, becoming lost in a microcosmic world, almost like having a bird�s eye view of a city.