FOX PRETORIUS

PENDORING PAINTINGS / 2019 - (ONGOING)

The ongoing series of Pendoring paintings (selected examples above and below) is first and foremost inspired by pendoring trees (Accacia karroo of the Fabacea genus) - thorn trees that are a characteristic feature in the Klein Karoo landscape in South Africa where I grew up and commonly found throughout Southern Africa. These trees can grow up to 12 meters tall and are covered with paired, straight white thorns that can grow very long. As kids my friends and I used to play barefoot soccer at school under and alongside the canopies of these trees and it often happened that one would end up stepping into one or two of these thorns. Then one would cry or bite on your lip, remove the thorns, collect yourself and continue to play. As a profound memory of my childhood this turned out to be quite the metaphor for navigating one's way through life, and it is precisely this metaphor that I explore visually in this series of paintings.

Apart from its abstraction, these compositions also double as African landscapes while its content speak of one's journey to accomplishment, of overcoming obstacles and setbacks, and ultimately, obtaining and appreciating the value of hard earned success. In its interpretation these abstract landscapes can be read by the viewer in terms of their own personal narratives and sense of achievement. Simultaneously, given my history, these works can also be read as a reflection on the harshness and instability of South Africa's ongoing political and socioeconomic landscape. The stark contrast of the overwhelming use of black and white paint also lends emphasis to this interpretation although some of the paintings in this series. This style has since been applied to more figuratively recognizable compositions as well.