Special Issue 24173 I cannot control what any one viewer understands about my work. I want simply for the viewer to experience something new and perhaps unexpected in seeing my work. Hopefully they will experience that same joy I had in making it. I do want them to be emotionally moved by seeing my art. I believe it was Picasso who said that a painting is never finished because it will change for each person who sees it. I love surprise and this has driven my interest in painting. I do not plan what I will be doing any particular day but begin with only a vague idea of the outcome. I gradually get into what I call “the zone.” Its a fantastic experience when time does not exist and the work is all there is. I’m sure most creative people know what this is. I make decisions about color, size, shapes that interest me in the moment and then it occurs, the surprise of seeing the finished object. Alterations may be made, but the thing has come alive, a new idea and one that always evolves into more surprises. There are failures of course but I learn from them. And they might be seeds for a new idea. As you remarked once, each piece you make informs the next and you never know where they will lead: how do you consider the role of chance and improvisation playing within your creative process? In particular, do you create gesturally, instinctively, or do you start from preparatory structures and schemes? Dean Dablow: I started painting using a computer to draw shapes and choose color. This was mostly to get the scale of the various shapes. Later the hardboard pieces evolved into one piece, I abandoned this preliminary computer process and simply worked out the design as I went. They were drawings with color. Yet, unlike drawing, if something did not work I could paint over the mistakes. They were selfevolving entities. I enjoy my instinctive nature making art. Surprise is the key. The role of ART Habens Dean Dablow
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24201 Special Issue chance is one of the things that is ever present in my work and I revel in the surprise and evolutionary aspect of chance. We definitely love the way your works feature such stunning combination between reminders to realistic elements and such unique abstract sensitiveness, to create inter-zones of sensory perceptions, that invite the viewers to recognize elements from natural environment, as rivers, volcanoes and deserts. Scottish artist Peter Doig once remarked that even the most realistic work of arts are derived more from within the head than from what's out there in front of us: how do you consider the relationship between reality and imagination, playing within your artistic production? In particular, how does everyday life's experience fuel your creative process? Dean Dablow: Perhaps we should call paintings asymmetrical Rorschach tests. We are programmed to see faces everywhere, perhaps as a protection device for early humankind so that they could detect animals that could kill them. We are also programmed to associate what we see as something related to what we have a experienced. If we see something shaped like a tree but is not a tree (a drawing of a tree) we recognize this and say its a tree. It can be in actuality a smudge on a painting but because of the setting in which the smudge is placed, we say it is, or reminds us of, a tree. You are an established and awarded artist: your artworks are in permanent collection and over the years you have exhibited in several locations, including your latest solo “Everything is Abstract,” at Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, LA: how do you consider the nature of your relationship with your audience? By the way, as the move of Art from traditional gallery spaces, to street and especially to online platforms — as Instagram and Vimeo — increases, how would Dean Dablow ART Habens
Summer 2015 2413 this change, in your opinion, the relationship with a globalized audience? Dean Dablow: There is a small gallery in Shreveport with which I am associated but I have none in larger cities. Commercial galleries need to sell work. Its a business and if the work is not what their audience wants they can’t pay the rent. Even though I consider my work gallery quality it is very different from what I have seen represented in galleries. I would however enjoy representation in a gallery. The fact that Art Habens saw my work and responded to it gives me hope that the internet will be a great tool for unrepresented artists and I thank you for this wonderful opportunity you have given me to show my work globally. I still think that someone wanting to buy a work of art prefers seeing the real thing in a physical gallery. One can see more work on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/deandablow We have really appreciated the multifaceted Special Issue ART Habens Dean Dablow
24221 Special Issue nature of your artistic research and before leaving this stimulating conversation we would like to thank you for chatting with us and for sharing your thoughts, Dean. What projects are you currently working on, and what are some of the ideas that you hope to explore in the future? Dean Dablow: I am working with the same material as with the landscape paintings but have altered the alinement of the horizon to be an angular element. The paintings do not allude to anything in reality and again are two shaped elements that seem split by the linear piece. I have used resin with these pieces with pitted surfaces in each that have liquid graphite rubbed on and buffed to give them the appearance of something ancient. They are all titled “Sectioned Object” and numbered. Dean Dablow ART Habens An interview by , curator and curator
Special Issue 4012 Mehnoush Modonpour is an Artist with a passion for Sculpture and Painting. She found her passion at the age of 10 while drawing in the classroom. In 1984, she moved to Paris to begin her postsecondary education in art and design. In 1987, she graduated from “Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne” in fashion design. She continued her art education in drawing and painting with Parvaneh Etemadi in Tehran, Iran, and later she continued with visual arts (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Pottery, Photography, Mixed Media) at the “Central Technical School” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her artwork is influenced by her spirituality and human connectivity. She has gained insight into the meaning of human existence in a mysterious universe through her personal mystical experiences. She uses inner-spiritual observations as inspiration for her artworks. The message of “Oneness” and “Connection” with the Nature is tremendously visible in her works. She moved to Paris, France in 2015 to continue with great passion and an enthusiasm her experience and growth in Visual Arts.
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Mehnoush Modonpour Mehnoush Modonpour Hello Mehnoush and welcome to ART Habens. Before starting to elaborate about your artistic production we would like to invite our readers to visit http://www.mehnoush.me and we would start this interview with a couple of questions about your background. You have a solid formal training: you graduated in fashion design from “Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne”, then you nurutred your education in Drawing and Painting with the famous and contemporary artist, Parvaneh Etemadi in Tehran, Iran, and you later studied Visual Arts at the Central Technical School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: how did experiences influence your evolution as an artist? Moreover, how does your cultural background due to your Persian roots and your travels direct your current artistic research? First, Thank you very much for featuring me in your magazine! I am delighted to be chosen for this interview from your team of curatorial experts. Let me explain a little about myself; I was the last child of 4 siblings with a huge gap between me and my two brothers and sister. I mean a 19, 17 and 12 year gap! I was very shy as a child. Growing up, I had a hard time to explain myself and my thoughts to my family and friends. I was, and still am not a good talker but a very good listener. So, I have learned to express myself and my thoughts through my art. I grew up in a French school since kindergarten until the revolution. As long as I remember at a very young age I wanted to become a visual artist. My parents, especially my mom was totally against it. But they sent me to Paris anyway and into the most prestigious fashion school in the world. This was a huge privilege for me and one of the first steps that I took toward my dream, but it was not an easy one, since it was after the revolution and in the middle of the war between Iran and Iraq. 404 Special Issue An interview by , curator and curator After I was in the business of fashion for 10 years, it was like something was missing in my life and I had to do something about it. Working with Parvaneh Etemadi was one of the best decisions that I made. I have learned a lot from her and I am grateful for that. To answer your last question in short: being born and growing up in Iran, and then learning the language and French culture from kindergarten to adolescence, and as a young woman immigrating to
Special Issue 24053 Canada, learning English and the western culture was quite a challenge which shaped me and my art into what I am and what I do today. So, in each artwork there is a bit of this story; the story of my life, my thoughts and what I went through in life till now. The body of works that we have selected for this special edition of ART Habens has at once captured our attention for the way it unveils the connection between human nature and spirituality: we would like to start this journey in your artistic production with your Ignorance Quadriptych, a stimulating body of works that our readers have already started to get to know in the introductory pages of this article: when walking our readers through your usual setup and process, would you tell us how did you develop the initial idea of such stimulating project? I will start with this phrase: “Ignorance; the state or fact of being ignorant: lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.” Through my personal experiences which included many hard times in different periods of my life (indeed like every human on this planet, more or less) I believe that Ignorance is the root of all suffering. I’ll give you an example; something happened in my life and I suffered. After months or years, I realise the suffering that I went through was just because of my lack of knowledge at that specific moment of my life and I was miserable for nothing. So every time I am going through pain, I know that there is something I don’t know and that “NOT KNOWING” is the reason that I suffer so I look for answer(s). It all started with a diptych creation of Ignorance #1 & #2; In the Ignorance #1, I show ignorance as heads that are in a box; they are ignorant. They are completely in the dark. Here I showed the feeling of a head in a box! It is a suffocating being in the box, isn’t it? In the second Ignorance sculpture; The boxes are almost open and heads are about to come out. They are not in the dark anymore, but still can’t see (heads don’t have eyes) and can’t hear (they don’t have ears). But there is still hope because they are one step further from the previous one. ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour
24061 Special Issue Furthermore, I developed this imagination/idea with my quadriptych project picturing the entire process from being ignorant to being enlightened: ● Ignorance #3; shows the suffocation of being in the dark. The pain and the suffering that comes from ignorance. ● Ignorance #4; shows the suffering derived from blinded perception. The pain that comes from Not hearing and Not seeing the truth. ● Wonder Sculpture; is the state of questioning, searching and grasping some truth that makes you Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour Special Issue 24073 wonder and then look for more to know. Being the seeker. ● And the final state is The Dance Sculpture; Enlightenment, wisdom and the feeling that comes with it; freedom within. I show the dance of happiness that comes with awareness. If you have noticed in all 4 sculptures, there are 8 heads and they are all connected. Number 8 is important for me because of the many meanings that it has, and one of them is the sign of infinity …. As you have remarked once, you have come to
ART Habens 24081 Special Issue believe that ignorance is the source of human suffering, and Ignorance reflects with such kaleidoscopic visual value of aspect of your inner artistic research. Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco once stated, "artists's role differs depending on which part of the world they’re in": do you think that your artistic research respond to a particular cultural moment? Indeed, where I was born and grew up. That had a tremendous impact in my point of view on life. But, also being in touch with other cultures at a young age and then living, learning and growing older in those cultures; Europe and North America, perhaps gave me the opportunity to be a multi-cultured artist. With that being said, in my artistic research and what I express in my creations depicts a “Human Being” in this era and in this time, and its development, despite of where one was born and lived. Many contemporary artists, such as Thomas Hirschhorn and Michael Light, use to include sociopolitical criticism and sometimes even convey explicit messages in their artworks: as an artist who strongly believe in human connection and equality despite differences in ethnicity, gender, religion and culture, do you think that artists can raise awareness to an evergrowing audience on topical issues that affect our globalised society? Personally, my work mostly reflects my feelings and what I went through in my life. Emotions that comes from inside, and socio-political problems and issues are the roots of it. Although how the viewers see my work and translate it is also as important for me. Therefore the respond to your question: YES, I am trying to raise awareness on the topic of “Humanity” as a whole, comprising the concept of socio-politico-religious. Especially in my sculptures I am more able to express myself in that matter than my painting. You were born in Iran and as you have remarked in your artist's statement you have experienced revolution, immigration, war and different cultures in varying phases of your life: how does your Mehnoush Modonpour
Special Issue 24093 memories and your everyday life's experience fuel your artistic research? It is not the memories but the experience of living it that gives me the ideas and the theme of my projects. Here are some examples: When you are deprived from your childhood because of the revolution and you are not responsible for this revolution. When years of your youth were taken away because of the war therefore you HAVE to become an adult too soon to survive these unkind events. When you have to learn and adapt to new cultures not by choice but in order for you and your family to survive. Although it is a fantastic process, it is a really hard process. I am not complaining now though. If it wasn’t for these events perhaps I would not be who I am toady, or where I am now in my life, and I would not be creating what I am creating. All these events shaped me but also it is in my nature to question everything. I am a free spirited person who doesn’t like barriers and limitation. My fight with obstacles is with my sword which is my “Art”. Your artistic production reflects your unique exploration of the relationship between human, its surrounding, and everything in between. Scottish artist Peter Doig once remarked that even the most realistic works of art are derived more from within the head than from what's out there in front of us, how do you consider the relationship between reality and imagination, playing within your artistic production? ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour
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24121 Special Issue What seems a reality for people, is in fact the perception of events which differs from person to person. Reality for me is what I feel and how I feel about things happening for me or around me. Imagination is playing with those feelings to bring them to the attention. Visual art makes visible what we feel but cannot truly see; the feeling that is left behind or comes after real events. I use my imagination to show those feelings. So I could say for me, works of art are derived from the heart or the feeling and perception of events. It’s with my imagination that I can picture the reality in life: Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you’ve no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain! Poem by “Saadi” Persian Poet 1210- 1291 Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
Special Issue 2413 When exploring the bond between humans, your stunning sculpture Mother features sapient use of symbols, as the umbilical cord, that highlights our attachment to our background and past generations. We really appreciate such stunning organic quality of your artworks, as well as the way they allude to meaning through symbolic and visual references: how do you consider the role of symbols playing within your artistic practice? And how important is for you to create artworks rich of allegorical qualities? First, thank you for your comment about my ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour
24161 Special Issue sculpture “Mother”, and seeing and questioning its allegory. My work starts with an idea. That idea comes from a feeling that I felt, or a message that I want to send, or words that never came and had accumulated inside. The way it works in my head to show these feelings or messages is the use of symbols. I give you only one example in this sculpture since if I want to list them all, it will take your entire magazine to explain, lol. Here you see a breast as a symbol of Mother but also you don’t see two breasts (many people asked me why one breast?) as it should be, because we have one mother, the number one person in all of our lives is our mother, the first person we meet in this life is our mother, and there is only one womb that cherishes us the whole nine months. To answer your second question; I would say it’s really important for me the use of allegory because it is the only way that I know, and to show its ulterior meaning which is deeper than the outward appearance. In this case people might see a breast as a symbol of sex or femininity, which also can be true an apart of its allegory. Another example is in my “Unity” project. Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
Special Issue 24173 Some works from your earlier artistic production were influenced by ancient and symbolic designs and impressions: how do you consider the relationship between Tradition and Contemporariness playing within your work as an artist? In particular, does your artistic research establishes a bridge between traditional ways of considering a work of art and Contemporariness? I will start by mentioning that The Persian Calligraphy is one of the most revered arts throughout the history of Iran. It is one of the subjects taught in school. I was always fascinated by the Persian Calligraphy, not to mention the Persian Colours and some traditional Persian fabrics and designs that I used in my earlier works. An example of my previous work made while I was still living in Toronto, Canada: ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour
24181 Special Issue A medallion in bronze with a word “Me” in Persian; One side this “Me” is freed from prison and the other side “Me” is in Love. I like to trifle with Persian ‘Calligraphy, Colours, Handmade Fabrics and Archived Iranian Photographies’ sometimes in my work, which could be considered a bridge between my past and the future. A link between the traditional and the contemporary. We sometimes tend to forget that a work of art is a physical artefact with tactile qualities, and we really appreciate the way Survival reflects this aspect, through sapient materic translation of the concept of pressure: as an artist particularly interested in highlighting the materiality among the viewer, how important is for you to highlight the physical aspect of your artworks? Indeed, the experience of the viewer is really important for me. As for the physical aspect, the perception of each individual can shift relating to art works in different contexts. Although perception is influenced by a person’s history, culture, mood, location, state of mind and other external factors, I believe the physical aspect of the works of art provides some essential facet of its meaning. The ability of an artist to interact through the artwork with its viewer cannot be separated from materiality altering how the work is perceived, its physical side and the senses that are experienced. You are an established artist and over the years you works have been shocased in several occasions, including your recent participation to DF Art Project Exhibition in Paris, France: how do you consider the nature of your relationship with your audience? By the way, as the move of Art from traditional gallery spaces, to street and especially to the online realm — as Instagram — increases: how would in your opinion change the relationship with a globalised audience? Yes, I was very happy that my works were chosen to be in two exhibitions this year; DF Art Project Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
Summer 2015 2413 and Iranian Artists Independent exhibitions, in Paris and Chambourcy, France. In fact, I was very privileged to meet and greet about my artwork presented in the Exhibition with two historically important persons: First, Mr. Reza Deghati, an Iranian/French, Emmy Award Winer Photojournalist, known as REZA, who’s photographs have been published and exhibited in major cities throughout the world. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUxf4igM0ny/?utm_ source=ig_web_copy_link Special Issue ART Habens Mehnoush Modonpour
24221 Special Issue And, the former Empress of Iran; Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi, who had a tremendous impact on Iran’s Art, Cultural Growth, and its Visibility to the world. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVSZejEshCc/?utm_ source=ig_web_copy_link Not to mention that my sculpture is now apart of the Majesty's Private Collection! https://www.instagram.com/p/CWJLWaQtkMX/?ut m_source=ig_web_copy_link and I had the opportunity to meet the Empress Shahbanou Farah Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
Pahlavi again in her home and have a long conversation about my artwork and Art in general. This was an experience that I will never forget! So, a work of art without an audience is like a knife without its handle; it could be very sharp but without its handle it is not usable. This relationship comes organically in a dialogue between the receiver which is a window to the mind, and the feeling of the sender which is the subject of the artwork. What I am creating as artwork depends pretty much on my audience. Although, while creating it, it is for my self and for the message, but in my opinion an artist is creating consciously or unconsciously for an audience. As a result, the nature of my relationship is the feedback I receive from them through communication, the comments, the looks, the expressions, and its impact on them. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVllMn1MOel/?utm_ source=ig_web_copy_link Now, I believe that we are at beginning of a new era which is the digital world. We have to embrace this new beginning, make it positive and useful for the Artist and the Art World. In my opinion social media, such as Instagram, comes with benefits of globalizing and growth of the Art world for the art lovers, art makers and art presenters. We have really appreciated the originality of your artistic production and before leaving this stimulating conversation we would like to thank you for chatting with us and for sharing your thoughts, Mehnoush. What projects are you currently working on, and what are some of the ideas that you hope to explore in the future? The pleasure was mine to be able to share my thoughts with you, as well as, your audience. To respond to your last question, I would like to go back to my Ignorance series. The root of the idea is originated from a poem: One who knows and knows that he knows His horse of wisdom will reach the skies One who knows, but doesn’t know that he knows He is fast asleep, so you should wake him up! One who doesn’t know, but knows that he doesn’t know His limping mule will eventually get him home One who doesn’t know and doesn’t know that he doesn’t know He will be eternally lost in his hopeless oblivion! Ebn-e Yamin Persian Poet (circa 1285 – 1368): Knowledge and Oblivion Because I believe in my own Ignorance, I am a SEEKER of the LIGHT. Hence, my new project is about Enlightenment and It is called “The New Beginning”. And I would like to give you a very small peek: Thanks again for interviewing me! 24221 Special Issue Mehnoush Modonpour ART Habens
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Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius Hello Sharmaine Thérèsa and welcome to ART Habens. Before starting to elaborate about your artistic production we would like to invite our readers to visit https://artshowroom.org in order to get a wide idea about your artistic production and we would start this interview with a couple of introductory questions. Are there any experiences that did particularly influence your evolution as a visual artist? Moreover, how does your cultural background direct your evolution as a painter? Thank you for having me, I regard it as a privilege to be your guest today. Like most evolutionary processes, insight into the factors affecting it, usually arrives afterwards. Much like the moths, that, got darker as the Industrial Revolution developed, years ago. I have some particular things that have a set influence on my creative process, as I always need to tweak whatever I am involved in, to accommodate them actively. I have a peculiar kind of unknown dyslexia and am a Synesthete? ‘’The word “synaesthesia” comes from the Greek words: “synth” which means “together” and “ethesia” which means “perception’’. I am a born observer. I am openly jealous of the time I have available to spend in observing anything and everything. It involves human or mechanical observation of what people, animals, the world, biological life forms, nature etc. actually do or are like, and how they react towards their environment, however simple or complex or to themselves. The information I collect by observation always somehow ends up in my work as a process artist, however minute and changes my life, and subsequently my art expression daily. My observations may not even be correct or portrayed accurately as all people are biased somehow, doesn’t matter how objective we think we are. I am an eternal student. The disadvantage of this is the inability to observe such things such as attitudes, motivations, state of mind,etc. and the limitations of dealing with people’s extended personalities online. I rely heavily on spiritual intuition. "The medium is the message" is a quote by Canadian 404 Special Issue An interview by , curator and curator communication theorist Marshall McLuhan and the name of the first chapter in his Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1964). ‘’McLuhan proposes that a communication medium itself, not the messages it carries, should be the primary focus of study. He showed that artifacts as media affect any society by their characteristics, or content.’’ Objects can illicit feelings we associate with comfort or care or the absence thereof. I usually see a marked progress in my artwork, running concurrently with my spiritual development as a person. I treasure quiet time with God - my Creator. I like to share what I have
Special Issue 24053 received in my dreams upwards. Sure enough without thinking it through my abilities to document a higher thought or level of drawing or artistic process, happens. I am very aware that I am taught in my dreams how to do things and even how to save things in my mind. There is a ‘’but’’ though: if I am not tuned into the needs of those surrounding me, or become angry or despondent about the world, I am immediately out of sync with any evolutionary process be it in myself or in my art. Spending time with other artists and art collectors, leads to exponential growth as well. Culturally, my art can pose a conundrum to others. It definitely plays a part in the direction of my art, as a painter. Nassim Haramein said ‘’Consciousness is a system of how space is reciprocated, which is a dynamic which could generate self awareness.’’ “Thula Baba” is an African lullaby from the Zulu tribe, of South Africa, that is a well-known melody throughout the continent. Recently I exhibited a work at the – Group Exhibition – Florence International Biennale of Contemporary Art and Design: XIII FB THEME 2021 – Eternal Feminine – Change. The work called; “Nafurat Miah Alshurb” – The Fountain of Excellent Memories in Mother’s Eyes – “Ayin – Zayin” ‘’Feeds our Thirst The Rose Revisited Help Mother Download Only Excellent Memories The Eye of The Fountain is The Breast That Feeds Us: It Flowers We Flower.” …..was the digital version of a drawing from my first solo exhibition called ‘Enclosure Fathom - Part 1 -The Rose - Zero-Knowledge Protocol (5523)’ set to the interpretation of the African song ”Thula Baba”, by world renowned, musicians, Dr. Maria-Elizabeth Bezuidenhout (RSA) and husband John Rojas (USA). The work exemplifies my sorrow about Africa, the love of the picturesque Arabic and Hebrew languages and the reality of the level of security, moral values, and comfort people need even before their conception, in order, to to find TRUE NORTH. I have been living in Oman for the past 11, plus, years now. We have a home and a small startup business in Bulgaria and we are originally from South Africa. My ancestors traveled and married expats and or indigenous men or women in different countries and they then ART Habens Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius
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ART Habens Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius Special Issue 24073
ART Habens 24081 Special Issue traveled and had their own children. My DNA canvas got a palette of Europe, Africa and The Middle East etc. dashed in there. Mahmoud Darwish, influenced my art in an empathetic way. I once read his poem about a man watching his home. Watching the bed another person sleeps in, the walls that actually belonged to him - a very stark, disquieting, painful poem about displacement - with zero charm of the childlike tale of the Three Bears and porridge stolen. Societies are still infantile as far as the management of restitution is concerned, or the repeat of the original sin, be it on whichever continent, according to whatever principle. I was 23/ 24 years old when I visited Soshanguve, a township situated about 30 km north of Pretoria, in South Africa. The people of Soshanguve are arguably the most multilingual of South Africans. It was one of the watermark moments in my life. A deep, deep love overwhelmed me. I cried for days. To me the country is made up of a set of enclosures, bubbles, completely separated and segregated from each other and life in general. Psychologically a killing field, a world full of partitions. Later years I spent a lot of time at a mission in KwaZulu Natal. People of different countries and race, stayed together and prayed together. I must have spent some of the most peaceful moments of my life there. I can answer this in an easy or hard way. One of our friends has an amazing slogan on his mobile phone: it simply says ‘’people are people”. I believe we should comfort others with what God has comforted us with. There are countless people working selflessly to forge change, but it is a very slow process. ‘’Global citizenship is the idea that one's identity transcends geography or political borders and that responsibilities or rights are derived from membership in a broader class: "humanity". This does not mean that such a person denounces or waives their nationality or other, more local identities, but that such identities are given "second place" to their membership in a global community.’’ I see myself as a global citizen, not necessarily by choice. It brought me vast jewels and chances to travel and has a direct effect, on a daily basis on my art and life. I feel myself part of lots of different communities, in totally different ways. There is blood on the back of reality. Everything has a price. I love Africa and its people. I only wish the deepest possible healing to all of their communities. Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius