For just one month, In Toto Gallery will showcase new works from a renowned artist.
Gawie Joubert’s latest work titled Biophilia is an exploration of his own identity.
Through his ink and charcoal figures, the artist interweaves his understanding of himself in relation to nature and memory.
The artist grew up in a small town on the north coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.
It was in this province filled and lined with leafy brush that his parents educated him on fauna and flora, and he fondly remembers countless hours spent in the forest.
Based on these early memories, the artist constructs charcoal figures that appear to be made of bark, twigs and leaves.
These ethereal figures represent his identity, and the vines climbing over these figures suggest the fluid manner in which one’s identity is formed. The use of items such as feathers, mushrooms and plastic are inspired by flash memories from Joubert’s childhood.
He believes that his adult identity has been formed by these memories of experience from his childhood and they will always be embedded within him.
From a young age, Joubert felt uneasy with patriarchal constructs of identity.
Interrogating his homosexuality, the artist realised that these conflicting feelings around gender he had as a young boy were soothed by spending time in the forest.
Nature gave him the opportunity to escape from his inner conflicts around his own gender constructs and sexuality.
Joubert has always seen organic life as his biggest inspiration; as a place where nature and humans connect and create new magical beings.
Art lovers and fans of this specific artist will be able to take a closer look at the artworks of Joubert from 28 July to 29 August at In Toto Gallery in Illovo.
