ARCHITECT and art lover Theresa Hardman is hosting a vibrant and very special exhibition of the works of the late Deon Lemmer to officially open her new art and design studio in Main Road, Walmer.
The exhibition, which opens today at 6pm, was initiated by Deon's brother, well-known Bay writer and theatre personality Andre Lemmer, who wanted to honour his brother by sharing some of his most symbolic and personal works.
Deon, who died in January just a few weeks before his 64th birthday, was based in the Eastern Cape town of Alexandria, where he painted, ran art classes and was heavily involved in the community since the early 1990s. "Deon's home was a treasure trove filled with his vibrant creations,"
Hardman said. "Andre and I, together with Deon's partner, Hennie Delport, and Andre's wife, Isobel, selected work from this extensive oeuvre to show as a celebration of his life and creative energy. "There were nearly 200 works in various mediums to choose from and some had never been exhibited before." Andre said his brother, a former Vaal Triangle Technikon senior arts lecturer, had painted prolifically in the last three to five years, following diagnosis of a brain tumour.
"When I think of Deon, I like to think of the light of creativity and of his steadfast faith," Andre said. "He was a man of much talent, determination, integrity and generosity ... intelligent and deeply spiritual." Andre said the works chosen for the exhibition reflected his brother's journey through the pain of his condition and treatment to eventual acceptance and release.
"The dark images that dominated his art prior to his brain surgery were replaced by a new and vibrant sense of colour and light. Much of his work looks deep beneath the surfaces of things." Deon, who grew up in Port Elizabeth where he and Andre attended Grey High School, obtained his Fine Arts degree at Rhodes University.
He also spent a year at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, but had to cut short his studies there when his sister and brother-in-law were tragically killed in an accident. He later obtained his Masters degree at the University of Natal and was a teacher-artist all his working life.
After relocating to Alexandria he focussed much more heavily on creating art and, in his final years, considered himself "something of a symbolist with surrealist tendencies", Andre said. Art & Design Studio, previously Montage, is at 59 Main Road. The exhibition runs until April 12 — for gallery hours call Theresa on 082-443-3840.
Caption: LIVING ON: Andre Lemmer and Theresa Hardman with one of the artworks at the exhibition
By: Louise Liebenberg
Picture by: FREDLIN ADRIAAN
Article Source: THE HERALD