Arts Graduate Exhibits Work at artSPACE Durban

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UKZN Fine Arts graduate Dr Louise Hall exhibited her work at artSPACE durban from 13 October to 1 November.

Hall, one of only two known artists in the country to do a practice-led PhD, conducted a walkabout just before she dismantled the exhibition.

Her exhibition, titled “Migration”, featured mixed media drawings - open-ended and light-hearted works which explore some of the fundamentals of drawing - in particular, line and point - and reflect what seem to be perennial themes in her work of transition, departure and change.

‘Drawing as medium and process is fundamental to my artistic practice, so when I paint, I am drawing. Drawing helps me chart my artistic direction and after an intense period of working I use drawing to cast around to find new ideas and images. The drawings in Migration represent the beginnings of a new body of work,’ said Hall.

Discussing how UKZN has helped her as an artist, she said: ‘In my experience, impartial and outside perspectives on my art work are fundamental to the development of my artistic practice. Studying within the UKZN context gave me the privilege of receiving guidance and rigorous criticism of my art work from UKZN staff as well as from examiners from other universities in South Africa and abroad.’

Hall recently completed a practice-led PhD at the Centre for Visual Art, (CVA), UKZN. ‘It is a costly process to produce and exhibit a big body of art work. While an exhibition of a body of artwork is not necessarily a requirement for practice-led research internationally, UKZN identified this as important,’ said Hall

‘The whole of the practical component of the PhD was therefore conceived and executed on the assumption that the works made should and would lead to an exhibition, which would be the basis for judging the practical body of work.’

This research body of art work, titled “Fine Lines” was exhibited in 2012 at the University of Johannesburg Gallery, at Durban’s KZNSA Gallery, and at the Grande Provence Gallery in Franschhoek.

She also pointed out that by studying at UKZN she was able to apply for scholarships and grants to assist with her artistic practice and exhibition costs. She received a Rita Strong Scholarship from the Centre for Visual Art (CVA) at UKZN, a doctoral grant from UKZN and National Research Foundation scholarships.

In addition, Hall has art teaching experience at high school, university and adult education levels. She is also an experienced facilitator, having worked in the organisational and development facilitation context.

She was a founder member of DWEBA, an NGO that worked with rural craftswomen and developed a participatory training methodology using drawing as a central component. This methodology was published as a resource guide in 2001 titled: “Drawing Our Lives”.

Melissa Mungroo