Solank dit saam met jou is

Probably one of the most complex things to explain: who we are; our identity.

Some argue that an identity doesn’t exist without external sources of validation and that one can easily (and should) attach one’s value to material stuff that indicate your status. Or your education. To side with whatever the opinion of the day is. To only shop at Woolies or to never be seen dead in a PEP Stores Home (For those in the know: they currently have hand-made-look mugs that put my Wonky Ware mugs to shame)…

Anyway. So, identity. While making these paintings I was listening to a book by somebody J. Palmer on ‘being’. He speaks of the fragrance of your inner being you carry around when coming or going- it’s not something we can camouflage- our brightly polished side as well as our stinky shadow side is always ever present- the one cannot go without the other.

So, on the one hand, i think we often suppress the shadow. With perfume. And beauty. And blinkgoedjies. (And we all do, at some stage.) We make-up the shadow so that it is presentable and can be considered flawlessly ‘on par’ with the bright side. But there is always that… (haunting?) feeling of distrust when meeting someone like that.

And on the other hand…there are people… who are ‘wel-deurwinterde-mense’… people who have managed to invite their darkness into the present. Who don’t decorate them. But introduce them as they are. These people smell of earth. Fresh rain. Charcoal and frozen water.

Do you know solid, grounded people like that? (I ask while exploring a new fine fragrance of bergamot and vetiver…!)