The charcoal animations and drawings by Wendy Morris bring South Africa closer.

I was immediately struck by the charcoal drawings and animations of Wendy Morris (1960). I was amazed by the astonishing technique as well as by the complexity of the work. It is incredible how much information, history and stories are processed in her films. The World Cup Soccer in South Africa offered a perfect opportunity to do a solo exhibition with Wendy Morris. The exhibition meant the introduction of the artists’ work in the Netherlands. Due to her move to Belgium in the mid nineties, the South-African Morris stands with one leg in the European and with the other in the African continent. She intertwines the history of both black and white as of Europe and (South) Africa. The artist is interested in microhistory, personal stories that often didn’t make it to the official annals and that offer a different view on the official history. Her own family history is also a source of inspiration.

With the exhibition I intended to arouse the visitors’ curiosity in the history and political situation of South Africa, a country in which Netherlands has left its traces due to the Dutch East India Company. The exhibition brought South Africa closer and it outlined a nuanced picture of this immense country. The visitors’ guide brought together all the facts, history, stories and anecdotes that play a role in the various animations. The guide included texts by the artist and served as a reference book. Rather than creating a ‘black box’, the exhibition made use of natural light to give it a pleasant daylight feel.

In addition to Wendy Morris I also made exhibitions in 21rozendaal with Bruno Peinado, Het Harde Potlood and a flourishing generation of Belgian artists.