Jeremy Wafer

Born in Durban in 1953, Wafer has an MA Fine Art from the University of the Witwatersrand (1987) where he is an Associate Professor. He was a merit award winner at the Brett Kebble Art Awards in 2004…

African Forms

Artworks

"I have regarded the practice of art as a form of critical enquiry, as conceptually reflective research. The first phase of work dating from the early 80’s until c.1994 was directed towards reflections on repression and militarization in South Africa. The dominant theme in this series of works in sculpture, drawing and photography was that of the border understood as a political, geographical and psychological barrier. A new phase of work became evident around 1994 with a series of works which attempted to integrate aspects of African sculpture into a broadly post minimalist sculptural style. This work was characterised by rhythmic patterns of surface intensification and by the use of natural materials deriving from indigenous healing practices. More recent work, returning to some of the themes of the earlier “border” phase, has been focussed on issues of land and territory and on a more conceptual reflection on processes and forms of representation. This investigation has used aerial and micro photography, numeric and colour coding, site specific intervention and mapping as characteristic modes." – Jeremy Wafer