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Street portraits and emergent complexity

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Ragnar van der Merwe is currently exhibiting his first solo exhibition at artEC gallery. His work is a collection of drawings in two parts, street portraits and abstract drawings. His medium is pastels and pencils.

In his abstract drawings he uses line, organic shape and colour in mixed media to create order in a chaotic foundation. His portraits are a study of the world around him, they tell a subtle story of a captured moment in time.

Ragnar studied graphic design, fine art and sculpture at P.E Technikon. When He finished his studies he worked in the hospitality industry for fifteen years while dabbling in various personal art projects in his spare time. He then left the corporate world when he found that it killed his individual expression.

Not wanting to be restricted by recognized regulations he started doing abstract freehand drawings. He allowed his pastels, pens and crayons to flow freely into imaginary structure. Since then his work has evolved to include a stylized understanding of the world around him.

He has previously exhibited at William Humphreys Gallery in Kimberly (in September 2011) and at the Macufe Cultural Festival in Bloemfontein in early October 2011.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.