Artist Jennifer Mary Ord may have died on February 23, but the exhibition of her work at the Nelson Mandela University Bird Street Gallery is not retrospective or in memory of her life — it is a showing of her last available works.
Though her work has been shown before in the city, the latest exhibition is a recognition of a lifetime’s process.
Ord, a self-proclaimed post-structuralist, grew up in the Eastern Cape and studied fine art through Unisa under Professor Alan Crump in the 1970s.
She taught at the PE Technikon and the merged Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in the 1980s and 1990s, where many students passed through her painting and art history lectures.
“The Between: From Sight to Insight” is based on a written work penned by Ord shortly before she died.
Through this work she gave insight into her process and suggested the viewer participate in her artworks and not stand “in denial of our imagination and resourceful creativity”.
Ord’s work can also be viewed at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, where it is now on show.
“White Bulls Without Wings” is a three-dimensional, four-part, mixed-media sculpture with heart-shaped bowls in the bases.
According to Ord’s notes, the work is a feminist statement, but one without rancour or bias.
Ord lived her life with Buddhist principles and a preference for simplicity.
She said she always tried to stay aware, but relaxed, regardless of circumstances, and to see all people as worthy.
On a visit to the UK, Ord was inspired by an exhibition by late German artist Joseph Beuys, noting the detail in the execution of his work.
Beuys described the field of art as a catalyst for mindfulness and you can see this in the finely worked detail in Ord’s artworks.
“The Between: From Sight to Insight”, compiled by Robyn Sharwood, is on at the NMU Bird Street Gallery in Central until April 12.
HeraldLIVE
Artist Jennifer Mary Ord’s work celebrated at Bird Street Gallery
Image: SUPPLIED
Artist Jennifer Mary Ord may have died on February 23, but the exhibition of her work at the Nelson Mandela University Bird Street Gallery is not retrospective or in memory of her life — it is a showing of her last available works.
Though her work has been shown before in the city, the latest exhibition is a recognition of a lifetime’s process.
Ord, a self-proclaimed post-structuralist, grew up in the Eastern Cape and studied fine art through Unisa under Professor Alan Crump in the 1970s.
She taught at the PE Technikon and the merged Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in the 1980s and 1990s, where many students passed through her painting and art history lectures.
“The Between: From Sight to Insight” is based on a written work penned by Ord shortly before she died.
Through this work she gave insight into her process and suggested the viewer participate in her artworks and not stand “in denial of our imagination and resourceful creativity”.
Ord’s work can also be viewed at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, where it is now on show.
“White Bulls Without Wings” is a three-dimensional, four-part, mixed-media sculpture with heart-shaped bowls in the bases.
According to Ord’s notes, the work is a feminist statement, but one without rancour or bias.
Ord lived her life with Buddhist principles and a preference for simplicity.
She said she always tried to stay aware, but relaxed, regardless of circumstances, and to see all people as worthy.
On a visit to the UK, Ord was inspired by an exhibition by late German artist Joseph Beuys, noting the detail in the execution of his work.
Beuys described the field of art as a catalyst for mindfulness and you can see this in the finely worked detail in Ord’s artworks.
“The Between: From Sight to Insight”, compiled by Robyn Sharwood, is on at the NMU Bird Street Gallery in Central until April 12.
HeraldLIVE
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