A dreaming hand, wounded by thorns is on view at Rachel Uffner Gallery in New York through January 6, 2024. Small Hours is on view at Alice Black Gallery in London from 1 December 2023 to 13 January 2024.
Gitte Maria Möller's abstract paintings are infused with 90s nostalgia
Ahead of exhibitions in New York and London, we speak to the South African artist about her conservative upbringing and finding self-empathy.
By Paige Silveria |
The South African-born, New York-based artist just opened a new exhibition, A dreaming hand, wounded by thorns, at the Rachel Uffner Gallery on the Lower East Side. On display are a series of large-scale paintings and digitally transferred drawings, framed in handcrafted wiring and adorned with charms, that demonstrate the visual impact of a secluded Protestant upbringing in Cape Town, as well as the growing sway of popular culture on Gitte; the work features fantastical scenes with an array of references, from My Little Pony characters to early computer game aesthetics.
“I think a lot about the magic of childhood and how we imbue toys, objects or literally anything with magical status, and I like to bring those ideas into my work,” she explains. Panel paintings feature whimsical details like butterflies and bunny rabbits, sci-fi fairies or those inspired by witchy characters on the Afrikaans TV show Liewe Heksie. The work is reflective of a 90s/00s upbringing, an aesthetic that’s endlessly referenced today, yet through it Gitte methodically processes feelings, trauma and tries to make sense of our modern world.
To coincide with the exhibition and an upcoming group show called Small Hours at Alice Black Gallery in London, we spoke to the artist about growing up in an isolated South African church community and the transition from teenage angst to self-empathy.
November 23, 2023
