- Art & Design
The South African artist has lived and worked in Amsterdam since the 1970s, where she is represented by Galerie Paul Andreisse. In Belgium too, she has long-standing collaboration with one of the country's leading galleries: Zeno X Gallery in Antwerp. This partnership is now being honoured with a new exhibition and accompanying catalogue.
Marlene Dumas is known for her paintings that are both minimalist and expressionistic. A seemingly simple image, however, can contain many layers. She paints her subjects mainly on the basis of photographs (self-made snapshots or from newspapers/magazines), but then interprets them differently by changing proportions or colours or by enlarging certain details. In this way she researches and reveals certain art historical, social and political themes, such as the Apartheid regime in which she grew up. There is also often an emotional, or even sensual - sometimes said to be almost pornographic - aspect present in her portraits. 
The South African artist and the Antwerp gallery celebrate their successful 25-year collaboration with book and exhibition
The unique way in which Dumas approaches her subjects and conveys her ideas on canvas and paper can currently be discovered in Zeno X Gallery. ‘Double Takes' is Dumas' fifth solo exhibition in the Antwerp gallery and a new highlight in their twenty-five year collaboration. The accompanying catalogue (Hannibal Publishing) collects all the works of Dumas that have been shown in this gallery over the past two decades and a half. These are accompanied by texts by the artist herself, as well as newspaper articles and archive photographs. 
A wonderful overview that we have already added to our bookcase! You can buy a copy of this publication yourself via this link.
Of course it is also worthwhile to visit the expo in Zeno X Gallery. This is possible from 27 May to 25 July and from 2 September to 10 October 2020. 
Header Image: IO, 2008 © photographer: Peter Cox
Courtesy Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp