Muse

Details:

Alet Vorster
Oil on canvas, 60cm x 91cm
Date: 2008

‘Muse’. A group exhibition of portraits. Artisits were asked to do a portrait of somebody in the South African ‘artworld’.

The exhibition was held at The Klein Karoo Arts Festival – Oudtshoorn and later at Brundyn+Gonsalves Gallery – Cape Town.

Alet Vorster

I have chosen to do a portrait of Alet Voster, a gallerist and friend. (When briefed that it should be a contemporary within the artworld – Alet as subject just made sense). One problem….. you will battle to find a more self-effacing personality in this our ‘artworld’. Alet does not enjoy having her image taken and the prospect of a full portrait was simply not on. This created a bit of a dilemma for me the artist. I remembered that Alet told me she was going to New York and on this trip she might be able to purchase the one and only colour lipstick that she wears – basically her whole adult life – Christian Dior nr. 763, Rouge Mysore/Indian Red. It is no longer available in South Africa. Having arrived in New York she tried to get the colour there, it was discontinued. This ‘colourfield’ is an attempt to capture that colour, just one receptacle of an amazing identity. Alet had to change to a new lipcolour. She remains amazing.” – Luan Nel