Pradervand’s art grabs attention
EL-born artist describes work as ‘art that is made outside the academic tradition of fine art’
“Childlike, playful, colourful, bright, disturbing these are some of the words that have been used to describe East London-born artist Marc Pradervand’s attentiongrabbing artworks.
From human figures surrounded by colour, shape, line and even what appear to be sharks, to animalistic paintings created with an explosion of colour, Pradervand’s work is captivating.
And for the past few weeks, locals have had the pleasure of viewing a collection of his displayed at the Ann Bryant Art Gallery as part of Pradervand’s latest exhibition titled The Bluebird of Happiness and Other Stories.
The exhibition closed on Saturday.
Influenced by many artists, from Van Gogh, to Jean Dubuffet, Basquiat, Norman Catherine, Walter Battis, San rock art, Australian Aboriginal art and even children’s art, Pradervand, who is an experienced photographer, started painting 10 years ago and has not looked back.
“I studied to be a primary school teacher. Taught for five years then went and studied photography for three years.
“I worked as a photographer for magazines, in fashion, and even for the Sunday Times.
“I started painting seriously round about 10 years ago.
I enjoy the whole process of creating art, from the idea all the way through to the finished work,” says Pradervand, 52, who matriculated from Cambridge High School and now resides in Riebeek East, a tiny hamlet 40km inland from Makhanda, where he has lived for the past 14 years.
Pradervand says he often finds inspiration in many things, and sometimes the most unexpected places.
“I’m inspired by many things, from nature and religion all the way through to stories I hear while sitting at bars!”
Non-traditional in form, shape, style, medium and often even subject matter, Pradervand describes his work as “art that is made outside the academic tradition of fine art ” .
“I would say my style of art falls into the category of naive art, Art Brut or raw art.
“I usually use acrylic paint on canvas. I also use oil paint and ordinary house paint. I paint onto canvas, wood, zinc, bone – anything that’s available really,” Pradervand said.
He said his latest exhibition was somewhat influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, but that his recent body of work was described as a discourse on nature and, in a sense,
humanity.
“This exhibition has been influenced, to a certain degree by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Bluebird of Happiness and The Boatman’s Call are examples of Covid-19inspired work.
“Someone once described my recent work as a ‘meditation on nature and the iconography of first cultures’,” Pradervand said.
He said, though seeing a full body of work hanging together in a gallery was the best feeling, even the pieces that did not always work offered some form of joy.
“I find doing exhibitions very rewarding. Seeing a whole body of work hanging in a gallery is, for me, a wonderful experience.
“Even those works that don’t work and are thrown away can be rewarding in certain ways.
To view more of Pradervand’s work, visit the artist’s website at
I’m inspired by many things, from nature and religion all the way through to stories I hear while sitting at bars