Painting

Alice Geldenhuys

Artist’s Statement

With these paintings, I wanted to portray a sense of playfulness and casualness in the young women I depict. With their High Street bikinis, chipped nails and scrolling through their phones; I wanted the figures I painted to be above all modern. Many of my sketches and paintings have explored the emotional and physical nature of female friendships, inspired by moments I’ve spent with friends. I have continuously looked to contemporary artists Ania Hobson and Chloe Wise, and to their representations of modern women.
The division of my paintings into separate panels and the positioning of them apart is something I have explored. Not only have I enjoyed the process itself , I have found the division can add further insight into the relationships portrayed. For example in Scroll’, the separation of panels suggest a potential disconnect between friends, momentarily, caused by phones. In ‘Pool Pending’, I used the triptych to not only further confuse the immediate narrative, but to also suggest the ever-changing bond between older and younger sisters.


Biography

Alice was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, where her father is from. However, she has grown up in Cheshire, England. Prior to coming to Leith, Alice studied History at the University of Bristol, graduating in June 2021. She began painting during the first lockdown, encouraged by her mother who is an artist. In the following academic year, she intends on completing a second year on the Painting Course.

Fullscreen Gallery
“SCROLL” 2022, 100cm x 1400cm, £700