The understanding of liminality has multiple contexts, ranging from the social and cultural to the spatial. The root word limen “is derived from the Latin word for ‘threshold,’ and literally means ‘being on a threshold”. It is the in-between stage where “the realm of conscious and unconscious speculation and questioning exists. Where tradition and ideas are intermingled, taken apart and reassembled – where memory, values, and intentions collide.
This sense of liminality is represented by historical houses located in a small town called McGregor, in the Western Cape. McGregor is a place steeped in history - history in its own right, as well as part of the history of our country.
Through my paintings I seek to re-establish the houses as both a physical presence and as a metaphor. The historical houses with their small windows convey a sense of discontinuity, “a shutting in and a shutting out.” Where the outside and the inside do not meet.
With layering and mark-making I am blurring the perception of the occupied space, becoming both one thing and at the same time another. An in between space, a space of ambiguity, threshold, transition and, an experience of liminality, creating a homogenous space where the house and its surrounds are visually merged - a moment of ambiguity or opportunity.
On exhibition at La Galleria from 20 May to 11 June 2023
Richard Joshua, Cape Town, South Africa (1962 - )
“I see my art as a journey of discovery, with the freedom to explore and develop my own visual language. I am fascinated and drawn to the interruption of realism, by improvising with painterly brush strokes and mark making. My aim is to create movement and emotion in a realm where colour and expression is appreciated more than true representation.”
Richard is resident in the historic town of McGregor, Western Cape. It is here that he has found the perfect setting for his artistic expression. From his childhood in the townships, through his graphic design and visual art studies, to his strong connection with the native people of Arizona, he has always been immersed in visual imagery in some form or other.
Portraits, commonplace buildings, landscapes and horses are the focal points of some of his most celebrated artwork. Through innovative use of brushes, squeegees, ink brayers and palette knives, Richard creates a unique style that conveys a sense of life, vibrance and captures the true essence of the subject.
Richard lists Nicoli Fechen, Alex Kanevsky and Christian Hook, amongst others, as current sources of inspiration.
