‘There’s a story in everything.’
Pretoria-based artist Abrie Fourie (1969) stayed in the Foundation’s studio in Amsterdam in August 2000, on the occasion of the Holland-South Africa Line project. This exchange project between South African and Dutch artists ended with exhibitions in Amsterdam and Cape Town.
Working in the medium of photography, Fourie’s work is characterized by capturing moments that move ordinary objects or occurrences into the realm of the extraordinary or even spiritual. In whatever format they are presented, be it as screensavers, light boxes or cibachromes, Fourie’s lucid photographic images exude a meditative effect on the viewer. Fleeting moments become timeless impressions of the imagination, doubling up as spiritual metaphors of sorts. The flapping of plastic bags in the wind, razor wire and moving pages from the Bible, lure the viewer away from the hustle and bustle of city life and into a space where quiet reflection is key to survival.
In 2003, Fourie’s work has been featured on exhibitions in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Belgium, Colombia, and Berlin. He was nominated for the prestigious FNB Vita Art Award in 2002 and teaches Printed Image, Photography and Curatorial Studies at Technikon Pretoria.
Website
Art Insitute of Chicago
Strauss Art South Africa
Changing-Room.com
Abrie Fourie at Joáo Ferreira