Decorus in Gryphus | 2014

The use of animals as symbols is a predominant theme in most folklore.
I am intrigued by such symbols since my de Wet family coat of arms bares the symbol of a Griffin, a legendary mythological creature with the features of both a lion and an eagle.
My personal isolation from its metaphor forms a basis for conversation and narrative, which I use to deconstruct history and identity.
Simply translated is “Becoming the Griffin”, indicating a process or period of transition experienced while slowly gleaning an understanding of its significance.
The use of anthropomorphism in the work allows for a negotiation of that dichotomy between the civilized self and the instinctive, untamed self.
The skins surface becomes a boundary, receptive to patterning, mapping and fragmenting. This fracturing of imagery further investigates notions of displacement and belonging, thus evoking a sense of unease and disconnectedness.

Etching, with monotype, variably editioned.
Merit Award Winner, ABSA L’Atelier, 2014.