James de Villiers
Johannesburg, South Africa
My art is a meditation on nature and an investigation of the forces that lie behind outward appearances
Message
James Lucian de Villiers
Born 10 March 1954 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal., South Africa
James de Villiers, based in Johannesburg, is a mainly self-taught artist having undergone periods of art studies at Unisa and the Free State Technicon in the 1970s.
Greatly inspired by his mother who was a keen amateur painter, he became interested in art at the age of 12.
With a background in the printing industry he followed many work paths as retail display artist, advertising, magazine, book and graphic designer, illustrator, theatrical props maker, DJ, electronic music experimentalist and newspaper infographic artist. During this time he was also an active fine artist and ran several of his own experimental galleries.
De Villiers's first exhibition was a one-person show in 1985 at the Market Gallery in Newtown, Johannesburg.
He was responsible for the organisation and hosting of the Fringe exhibitions of the first Africus Biennale in 1995.
In 2014 de Villiers started artmaking on a fulltime basis. He works with realism and abstraction creating mixed media drawings, oil and acrylic paintings and silkscreened artworks. His artworks are in many collections in South Africa and abroad.
De Villiers's work is a meditation on the state of nature, it's decay and regeneration, ecology and "making the invisible forces of nature visible". He is equally influenced by the growth and decay of plants in a garden and the discoveries of the James Webb Telescope and the Large Hadron Collider.
"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour."
William Blake -Auguries of Innocence
Exhibitions
At present most of De Villiers's artwork is exhibited and sold online.
- 2023 Abstractions. Solo exhibition at the Gordart Stokvel Gallery, 27 Boxes. Melville, Johannesburg. Sept 22 -25.
- 2023 Latitudes Online group exhibition: LAND // sites of (be)longing. 5 April to 17 May.
- 2023 Latitudes Online group exhibition: REVERB 23 Abstract Resonances // Contemporary Voices from 8th Feb to 24th of Mar.
- 2022 Group Exhibition StateoftheART Gallery, Cape Town.
- 2021 July-Aug: Affordable Art Fair 2021 at EDG2020 Gallery, Kyalami, Johannesburg. Awarded second prize for Vortex, a multimedia screenprinted work on paper.
- 2020 Exhibited and sold artworks online.
- 2019 onwards: Exhibited paintings at The Pencil Art Foundation in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal
- 2018 July: Group show at White River Gallery, Mpumalanga, titled "Na die Maal" (After the Meal)
- 2018 May. Paintings exhibited at StateoftheART Gallery, Cape Town
- 2018 April onwards. Group exhibition at The Art of Silver Gallery in Cullinan
- 2017 11 Feb-12 March "Untitled" group exhibition at the Moor Gallery Franschhoek
- 2017 Jan 7- Feb 5 "Genre" group exhibition at the Moor Gallery Franschhoek
- 2016 "Ephemeral Pleasures" group exhibition at the Moor Gallery Franschhoek
- 2016 August- Oct: "Muse Montage" group exhibition at Eclectica Design and Art
- 2016 July: A pastel painting titled "After the Battle" accepted by the Delville Wood Memorial Museum in the Somme, France
- 2016 July 7-23 Group exhibition Scapes: Rhythms of an environment at StateoftheART Gallery, Cape Town
- 2016 June: Group exhibition at Halifax Art Gallery in Parkhurst, Johannesburg
- 2016 May 5: Optical Diversions, a group exhibition at Eclectica Design and Art Gallery, Cape Town
- 2016 January: Executed a commission to do a series of skies for a client of The Gavin Project.
- 2015 Exhibited works at Gavin Project, Arts on Main, Maboneng, Johannesburg.
- 2015 September. Rogue Art 1 group exhibition at Carfax, Johannesburg
- 2015 July. Studio exhibition at Carfax to open the artist's new studio.
- 2013 October Solo exhibition: “Decay Transfigured” at Gallery on 6th in Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
- 2013 Group show at Gallery on 6th in Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
- 2011 Group show “Altered Pieces” at the Thompson Gallery
- 2010 March: Solo exhibition “Earth & Sky” at Right on the Rim at Arts on Main in Johannesburg.
- 2009 Participated in GTZ International Photographic workshop and exhibition, “Diversity, the impulse for development”. Johannesburg and Pretoria.
- 2009 “War and Hate” group exhibition at Right on the Rim, Arts on Main, Johannesburg
- 2006 “Nature Morte” a solo exhibition at the Gordart gallery in Melville, Johannesburg
- 2005 March 11 - 18: Solo exhibition “Earth & Sky” at the Gerard Sekoto Gallery, Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg
- 2005 January 16 - February 9: Exhibition “Forty Hand painted Pictures” at Gordart Gallery
- 2004 Exhibited on group shows at Gordart Gallery, Melville “For the Record/Off the Record”. Organised and performed in “Mayday Experimental music evening” at Gordart.
- 2004 Exhibited in Christmas Miniature show Gordart Gallery
- 1999 Participated in group exhibition touring Mexico and the US, “Transmigrations 1999”
- 1998 Participated in group show, "Buttons” at the Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
- 1997 The Beat Hotel Carfax, Newtown, Johannesburg
- Eurovirus #1, 2 & 3 exhibitions at Carfax, Newtown, Johannesburg
- 1997 Participated as an artist in Jahn Beukes’ “Group Spiral” music production
- 1996 “Landscapes”, two man show with Pieter Swanepoel at Gallery Palette, Pretoria Art Gallery
- 1995 Curators Choice Exhibition, Rembrandt Gallery, Johannesburg
- 1994 “Biting The Ballot”, Rembrandt Gallery, Johannesburg
- 1994 Group Show at the ICA, Johannesburg
- 1993 Solo exhibition at the Long Gallery, S A Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
- 1993 Johannesburg Corporate Art, a group show at the Artists Co-Operative, Midrand
- 1993 Group Show, Newtown Galleries, Johannesburg
- 1993 Alternative Photographic Print Workshop, University Witwatersrand and the ICA with Bob Cnoops
- 1993 “Drawing with light”, group show, ICA, Johannesburg
- 1993 Group Show, Anti-Gravity Gallery, Rosebank, Johannesburg
- 1992 Usable Art, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Johannesburg
- 1992 Exhibition/demonstration at the annual South African Art Historians Conference, UNISA, Pretoria
- 1992 101 Miniatures, ICA, Johannesburg
- 1992 “Made in August” exhibition at the Newtown Galleries, Johannesburg
- 1991 Kempton Park Art Competition, overall and category winner
- 1985 First Solo exhibition at the Market Theatre Gallery, Newtown, Johannesburg
Statement
The Art of James de Villiers
Born 10 March 1954.
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
Currently lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
James de Villiers has cultivated a diverse and exploratory artistic career spanning several decades. His oeuvre reflects a profound engagement with themes of creation, decay, transformation and the interplay between scientific phenomena and ancient philosophies. De Villiers's artistic journey is marked by a continuous evolution from realism to abstraction, mirroring his deepening inquiry into the unseen forces that shape our existence.
Artistic Evolution and Influences
Initially inspired by the Dutch, German, and Flemish masters, de Villiers produced a substantial body of realist works, including landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and skyscapes. Over time, his focus shifted towards abstraction, driven by an interest in capturing the invisible processes underlying natural and cosmic phenomena. This transition signifies a deliberate move from depicting the external world to exploring its underlying structures and energies. However, he still continues to produce realist artworks.
Central to de Villiers's abstract works is the influence of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and particle physics. He employs dynamic forms, fragmented structures, and vivid colours to represent the chaotic interactions of subatomic particles, using lines, curves, and colours as metaphors for the complexity of the quantum world. This approach reflects his fascination with the fundamental forces that shape reality, interpreted through a creative lens that transcends literal representation.
Complementing his scientific interests, de Villiers draws inspiration from ancient Indian philosophy and cosmology and Zen philosophy. The cyclical nature of the universe, as described in Hindu traditions, resonates with his exploration of creation and decay, themes that are central to both particle physics and spiritual narratives. Zen's emphasis on simplicity and mindfulness influences the more realist aspects of his work, where he captures moments of decay and transformation, reflecting on the transient nature of life.
Thematic Exploration
De Villiers's art serves as a meditation on nature and an investigation into the forces behind outward appearances. His works often depict the decay and regeneration of organic matter, such as wilting flowers and decomposing vegetation, symbolizing the universal processes of transformation and renewal. By embracing both the microcosmic and macrocosmic perspectives, he bridges the gap between the seen and unseen, inviting viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of all things.
Technique and Medium
Employing a range of mediums—including oil, acrylic, and silkscreen printing—de Villiers's technique is characterized by a fusion of texture and colour that creates immersive, dynamic compositions. His use of impasto adds a tactile dimension to his paintings, enhancing the expressive quality of his abstract forms. The integration of screen-printed elements introduces a structural component, juxtaposing the organic with the geometric and reflecting the tension between order and chaos.
Critical Reception and Impact
De Villiers's work has been exhibited in various venues, including a solo exhibition titled "Abstractions" at the Gordart Stokvel Gallery in Johannesburg in 2023. His participation in group exhibitions, such as "REVERB 23 Abstract Resonances" with Latitudes Online, underscores his relevance in contemporary abstract art discourse. His art challenges viewers to engage with complex ideas, offering new perspectives on the nature of existence and the unseen forces that govern it.
Conclusion
James de Villiers's artistic journey reflects a profound commitment to exploring the intersections of science, spirituality, and the natural world. Through his exploration of realism and abstraction, he invites contemplation of the invisible phenomena that shape our reality.His work stands as a testament to the power of art to bridge disparate realms of knowledge, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.