Abstract Topographies: Bevan de Wet’s Sculptural Paper Works


Paper features at the heart of the art that we do here a David Krut Projects. All printing workshops, really, have an appreciation for paper that many might not even consider in their daily lives. While printmaking processes may vary, all of them rely on paper as, in some way, the main ingredient of the finished product, even if it is not the main feature. Bevan de Wet, however, has chosen to take that main ingredient, and make it the main feature as well.

Working with paper pulp, a fibrous material made from plants such as hemp or sisal that is used to make paper, de Wet has created vibrant and playful sculptural works. He begins the making of this work first by creating the pulp out of hemp and sisal fibres as well as recycled cotton. From there, he moves onto dying the pulp with watercolours and drawing inks, creating patterns and shades within the raw mixture before he hand-places or pours the pulp into moulds. Left to dry, the pulp becomes sheets of paper, surprisingly rigid but also permeable.

 
There is an aspect of sustainability in the creation of this work, not just with the use of recycled cotton, but also in the choice of fibres for the pulp. Sisal is an invasive plant species to South Africa, originating rather, in Central America, particularly Mexico. It was brought over to South Africa for its many uses, such as in paper, rope, and carpets, and is still widely farmed in the region of Limpopo. It is an incredibly biodegradable fibre, making it an ideal choice for paper production. However, as an invasive species, it leaves its mark upon the environment, and its production often comes at the cost of native flora.

In this way, this body of work explores themes of materiality, ecology, and human intervention. For de Wet, the works exist as abstract topographies mapping interconnected systems, not landscapes. Through layering and perforations, he introduces echoes of natural processes such as erosion, decay, and growth. The work is ultimately an exploration of the relationship between humanity and land.

Bevan de Wet is an artist and printmaker based in Johannesburg. He graduated with a BFA with distinction from Rhodes University in 2008. From 2011-2016, de Wet worked at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg as a professional print technician, collaborator, and academic facilitator. In 2016 he founded a print workshop called Eleven Editions, where he also collaborates with other artists and publishes various projects. De Wet regularly works with Phumani Archive Mill, a paper-making research unit at the University of Johannesburg, where he produces his handmade paperwork. He also teaches various printmaking modules at UJ. De Wet works primarily with paper; with a focus on etching, relief printing, papermaking, drawing and installation.

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