Bruce Backhouse

Collaboration History

In 2007, Backhouse was invited to the David Krut Workshop to collaborate with printers there on a new body of work. This was his first time venturing into printmaking and it resulted in a exhibition with David Krut Projects. His most recent work at DKW deals mainly with landscapes in the form of watercolour monotypes. Backhouse aims to blur the line between realism and abstraction, drawing much of his influence from Rothko. He incorporates abstract colour fields into recognisable South African landscapes. Backhouse feels that fusing the two disciplines is important as it does not challenge one to think in terms of clichés, nor does it allow one to overlook the intention of the artwork.

In 2009 her returned to DKW to create a further body of work, which was also exhibited by DKP.

Backhouse is a full-time artist based in Johannesburg. He studied Fine Art at Rhodes University under Brian Bradshaw, from 1970 - 1971. He later worked as an art director and creative director at various advertising agencies in South Africa, for a period of 25 years. He was primarily involved in illustrating ad campaigns, magazine covers and newspaper articles. He was the managing director of Image Bank South Africa from 1997 – 2004 and became a full-time artist in 2004. In 2006 he continued his studies at the National Portrait Gallery in London. After 25 years in the industry, sensibilities of advertising become apparent in Backhouse’s work, particularly in his playful use of zesty colour and satirical figures. Although very versatile in figural satires, Backhouse is primarily concerned with the contemporary landscape, falling within the genre of traditional landscape painting. He believes that the average South African landscape has been over exploited to a point where it is no longer visually challenging to either the post-modern artist or the viewer. In trying to review this genre, his aim is to make people question and think differently about landscape in watercolour, it is a journey for both artist and viewer.

News

What’s new at DKW? A display of prints and paintings curated by our staff 2016-08

08/08/16 Blogger: Jessie Cohen (JC) There is a new display of work on the walls at DKW - a combination...

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David Krut Projects at Joburg Art Fair 2011

David Krut Projects will be showcasing work by Bruce Backhouse, Gail Behrmann, Deborah Bell, Bronwen Findlay, Claire Gavronsky, Joseph Hart, Stephen...

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