Artist BIO
Rosendal-based artist, illustrator and curator Lein Smuts works predominantly in charcoal, exploring the landscapes of the Eastern Free State through expressive mark-making and tonal contrasts. Her practice also encompasses a range of other media and techniques, informed by her immediate surroundings.
She completed her Fine Arts degree at the University of Pretoria in 1997. Her work has been exhibited extensively in Gauteng and the Western Cape. She is a member of the Fibreworks art collective and the creator and co-producer of the art-focused
YouTube channel Koppel-Teken-Kuns.
Lein Smuts – Statement Extended version
My work is a conversation between people, place, and memory—an exploration of how relationships shape and are shaped by the landscapes we inhabit. Through the slow, intentional process of stitching and layering materials, I seek to capture the ephemeral connections between people, land, and our personal historical female identity.
Fibre, with its ability to hold tension, fray, and bind, becomes a metaphor for the delicate and complex nature of relationships. Threads intertwine like personal histories, knotting moments of intimacy, loss, and resilience into textured surfaces that echo lived experience. I am drawn to materials that carry a sense of place—natural fibres, found objects, and textiles that hold stories within their weave—allowing my work to function as both a personal archive and a broader reflection on rural South African identity.
Memory, like fibre, is fragile yet enduring. Through my practice, I explore the ways in which memories are held within spaces, how they shift over time, and how they shape our sense of belonging. My work is a meditation on the physical and emotional landscapes we traverse, a quiet attempt to map the invisible threads that connect us to each other and to the places we call home.
