Madeleine
Travers, born 1981, grew up in the Northwest, near the Vaal River and currently
resides in Klerksdorp.
Travers
is a contemporary figurative artist whose mixed media paintings underscores the
importance of identity and belonging.
Her
creative path began after completing her Fine Art Diploma at the Vaal
University of Technology in South Africa, majoring in painting and photography,
in 2002. Following her studies, she
worked as an art substitute teacher and participated in local mural projects . As with the many seasons of a mother’s life, Travers returned her focus to her art practice three
years ago, embracing it with renewed passion and dedication. She has
since participated in various group exhibitions and local art projects.
Travers’
awareness of an internal consciousness highlighting our identity and sense of
belonging often finds its place in her artworks through female figures and
water’s timeless symbolism. Whether
using acrylic to portray water’s interplay with light or gold leaf that often
adorns her work, both serve as metaphor for the mirror like surface of water to
which the viewer gets drawn into a dream-like world of introspection.
Travers draws significant inspiration from
renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, admiring his ability to capture
spontaneous, decisive moments. She shares his belief that there are a thousand
ways to distil the essence of something that captivates us.
Her
artistic influence has significantly been fuelled by a recent trip to Italy,
reflecting on its rich heritage in art, history and architecture which
motivated her inspiration behind a new series of work which she is currently
working on.
