artSPACE durban is playing host to a number of exhibitions which encourage art-lovers to undertake a journey of learning and discovery until October 10.

On show in the main gallery is From Where I Stand by Suraya Tewary and Deidre Maree, which acknowledges the process of painting as an ongoing exploration of learning and discovery.

Says Deidre Maree: “The subject of this exhibition is the medium. The concept is to record an investigation into oil paint, and to acknowledge that the process of exploration and discovery is ongoing.

“The painted solution to a visual reference will take different forms along my painting journey. Through constant dialogue with the medium a rich, truly crafted, painterly surface is sought.

“Since the work is figurative, the stimuli for each of these investigative pieces are the photographs taken and the interpretations and memories of what has been seen.

“The very personal act of witnessing and recording is then expressed through a manipulation of compositional elements to demonstrate a response to space, colour, light and form.

“By representing the natural and emotional world with dignity the painting becomes a description of both the physical and metaphysical, and a reflection of a state of being.”

Says Suraya Tewary: “My body of work is a seemingly material one of images and moments from everyday life – a string of visual patterns of my surroundings, of the space, colour, light and form which shapes and informs my emotional landscape through the medium of paint.

“It is however, a desire to physically and emotionally examine the image and subject matter, and find a way through my process of photographing, editing and paint application to convey the emotive stimuli behind the memory of these images.

“My work aims to create a space for balance, contemplation and self-observation. A space for momentary stillness and immersion, when noise and voices recede and we are left bare, with the simple act of observation and reflection.”

In the Corridor Gallery is You don’t have to speak by Grace Kotze and Melody French. This exhibition showcases new paintings which illustrate why they chose visual arts as their means of communication and not words.

Neither artist feels the need to “spell out” the meaning of their emotions. French’s atmospheric landscapes and Kotze’s portraits and life observations describe the artist internal state yet the viewers are given space for their own interpretations.

In the Middle Gallery is recalculating… by Megan Bonnetard and Pam Benporath. This exhibition is a collaborative experiment, reflecting on the journeys they have each taken.

“At this point our paths have crossed and we pause to reflect on the individual journeys that have led us to this point,” the artists say. “We do not always take the intended route when embarking on a journey, life throws curveballs, we make questionable choices and in the journey of art, as in life, so many possibilities exist, the journey becomes an adventure.

“Through a process of collaboration, multiplicity, reworking, and general experimentation, we explore these possibilities where one artwork may have numerous resolutions.”

artSPACE durban is at 3 Millar Road, Durban. Phone 031 312 0793 or log on to www.artspace-durban.com or www.artworksartspace.blogspot.com for more information. You can also like the Facebook page: artspacedurban

The gallery hours are Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm and Saturday and Public Holidays from 9am – 2pm.