A new contemporary art exhibition exploring change, transformation and the beauty of imperfection has opened at Lakritz Gallery.
Titled Imperfect Evolution, the group exhibition is curated by gallery owner and artist Claudine Hauke and features works by renowned SA artists Elgin Rust, Jeandri Visser, Danelle Heenop, Thokozani Mthiyane and Fran Stassen.
The exhibition, which opened on March 7 and runs until May 2, invites visitors to reflect on the imperfect and ever-evolving nature of society, creativity and human development.
Hauke said the idea for the exhibition emerged from a broader reflection on how art and society continuously change.
“I’m interested in work that is not polished or resolved, but carries traces of process, struggle and transformation,” Hauke said.
She said bringing together contemporary artists to explore these ideas in one exhibition created “a powerful dialogue about where we are as a society”.
The artists were selected according to their conceptual depth, technique and willingness to experiment.
“I look for artists whose work has a strong voice and deeper meaning, and who are willing to experiment and challenge visual language.
“We live in a time of constant change, uncertainty and transformation.
“The idea of imperfection feels very relevant today because it reflects reality more honestly than the idea of perfection.”
As an artist-run space, the gallery aims to encourage experimentation and conversation.
“Art itself is and should be a constant evolution for each artist and the time they are living in.
“The world we have created is imperfect and constantly changing through development and progress, but also through destruction and disruption.”
Hauke’s works in the exhibition are large-scale mixed-media pieces.
“I work intuitively with strong colours, especially reds, blues and blacks, together with scribbles, scratches and structural elements that create tension within the composition,” she said.
In one artwork, energetic gestures and layered marks dominate the surface, suggesting movement and emotional intensity, while another piece features fragments and geometric structures that echo the complexity of modern life and the systems people build around them.
Transformation, she says, is visible in the layered process of her work.
“I often cover, destroy, redraw and rebuild parts of a painting. What appears chaotic or unfinished is actually a record of different stages of change.”
Even disruption plays an important role.
“Resilience appears in the way the image survives this process.
“Even when elements are erased or disrupted, new forms emerge. The work grows through this tension between destruction and reconstruction.”
Hauke draws inspiration from the evolving landscapes of cities, migration patterns and the social and emotional tensions that shape modern society.
By allowing imperfections to remain visible, the work becomes more honest.
“Perfect systems rarely exist in reality.
“By allowing mistakes, interruptions and raw marks to remain visible in my work, the painting becomes more truthful.”
She hopes viewers will take time to pause and reflect when encountering the exhibition.
“I hope people leave with a deeper awareness that imperfection is not a weakness but part of growth. Evolution, whether personal, social or environmental, is rarely linear or perfect.”
Situated in the coastal village of Chintsa East, Lakritz Gallery offers visitors an intimate environment to experience contemporary art, surrounded by an evolving art garden and natural landscape.
To book an appointment email: lakritz@mail.com
