Artist Profile
Jane du Rand
After spending one
year at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at UCT, Jane changed course and graduated
with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Natal. Jane then completed a
Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture which enabled her to register as an
Architect with the South African Council for Architects.
While working as an architect,
Jane began to take on commissions for ceramic and
mosaic projects. These were mainly linked to buildings, and a
great way to integrate her interest in art and architecture.
Jane started running
a mosaic studio in 1998 which has built up steadily over the years. Very often
she
undertakes to do commissioned artworks on buildings which are very much part of
an established community. Most of these projects call for community
participation and so the studio is frequently full of participants from a wide range
of backgrounds learning and training in the art of ceramic and mosaic murals.
Some community based commissions:
Murals on public
swimming pool buildings in Umlazi (2001) and Ntuzuma (2003) (townships outside
Durban). These projects included the participation and training of local
artists.
The West Street
pilot project. (2002) A project to upgrade facilities for informal traders in
the Durban central business district. This project included young emerging artists who had recently
graduated from the Durban Institute
of Technology. As well as interested unskilled participants who were
trained as part of the project.
St Lucia Wetland
Park.(2003) A floor mural which involved training crafters from the Dukuduku
forests.
Sinikathemba Aids
Wall. (2004) A wall mural for the aids centre at the McCord’s Hospital in
Durban. The participants in this project were young HIV positive people
attending the clinic.
Exhibitions:
In March 2003
Jane had her first solo exhibition at the NSA (now KZNSA) Gallery in Durban.
Forrest of Columns.
In October 2005
Jane
participated in a group exhibition with four other ceramic artists at the KZNSA
Gallery in Durban.
For this exhibition,
Handmade, she produced
oversized vessels influenced by and symbolic of the female form.
In November 2008 Jane exhibited
Loathing
and Loving and Giving at artSPACE Durban.
Competition:
In 2003 Jane entered
the competition calling for artwork on the new Constitutional Court building in
Johannesburg. Jane entered the artwork site consisting of the foyer columns and won
the commission. The project consisted of ceramic and mosaic artwork on all the
18 foyer columns outside the main court. The project was completed during 2003.
In November 2007 Jane was
nominated for the Mercedes-Benz Award (the DaimlerChrysler Award until 2007)
For South African Art Projects in Public Spaces 2008.
Taken from the book
The Nominees - Mercedes-Benz Award For
South African Art Projects in Public Spaces 2008
"The
building is fascinating as a genuine combination of architecture,
contemporary art an applied art - Jane du Rand, One of our 'Public Art
Projects' nominees, made a central contribution in this context. She made
her name as an artist mainly with enormous mosaics, occupying whole squares
and streets. She has designed some compellingly beautiful mosaics for the
columns in the entrance hall to the Constitutional Court, where a
symbolically highly allusive and at the same time abstract pictorial world
is now unfolding."
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Pages 70 - 75.
Jane
usually has a
constant stream of private and commercial commissions all over South Africa and
in countries abroad.
She
has been a member of the Council of the Kwa-Zulu Natal
Society of Arts since 1998, and was president of the society for three years
from mid 2000 – mid 2003. Jane feels that her involvement in the organization
was a good way to focus and grow her interest in the visual arts.
Jane
teaches a range of Mosaic Workshops that vary from single day workshops to
intensive full week courses. These workshops take place during selected
times during the year at her studio in Bellair, Durban, South Africa. These
Workshops have proven to be extremely popular and are times not to missed!
Click here for more info on the courses and
to see what dates are available:
WORKSHOPS
ARTICLES THAT FEATURE JANE OR HER WORK
The Property Magazine,
September 2008, Page 53.
The article, CHEFS -
D'OEUVRE, features Chef, Clive Aaron pictured in his home kitchen with
Jane's splash-back mosaic behind him.
Quote from the article:
"A mosaic splashback by
ceramic mosaic artist Jane du Rand picks up reds and oranges in
old-fashioned round plates. 'I wanted a piece of art in the kitchen and this
worked perfectly,' says Clive."
Food & Home Entertaining, October 2007, Pages 82 -
86.
This article, Pride of Place,
features Chef, Clive Aaron and his Durban Restaurant, EatMe Gourmet Cafe.
Included are some lovely photographs of the stove splash-back that Jane did for
Clive's kitchen at home.
The Property Magazine,
February 2006, Pages 44 - 48.
Mosaic artistry, is
an article that features Jane and her work and
includes lovely large photographs as well as an in-depth profile on Jane
herself.
Quote from the article:
"She's constantly driven to stretch herself
and her art: "In each project I invent more ways - both intricate and
involved - of creating a mosaic."
Her custom-made ceramics can mimic nature's
colours, imitate sea shells or hint abstractly at human forms; some respond
to weathering, some to water, others to light. The scope and palette is vast
and largely unexplored. Gazing at the mammoth, lavishly adorned columns
which tower at the entrance to Jane's home it seems as if the only possible
limit is imagination. Then again, Jane's sent a swimming pool to Australia.
Limit? What limits?"
Top Billing, August 2005,
Pages 96 - 101.
Doing it in tile is
an article that goes into depth about choosing and laying tiles of all
types. On page 101 in this article Jane is featured along with other artists
who excel in each of their chosen fields.
Decorator, June/July 2005, Pages 62 -
63.
The article, More than the sum of it's
parts, is a profile on Jane and her work.
Quotes from the article:
"It's perhaps this attention to detail
that makes Jane one of the most renowned mosaic artists in South Africa, and one
whose work is full of the flavours of the African environment."
"Like Jane, her works are totally
unpresumptuous, and while many pieces are rich with wit, the visual and verbal
puns weave quietly among the dimensions of shape and colour."
Elle Decoration, Small Spaces
2004, Issue #34, Front Cover and pages 96 - 101.
A series of photographs of Jane and Eerhard's
kitchen, with feature wall mosaic done by Jane.
Elle Decoration, May/June 1999, Page
34.
Mosaic Mastery, is an article that
profiles Jane and her early work.
Quote from the article:
"In fact, marrying art and architecture is
what Jane does best."
Contact Information
- Telephone: +27 31 465 9049
-
- FAX: +27 86 613 5553
-
- Postal address: PO Box 50311, Musgrave, 4062,
Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
-
The Artist, Jane du Rand:
jane@durandmosaic.co.za
Personal Assistant, Tamryn Miller:
tamryn@durandmosaic.co.za
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