Sculpting Out Our Deepest Fears and Dreams

Artist HAIDEE NEL
From the artist’s archives

“Hero’s Journey is exploring the relationship with the inner child through time and space, connecting, listening, accepting, surrendering, forgiving, thanking, challenging, holding, confronting, shadowing, appreciating, loving, failing, seeing, playing, pushing, healing, questions, and answers towards awakening. Then for a moment grasping the essence of the True Self. The Journey of the Never Ending Story.”

— Haidee Nel

INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST HAIDEE NEL

LES COULEURS: Can you tell us about the process of making your work?

HAIDEE NEL: For the Infantry series-I start with carving the outfits in wood. I then make a mold of the original. I then cast cement into the molds. The limbs are all cast in resin and marble dust. When all the various parts are ready I assemble them, much like playing with lego blocks. The accessories which include helmets and collars are made separately from household found objects, tins, spoons, stainless steel sift mesh, paintbrushes, plumbing materials, whatever I can find.

In my other series such as ‘Growing pains’, ‘Urban Masquerade’ and ‘Shimmer and Shrine’ I carve the outfits in wood as well as the masks.

LC: What does your work aim to say?

HN: My work is a type of bittersweet visual storytelling that aims to address social issues and the relationship with the inner child.

The story is that of a “Hero’s Journey” exploring the relationship with the inner child through time and space, connecting, listening, accepting, surrendering, forgiving, thanking, challenging, holding, confronting, shadowing, appreciating, loving, failing, seeing, playing, pushing, healing, questions, and answers towards awakening. Then for a moment grasping the essence of the True Self. The Journey of the Never Ending Story.

HAIDEE NEL
From the artist’s archives

LC: What are you working on now? Exciting future projects?

HN: Currently, I am excited to explore simple animations with the figures that I have created. It is opening a new world as well as challenges. Hopefully, in 2021 the first attempt can be viewed.

LC: What do you dislike about the art world?

HN: I think inclusivity and exclusivity. But in this new world that we find ourselves with more and more artworks going online we are able to experience Art as a whole.

LC: Who are your biggest influences?

HN: Jane Alexander, Egon Tania, Frida Kahlo, Degas –‘ the little dancer’. And all of my contemporary artist friends.

LC: What’s your background?

HN: I started pottery classes when I was 5, made a sign outside my house, and sold everything to the neighbors in the street. My mom was very upset since I sold her favorite clay sculpture which was a family of 6 owls sitting on a branch.

I received a BFA Honours Degree from the University of Cape Town, Michaelis School of Fine Art with the ‘Dean’s Merit List Award’ for academic performance My Master’s degree is currently pending. I participated in over 80 group shows and 4 major solo exhibitions, in Cape Town-World Art, Johannesburg-Teressa Lizamore Gallery, South Africa, and Belgium-Uitstalling Gallery. In the past 5 years, she participated major art fairs and exhibitions such as Zurich- Switzerland International Art Fair, Zeits Mocca Museum 2020, Cape Town Art Fair, Joburg Art Fair, AKAA Art Fair Paris, Turbine Art Fair, That Art Fair (African Art Fair Cape Town) as well as being selected as participating artist at KKNK Arts Festival, Aardklop Art Festival, Woordfees Art Festival Stellenbosch South Africa. Nel has also worked closely with various charities; this is where her work extends real change in the monetary world. The charity auctions have also allowed her work to be found in important private collections and increase the value of her work. Charities organizations such as Orange Babies (Netherlands), Art Angels (Cape Town), MAD Foundation (Cape Town, London), Les Couleurs (New York, Haiti). Nel's artwork can be found in important Private and Corporate Collections, some of which are the Sasol collection, Spier Collection. I also participated in a two-year group public sculpture installation, Fyn Arts Hermanus, South Africa.

HAIDEE NEL
From the artist’s archives

LC: Which cultural experience changed the way you see the world?

HN: Instagram *; )

LC: Which artist of the past would you most like to meet?

HN: Coffee with Salvador Dali and Louise Bourgeois could be wild!

LC: Was there a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as an artist?

HN: Yes, when my daughters were born I decided to dedicate all my work to them, and that I am determined to leave them with a legacy in every way that I can. They are my inspiration as well as my muse. 

Together with this decision, I also made peace with that I am mostly unemployable., that time is short and that following and taking action on my dreams is only up to me.

LC: What role does the artist have in society?

HN: As an Artist, it is important for me to find beauty in everything good and bad. By doing what I love I can hopefully inspire and create new perceptions around old worn-out ideas. Art for me is a healing process. 

HAIDEE NEL
From the artist’s archives

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