Artist's statement:

With the three sculptures I am still looking into the theme of balance, the process of finding balance, the keeping of balance and the dynamics that may influence balance.

The sculpture Liberty Guiding the People refers to the painting with the same title by the French painter Delacroix (1798-1863). The painting is a true rendering of an incident during the street fighting in Paris in 1830. This painting has become an icon for revolutions all over the world.

History has shown us that the biggest challenge of the revolution has always been the finding and keeping of the delicate balance of life and liberty after the revolution. History has also shown us that too many revolutions have lost the delicate balance they were fighting for.

The sculpture, Tug of War shows that the balance could so easily be disturbed when powers or people get locked in a battle where winners take all. Winning the tug of war could result in losing the balance. Winning could therefore also mean losing.

Keeping the Balance refers to the delicate process of finding balance in a group of people, and that each one plays a role in keeping the balance. One person in a team could easily disturb the balance.

Biography:

Home Address: 7 Malan Street, WORCESTER, 6850
Telephone: +27 23 347 3556
E-mail: jacosieb@yebo.co.za
WebPage: http://home.yebo.co.za/~jacosieb

Personal Information

Full names: Jacobus Johannes Sieberhagen
Name: Jaco
Date of birth: 25.01.1961
Place of Birth: Victoria West, South Africa
Marital Status: Married to Sugnét
Two children: Madeleine and Lujané

Medium and Themes

Sculptures of people and birds.

Approach to Art

Wood sculptures

I use mainly wood (driftwood) which I collect in the valleys and streams of the Boland Mountains. The elements (wind, fire, water) have already weathered the wood to a dynamic energy. Every piece of wood has its own expressive character which I try to respect and use to create a story. I try to find the exiting point where medium and theme meets.
To enhance the emotional character of a sculpture I use different chisel marks. Different chisels leave different marks, each with its own emotional quality.

Metal Sculptures

With the use of computer programmes and laser technology I create shadow sculptures from mild steel. These sculptures express the landscape of the mind.

Awards

1996    Award for the best sculpture at the annual new signature competition Bellville branch of the South African Society of Arts "Rationalise"
2000    Joint runner up (highly recommended) - Public sculpture for Port Elizabeth competition, Cuyler Street Gallery, Port Elizabeth "Circle of friends"
2001    Outstanding Sculpture Award, Science Art Society International Contemporary Sculpture Competition, Boston USA "One"
2002    Runner up, Mixed Medium Category - 2002 International Art Contest, Australia http://artdept.com.au/contest02/ "Against all odds"
2005    Merit Award, Sasol New Signature exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria "Liberty guiding the people"

Exhibitions

International Exhibitions

2001    Accepted to participate in the Science Art Society International Sculpture exhibition in Boston USA, 1-10 December 2001.
            Prizes were awarded, but the exhibition was cancelled after the 11 September 2001 terror attacks.
2002    International Art Contest (http://artdept.com.au/contest02/)
2002    Africa Heritage 2002 4th Biennale of the Pan-Afrika Circle of Artist in Lagos, Nigeria
2004    Overcoming Maps 3 Travelling exhibition of the Pan-African Circle of Artists in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana
2004    Africa Heritage 2004 5th Biennale of the Pan-African Circle of Artists in Enugu, Nigeria
2005    Galerie Art' et Miss, Paris, France (Group exhibition)
2005    Salon d'Art Nature-Animaux, Espace Champerret, Paris (Group Exhibition)

National Exhibitions

1990    Volkskas Bank Atelier (National exhibition of selected works for artists under 35 years)
1992    Volkskas Bank Atelier
1996    Volkskas Bank Atelier
2002    Solo exhibition - Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn (Sasol Visual Arts Main Festival) - Installation work Title: R2 Club
2004    Sasol New Signature Competition '04, Pretoria Art Museum
2004    Brett Kebble Art Awards, Cape Town
2005    Sasol New Signature Competition '05, Pretoria Art Museum

Solo Exhibitions

1998    First Solo exhibition in Jean Welz Gallery
2000    Solo exhibition Klein Karoo National Arts Festival Oudtshoorn - "Ankerpale"
2001    Solo exhibition Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
2002    Solo exhibition - Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn (Sasol Visual Arts Main Festival) - Installation work Title: R2 Club
2002    Solo exhibition Cuyler Street Gallery, Port Elizabeth
2006    Solo exhibition - AVA, Cape Town

Two and Three Person Exhibitions

1999    Belville Art Gallery with Cecilia van Heerden - opening by Judith Mason
2001    Klein Karoo National Arts Festival Oudtshoorn - "Roosknop of Marmerklip" with Francois Gerber and Francois Tiran
2003    Johans Borman Gallery, Cape Town with Hennie Niemand Jr and Angela Key
2003    Chelsea on 34 Gallery, Darling, with Judith Mason and Cecily Sash 2004    Skukan Gallery, Pretoria, with Elize Lamprecht
2004    art-b, Bellville, with Nico Eilers, Loni Drager
2004    Jean Welz Gallery, with Nico Eilers, Loni Drager
2005    Chelsea on 34, Darling, with Francois Roux

Forthcoming Exhibitions

15 October - 11 November 2006 Artspace, Johannesburg

Curator For Exhibitions

2003    "Dream for our Daughters" exhibition - Sasol Main Festival Exhibitions at the 2003 KKNK, Oudtshoorn. 18 women artists from different countries in Africa working together on the theme of being a women in Africa.

Residencies

December 2004 - January 2005 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

Group Exhibitions

1987-1990    Annual exhibitions by Rhodes University Art Faculty
1989    Eastern Province Society of Visual Arts annual exhibition of selected works
1994    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
1995    Group exhibition - 10 selected artists in Jean Welz Gallery
1995    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
1996    Group exhibition - selected sculptors in Jean Welz Gallery
1996    AVA Members Exhibition - Cape Town
1996    Group exhibition with 6 other sculptors - "Sculptures in wood" project of the Association for Visual Arts (AVA), Cape Town
1996    New signature competition Bellville branch of the South African Society of Arts
1996    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
1997    Group exhibition with selected sculptors in Jean Welz Gallery
1997    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
1997    Icon exhibition - invited artists in Jean Welz Gallery
1997    New signature competition Bellville branch of the South African Society of Arts
1998    Group exhibition - Kuyler Street Gallery, Port Elizabeth
1998    Group exhibition - Movement and Growth in Jean Welz Gallery
1998    Group exhibition - Srydom Gallery, George
1999    Group exhibition - Worcester's Greatest Artists in The Barn Art Gallery
1999    Group exhibition - Kuyler Street Gallery, Port Elizabeth
1999    Group exhibition - Cheers for chairs in Jean Welz Gallery
1999    AVA Members Exhibition - Cape Town
1999    Group exhibition - Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
1999    Group exhibition - Onrus Galerie, Onrus
1999    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2000    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
2000    Public sculpture for Port Elizabeth competition - Kuyler Street Gallery, Port Elizabeth
2000    Group exhibition (Transparency) - Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
2000    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2000    Group exhibition - Onrus Galerie, Onrus
2001    Worcester Group in Jean Welz Gallery
2001    Group exhibition - 10th Summer exhibition Onrus Galerie, Onrus
2001    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2001    Group exhibition - (Under the southern cross) Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
2002    Worcester Group - Jean Welz Gallery
2002    AVA Members Exhibition, Cape Town
2002    3rd Cape Town Public Sculpture Competition
2002    Group exhibition - (Variations) Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
2002    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2002    Group exhibition - Onrus Galerie, Onrus
2002    Group exhibition - Houtstraat Galerie, Paarl
2002    Worcester Group - Jean Welz Gallery
2003    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2003    Group exhibition (Serenity) - Chelsea on 34, Darling
2003    Group exhibition - Onrus Gallery, Onrus
2003    Group exhibition - Houtstraat Galerie - Paarl
2004    Worcester Group - Jean Welz Gallery
2004    Group exhibition - Strydom Gallery, George
2005    Group exhibition - Houtstraat Galerie - Paarl
2005    Group exhibition - Strydomt Galerie - George
2005    Art Salon at the Bay - Rose Korber art consultancy, Campsbay

Publications

2001    Afrikaans volume of poetry - Roosknop of Marmerklip
2002    The poem "ABBAKIND" published in "Die Woordgilde, Bundel 55"

References

"A Selection of Eastern Cape Art" by Helena Theron

Collections

South African Constitutional Court Collection, Johannesburg, "The Judge"
Sasol Collection, "Liberty guiding the people"
Hollard Collection, "Baobab tree"
Nando's, United Kingdom, "Keeping the balance" and "Tug of war"
Hugo Naude Art Gallery Worcester, "Ghosts of the past"
Pan African Circle of Artists Collection, Enugu. "Into the light" (photo) and "Donations for Africa" (Photo)
Private collections in SA, USA, England, Scotland, Germany, Ghana, Holland, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Ireland

Educational Qualifications
Tertiary Training

Universities
     - University of Port Elizabeth, B.A. 1979-1981
     - University of Stellenbosch, B.Th. 1982-1984, Licentiate in Theology 1985
     - Rhodes University, Occasional student in Sculpture under Prof. Jos Nell, 1987-1990
     - University of South Africa, Diploma in Fund Raising Management, 1994