Until 18 February, you can view a solo exhibition by Amber Andrews in the Nieuw Zuid space of Gallery Sofie Van de Velde. The Antwerp-based artist is acclaimed for her technical skills, compositions and use of colour. In her practice, she intertwines figurative and abstract elements in often large-scale works. Her style and approach are constantly evolving, and the artist resists being categorised.
At the same time, the artist draws inspiration from the news, societal issues, her everyday life, films, literature (including the work of Virginia Woolf), the studios of famous artists, and the objects in her home and studio — some of which also make their way into the exhibition space. The titles of her works often stem from a small archive that the artist has compiled over time, ranging from song lyrics that touch her to quotes from strangers and family that she overhears. But Andrews hopes that visitors will bring their own interpretations to the work.
In her drawing “Mother weeping”, that is shown in the exhibition, Andrews centers suffering in the world. On Instagram she elaborates: “The woman’s body becomes a poignant metaphor for Mother Earth, burdened by the weight of climate change, the scars of war, and the forced displacement of people fleeing their homes. As I sketch the contours, I reveal the devastating impact of environmental degradation etched across her skin. War-torn regions are depicted as open wounds, vividly portraying the pain inflicted upon both the planet and its inhabitants. Amidst the suffering, I embed sprouts of hope, tiny buds amid chaos. This duality, capturing both despair and regeneration, compels viewers to confront our shared responsibility for Mother Earth’s urgent plight.”