Paintings by Adéle du Plessis
Adéle du Plessis (1969) is a contemporary South African painter and sculptor who lives in the Netherlands. Her work often focuses on seemingly small moments in life, which intertwine different social layers. In these small moments she reveals our world in flowing brush strokes. Or more accurately how people remember her: That South African still life artist. Probably because her name sounds more French to Europeans than South African
Her paintings are beautifully textured and saturated moments of life. Each painting is full of depth and colour and surprisingly intimate close ups. Her exuberant paintings bring bold saturated life into any interior. Own an original painting by Adéle and experience the fearlessness and adventurous of her work in your life.
Paintings available by Adéle du Plessis
Tempera paintings by Adele du Plessis
All Adéle's egg tempera pieces are what have made her famous at our gallery as the South African still life artist in Delft. Many people have magnets and postcards of her artwork.
Acrylic Paintings
Mirror Memories Series
A series of abstract paintings created by hundreds of layers of coloured paint, including the final silver layer.
The layers of paint is over coffee grounds. Resulting in a textured effect. Adéle then uses a sandgrinder to expose the layers of coloured paint. Some viewers assume it is an oxidised metal sheet. Until closer inspection, revealing the layers of paint and colour. They are currently unavailable as they are travelling.
Oil Paintings
Adéle has decided to focus on her sculpture and quilting. We have one painting available over of her ouevre. A piece made available from her private collection. "Aan die Voet van Notre Dame".
Adéle du Plessis
is exclusively represented by
Gallery Sorelle Sciarone.
Oil painting of Notre Dame by South African painter Adéle du Plessis
The paintings by Adéle
Adéle du Plessis (1969) is a painter and sculptor, or wherever the creative process takes her. Found Cities 2017 is a good example of an intersection of her different creative talents. You can recognize a work by Adéle du Plessis by her use of broad brush strokes with a lot of texture. All her artwork is often colourful, the interplay between pastels and saturated primary colours. Her new exhibition: Drawn at Home is a great example of her use of pastels and Aan de voet van Notre Dame is a great example of her use of saturated colours and broad brush strokes. Adéle also has a theory that all great works of art have a sea-green colour somewhere in the painting.
The paintings that Adéle make are special for several reasons. First of all, they are always visually stunning. Her work is easy to look at and she explores recognizable art history through your modern contemporary technique. She is inspired by the world she lives in, which is often in museums and studios. She is deeply absorbed in the art community. Each painting reflects the art technique or institution she was absorbed in when creating art.
When she is not appropriating paintings into her signature style she is researching small details of life that are distilled pieces of a greater emotion or life. The style is also familiar to many and painted in the style of Expressionist and Impressionist from the 20th century. Museum Café Groningen 2017 combines her own life as an artist, an art lover, Art History, art institutions and the art community in one picture. She has a beautiful way of creating a meta-view of the world and art in small moments captured in the painting.
Adéle studied Art at the University of Pretoria in South Africa in the late 1980s. She never graduated, as she is a rebel at heart and has always taken the root of nonconformity. To have finished her degree would have been very off-brand for her. This did not stop her from continuing to paint. She has been making art for more than 30 years. She is known to paint anything from walls to tables, to body casts to floors. The painting process is always ongoing in her mind and her hands.
Art allows for small fragments of yourself that do not conjunct with society and it needs a voice, art gives it a language. Creating art settles mind and spirit.
Quoting Adéle, 'finally the unsaid is given a voice'.
For the full interview about her work click here.
Biography
Adéle du Plessis (1969) is a South African artist living in Delft, the Netherlands. She was born in Belville, Cape Town as a second child and only daughter of André Pieter du Plessis and Dorathea du Plessis (née Vermaak). She has three brothers, one who also makes sculptures, Jean du Plessis. After that, she grew up mainly in Johannesburg and Potchefstroom.
Adéle studied visual arts at the University of Pretoria (1989), South Africa. Adéle sold her first work in 1989 and then took her future husband out for dinner. They married soon after, and the births of her six daughters followed over the next ten years.
In the meantime, she has continued to paint at home and in the studios of her friend's artists. She made a lot of art during this time, most of which went as gifts to friends and family. During these years, her work became part of hundreds of private art collectors in South Africa, the UK, Australia, France, Belgium, Italy and The Netherlands. She also received many paintings from her artist friends.
Adéle lived in South Africa until 2007. Then she moved with her Dutch husband and children to Delft, the Netherlands. All her South African paintings are in private collections. Her private collection was lost when she moved her the storage container with her and her family's house was misplaced. The paintings and sculptures available are all from after 2007. She also started sculpting in 2009 with French sculptor Danielle Jacquinot.
Adéle paints from her home in Delft.
Some of the Sold Paintings by Adéle du Plessis
Recent Art Exhibtions
2022
Solo Exhibition: The forms of Everyday Life: Material and Abstraction. Curated by Art Historian Finizia Taddeo. Gouda
Art Fair: Affordable Art Fair Brussels March with Gallery Sorelle Sciarone. Brussels, Belgium.
2021
Art Fair: Art Laren with Gallery Sorelle Sciarone. Laren, The Netherlands.
2020
Solo exhibition: "Drawn at Home". Curated by Art Historian Tascha Sciarone, online.
2019
- Solo exhibition: "Immigration Years: The Paintings", Online
- Group exhibition: Museum Rijswijk for the textile biennale, Rijswijk
- Solo exhibition: "Cultural Release:" Gallery Sorelle Sciarone, online
2018
- Group Exhibtion, VAK, Delft
2017
- Group Exhibtion, VAK, Delft
- NG Kerk, Schiedam
Art Collections
Adéle du Plessis has been collected by private art collectors in South Africa, The Netherlands, Australia Italy, Belgium and the U.K. Gallery Sorelle Sciarone is the exclusive dealer of art created by Adéle du Plessis.