Rentia Retief
AVA Exhibition: The Promise, 2024 Nando’s Creative Exchange (Group Show) | 16.01.25 - 27.02.25
Rentia Retief is a contemporary artist renowned for her evocative exploration of landscapes, deeply rooted in her upbringing in the agricultural Overberg region of South Africa. Born in Caledon, Retief currently resides in Cape Town, working as a fine art professional. She holds a BA in Fine Art (2014) and an Honours in Illustration from the University of Stellenbosch (2016).
Retief’s artistic practice is characterized by loose and gestural brush strokes that capture the stillness of familiar environments. Her work often reflects on the profound impact of human interaction with nature and animals, focusing on what she calls “quiet spaces”—those moments where emotional and physical landscapes converge. She has exhibited her work extensively, with solo exhibitions including “berg is geduldig” at Ebony/Curated (2019), “Reflection” at Kanonkop Wine Estate (2022), and “En So Is Dit” at Ebony/Curated (2023). Her participation in group exhibitions has further established her presence in the South African art scene, with notable shows like “Country” at MOK (2020) and “Summer Trio” at 131A Gallery (2022).
“My approach to landscape art can most accurately be described through the Portuguese concept of ‘Saudade’—a melancholic longing for something that may have never existed. I find myself captivated by the stillness of landscapes, a theme that echoes throughout my work. Growing up in an agricultural landscape has instilled in me a profound awareness of the quiet spaces where emotional resonance meets the physical world.
In my paintings, I aim to evoke a sense of loss, reflecting on places that hold memories, whether real or imagined. The loose brush strokes I employ serve not only to represent topography but to distill the essence of a moment, allowing the viewer to feel the emotional weight of a scene that has been altered or erased over time. The longing for solitude and untouched nature permeates my work, where I explore our fleeting interactions.”
Website: https://www.rentiaretief.com
Instagram: @rentiaretief
