Oomblikke by Lené Ehlers
South African artist Lené Ehlers’ latest exhibition, Oomblikke, is inspired by suzanis — embroidered Uzbek textiles full of colour and intricate pattern.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson I Photography: Callen Jefferson
‘For this exhibition, I started to experiment more with looser brush strokes in oil paint. I love how the medium encouraged my spontaneity!’ says Lené Ehlers. Photo: Callen Jefferson
‘They are a spontaneous capturing of delight and beauty. On another level, it also symbolises moments in my creative process, which changed and grew so much during the preparation for this exhibition,’ says Lené Ehlers. Photo: Callen Jefferson
Launched at Chandler House in Cape Town, Oomblikke features local artist Lené Ehlers’ venture into a painterly style that pay homage to the embroidered Uzbekistan textiles, suzanis. Full of abundant colour, pattern, form, in an abstract nature, the show is Lené’s first solo, expanding on her graphic and illustrative style.
Lené was introduced to these decorative tribal textiles by the gallery owner, Michael Chandler, who suggested spending time with suzanis in real life, to study their patterns and motifs. ‘He introduced me to the textiles by introducing me to Manina Bauman, the Suzani Queen,’ the artist says. ‘She imports these magical textiles from Uzbekistan and has a gallery in her private home in Cape Town.’
After spending two weeks with the Suzani Queen, Lené recognised a magic within the textiles that she sought to replicate in her artworks. The result is a show full of process and final pieces, adding layers to the perception of the works and the artist’s uncovering of depth in her practice.
Describing the works as ‘spontaneous capturing of delight and beauty’, Oomblikke reveals Lené's creative process, which changed and grew throughout the preparation for this exhibition.
‘It started with graphic and illustrative patterns, and it soon flourished into a more painterly style, with a definite time-lapse of styles in between,’ says the artist. ‘When viewing the whole exhibition, the viewer can see my style evolution.’
Timeless by Lené Ehlers.
‘Each artwork holds a story in the sense that it is one moment captured from a very elaborate and detailed creative process. I named the pieces to reflect this,’ says Lené Ehlers. Photo: Callen Jefferson
“I immediately recognised that there is magic weaved in these ancient silks, and something in me was so drawn to them. Their magic translated into my artworks, which in turn inspired my creative process.”
Replicating a sense of the weaving and embroidered textiles, the exhibition invites thinking on fleeting moments. Painterly colours wash over the canvas, some in still life form, others looser abstracted brushwork in oil paints. The tones are unconscious; the palette is intuitive.
‘Oomblikke, translates to ‘Moments’ in Afrikaans,’ Lené continues. ‘Manina and I came up with the name together one evening while enjoying a glass of wine after a long day of creating art in the Suzani gallery. We agreed that my works are moments captured in time.’
With a decorative nature, the artworks invite tranquillity as mused on from a sense of the domestic. They reveal the beauty in everyday settings — a moment in the kitchen or garden. A gentle reminder to embrace the calm of the in-between as we venture out into a busy post-covid world.
