Fiona Pole

Fiona Pole (b. 1974, Benoni, South Africa) is a distinguished printmaker whose work captures the intricate details of urban landscapes and the human experience within them. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, and a Diplome des métiers d’arts with a mention of excellence from L’Ecole Superieure Estienne in Paris, France.

Pole's journey into the world of printmaking is marked by her extensive education and professional experiences in both South Africa and France. After her studies in South Africa, she moved to Paris, where she honed her skills in etching and engraving, becoming the first South African artist to complete a printmaking diploma with honours from L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure Estienne. During this time, she was awarded a scholarship by the City of Paris, allowing her to work in the historic studios of Didier Mutel and Georges Leblanc.

Her art is deeply influenced by the urban structures and art deco buildings of Paris and Johannesburg. Through her work, she creates personal maps of these cities, capturing their architectural beauty and the everyday lives of their inhabitants. Her pieces often include elements of nostalgia, portraying the unnoticed figures of city life with the same importance as historically significant buildings.

Pole's color palette is carefully chosen to reflect the essence of each city. For Johannesburg, she uses hot earth colors to capture the blinding light of the high-altitude city. In contrast, her Cape Town series features cooler tones to reflect the blue skies and the shadows of Table Mountain. She experiments with painterly techniques to enhance these effects, guided by mentors like Mark Attwood.

Her prints have been showcased in numerous exhibitions in South Africa and abroad. After living in Paris for over ten years, Fiona returned to South Africa in 2012, where she now lives and works in Johannesburg. Her studio, "the atelier," continues to be a space of creativity and exploration, where she delves into the relationship between urban environments and human experience.