Liam Van Der Heever
Liam Van Der Heever (b. 2000) is a Cape Town based artist, whose explorative nature with consistency in stylistic preference, allows for an open-to-interpretation approach in regard to the symbolisms he incorporates within his work.
Van Der Heever enjoys the idea that his artworks actually ‘see’ those who interact with them, creating an essence of acknowledgment for shared experience and an empathetic exchange. He creates these paintings to cultivate a relatability towards individual struggles and experiences we endure, whilst searching for a conducive understanding of who we are. This exploration showcases the journey of individuality and connectivity we maintain, through various human experiences portrayed in each artwork. This evidently holds a conversation connected to the search to be whole in both the body and self, with particular regard to the various interactions that affect our individual balance in the search for authenticity. The underlying focus is directed toward how individuals interact with idealistic social constructs produced via societal beliefs; often seen through reoccurrences in the paintings, such as the bird, use of tears and inherent iconography. The use of eye contact and lack thereof also play an important role in exclaiming the internal feelings of each character to the viewer. This eye contact is used in a direct manner to provide the understanding of ‘self’ within each piece, cultivating a wider connective interaction. On the scale of stylistic repetition, these characters remain within their own scenarios. They all have a unique perception, which is relayed between the viewer and the characters. With these artworks there is a duality in focus, where it either enlightens the authentic self and allows one to be whole in their being or prevents individuals from being whole, as it restricts an individual’s acceptance of self.
Van Der Heever has created a visual space for reflection to be embraced, an interaction that feels your experience, shares its own and allows for inherent understandings to be felt by those who are never truly seen.
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