WORLDART | Revol

WORLDART Gallery is pleased to introduce 'Revol'.

When Kilmany-jo Liversage held her first solo exhibition in Cape Town in 2006, the combination of urban and graffiti mark-making techniques with fine art was still an uncommon practice for artists. However, this rebellious fine art graduate had recently returned from an artist residency where she fell in love with graffiti. It didn't take long for classic Italian Renaissance portraiture, blended with urban art from the streets, to become the signature style that most people associate with her paintings.

What set her apart was her ability as a skilled painter who didn't merely copy graffiti onto canvas. She comprehended and respected both genres, combining them to convey that one is not superior to the other, all while advocating for gender equality. Her portraits predominantly feature confident women who reciprocate the male gaze and insist on their equal presence in a new world.

“Portraiture is an incredible genre. It starts with the eyes, the nose and then the mouth. And then there is the mark making. It’s almost like a voyeuristic journey – these women are caught in the moment and they are consumed by colour, from the colour of their skin tone to the effect of the light on their skin,” she explains.

The exhibition's title is REVOL, referencing the words “revel” and “rebel”. While the subjects in her paintings may appear contemplative, they are also reveling in the moment .The rebellious aspect alludes to the urban street art element in her work.

In REVOL, Liversage zooms out away from the portraiture to include figures and present a wider perspective. “As one gets older, one seems to both gain and lose confidence at the same time. It’s an interesting thing. So with these paintings I tried to preserve the subject’s youth – something we’re all holding on to – while offering more layers or context with expressive mark making.”

This show runs from 7 December to 21 December 2023.