Nico Krijno’s latest collection of work, Lockdown Collages, were made at his farmhouse outside of Cape Town during lockdown. With his wife and two daughters away with family, Krijno made these works in acute seclusion. Yet whilst Krijno wasn’t used to the uncertain amount of time separated from his family, the resulting images reflect the newly found space that Krijno was granted from being completely alone. Whereas many of us have only felt uneasiness as we adjust to increasingly distanced lives, Krijno values that space as a critical foundation to his work. As such, these abnormal times have become a rare chance for Krijno to reorient himself, producing abundant, colourful works that set off in new directions whilst pursuing persistent interests. Hundreds of encyclopaedic images – ikebana arrangements, marble faces, kitsch household items and ornate furniture to name a few – have been sliced horizontally and stacked vertically into fantastical totem poles made from parts that refuse to be complete. Individually, each is a layered study of pattern, colour, form and texture, but as a whole they represent Krijno’s sharpened compulsion to learn and ask questions.
With a background in theatre and experimental video, Nico Krijno (b. 1981, South Africa) works at the blurry intersection of photography, collage, painting, sculpture and performance. Probing the thresholds of each, his work materialises through a stream of unique and colourful abstractions that not only act as autonomous pieces of art but when seen as a collection, Krijno’s obsession and constant intrigue into the perception of photographs becomes decidedly evident. Often working with discarded materials found in his immediate surroundings, he interprets and re-imagines them to find alternative structures for how meaning and matter are both constructed and perceived. Photographing these ephemeral structures, as he describes himself, are a private and physical performance, with the camera being the audience. Importantly, the act of photographing these theatrical scenes is only one part of Krijno’s work. Through an array of digital tools, he then re-imagines the materials, colours and forms countless times until our understanding of each photograph is constantly being challenged, always failing to remain still.
We use cookies to make your experience better. Check out our Privacy & Terms for more info... AcceptCookie settings
Privacy & Cookies
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.