The Morning Cruise: The impact of art with Wonder Marthinus

This Tuesday we had artist or rather painter Wonder Marthinus in the studio. He worked in South-Africa but also in Germany where his inspiration comes from to paint. Marthinus’ works have been included in multiple local and international exhibitions and publications and the artist has been involved in numerous social outreach initiatives. His work goes past both geographical and conceptual boundries, he doesn't see his own work as one or two sorts of artstyles, he just paints what he feels and experiences. He told us that he either paints from memory or from photo's and drawings he made, he tries to make something new, while playing with time and places creating a new world.
Marthinus's career is marked by a rich scala of exhibitions. His solo exhibitions, including the notable "Malerei" at Kunstverein Schallstadt in 2013 and the Greatmore Studios 10th Year Celebration at the Irma Stern Gallery in 2010, highlight his ability to engage with the audience both locally and internationally. His participation in group shows such as "The Artist’s Prism" at Eclectica Modern and "The Lookout" by the AVA Gallery at the Cape Town Art Fair further underscores his significant presence in the art world. He also works on various projects in Cape Town around issues of homelessness, justice and reconciliation, child abuse and mental health for example. He tells us that some of the projects hit him hard on a personal level and he takes that with him in his art.
Overall, Wonder Marthinus stands out as an artist who not only pushes the boundaries of visual expression but also seeks to make a meaningful impact through his engagement with critical social issues and expresses it in his artwork. Like he said, sometimes you see it, sometimes you dont, it depends on the way you look at it.