Ann-Marie Tully
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Ann-Marie Tully, is an artist, lecturer, & researcher. Her work spans drawing, printmaking, & alternative photography with a particular interest in natural pigment. She is widely exhibited, with artworks in major South African collections.
ABOUT THE WORK:
(image 1 & 2) Thematically this piece is a homage to Durban's rich cultural landscape, drawing reference from maritime histories, and the ubiquitous geological 'Bluff' outcrop. Also referencing the potent landscape of African spirituality that thrives in Durban. Mythological figures from my 'outlander' origins and ancestral migrations are suggested in the form of the crow (the Morrigan). Orientalism cannot be missed in this one from a nod to the 'Great Wave of Kanagawa' splintering into a wand of helichrysum — to the 'kimonoed' Mamlambo; referencing the prized destination of much of the trade that passed through Durban and spurred it's colonisation, and the 'waves' of indenturement that followed. The piece reflects on the complex generational traumas that reside in our bodies, the land, and sea. The role of animals and nature in human signification, intercession, and healing is there too.
(image 3 & 4) Title: 'There be dragons: Durban Harbour 1879'.
Dimensions: 15 x 10 cm.
Medium: Linocut on handmade paper.
Year: 2024.
The postcard sized, 'There be dragons: Durban Harbour 1879' is a Linocut edition on handmade paper, alluding to the work of colonial explorer/illustrators such as Thomas Bowler (1812-1869). The scene depicted is derived of archival photographs and illustrations of the historic Point Harbour during the Anglo-Zulu War (1879), which ended the independence of the neighbouring Zulu Kingdom under British colonial rule. The presence of the submerging dragon, who's movement has unleashed a tidal wave in the image suggests the 'wave' of colonial imperialism that would follow, and change the destiny of this port city and beyond.
For more info about the artist:
@annsgracesstudio on IG
Website: https://tullyannmarie.wixsite.com/annsgracesstudio
Other links: https://linktr.ee/annsgracesstudio
