| I have been a full-time artist since graduating in fine arts from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 1996. Recently I have made the transition from oils to pastels, and it is mostly in this more direct medium I portray South African laborers in full work attire and within their working environments. By treating the portraits of people who in South Africa are sometimes overlooked or taken for granted, with virtuous formality and by exhibiting them in a gallery, I present them to the viewer as individuals with reconsidered status and importance. |  |
Helena Hugo
I have been a full-time artist since graduating in fine arts from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 1996. Recently I have made the transition from oils to pastels, and it is mostly in this more direct medium I portray South African laborers in full work attire and within their working environments.
By treating the portraits of people who in South Africa are sometimes overlooked or taken for granted, with virtuous formality and by exhibiting them in a gallery, I present them to the viewer as individuals with reconsidered status and importance. It is my hope to remind viewers of the significance of every job and the role it plays in a society and a developing economy, and the importance of work for survival, the elimination of poverty, and ultimately the eradication of crime. But it is not just about our tangible environment. It has statistically been proven that work can give a person a sense of dignity and value, proving it to be an influence on our psychological well-being, especially in a country struggling with work shortages and an added constant influx of work seekers from neighboring countries like Zimbabwe.
It is possible that the idea to do one’s work to the best of one’s ability may elevate even the simplest of jobs to something to be admired. In exploring that aspect of an individual’s identity that relates to his or her vocation, I intend to acknowledge the significance of the unique skills necessary for every job, and the metamorphic ability of it. I think that catching any person in that moment of utmost concentration or excruciating effort while working will show us a person who has, if only for an instant, become his or her work.
