Rory Emmett

(b 1992, South Africa. Lives and works in Cape Town)

Emmett's work oscillates between figuration and abstraction. Often employing allegories; his creative projects attempt to explore notions of space; knowledge and identity creation towards a spiritual state of transcendence - an attempt at elevation beyond the surface of things. Referring to Eurocentric ideals of beauty and success that perpetually infiltrate the contemporary African landscape; Emmett attempts to draw attention to that which is sometimes taken for granted and ”˜normalized'. Through his paintings he attempts to explore dominant discourses surrounding South Africa's growing democracy and somewhat idealistic notions of ”˜Rainbowism'.