AFLOAT Kamvelihle Netjies
AFLOAT
Kamvelihle Netjies
It has always been difficult for me to embrace the serenity of water without having a slight thought of what could go wrong if I were to come too close? This has been the case since childhood following a traumatic near-drowning experience which left me with a persistent fear of water.
I think of fear as a figment of my imagination that frequently plays out when I’m in proximity to water. Could the fear ever end, or will it eventually overwhelm me based on my perception towards it? AFLOAT seeks to capture my fear of water, while also embarking on a journey towards challenging that perception. Through the use of dark mediums, and a chaotic approach of non-figurative mark-making contrasted with the figurative subject matter, my perception of fear is tainted by the darkness in which I view water.
The pursuit of overcoming the fear of water cannot go without a desire to be afloat. AFLOAT is born out of an aspiration to shatter the ceiling of my fear and elevate me above it, as opposed to living with its perpetual resilience. I still seek to inherit the ability to be afloat without having a slight thought of fear. However, by engaging with water voluntarily, I have begun to see water as a mirror which reflects my feelings towards it. It has therefore redefined the constant imagination of fear while revealing its purity and serenity. After all, water is a symbol of renewal and reformation.
