Art of Africa

It is only when Stephanie Neville – a South African artist living in Dubai – is quizzed about the origins of her series of works featuring three African domestic workers that one understands that there is more to this story.

"As a South African artist I use African themes in my work quite regularly. I am still influenced by my memories from growing up in South Africa. During my childhood we had a domestic worker, Miriam, who cooked and cleaned for us on
a weekly basis. I still recall Miriam carrying me on her back to the local shop to buy bread.

Lucy still works for my parents part-time."During my college years I worked part-time in an ice cream shop and I became quite close to Maria, the cleaning lady. Although she was a cleaner she was surely clever enough to also use the till and sell the ice cream. She used to love working with me, as
I would hide in the kitchen and talk with her while she served the customers in front."

Neville admits that she had quite a sheltered youth. It was only when she started to travel that reality hit home pertaining to her privilege. "My first job was as a housekeeper in a resort in the US. I was asked to clean toilets and make up the guests' bedrooms. On another occasion, I worked in a small hotel in Wales in the UK and I had to scrub the bins out. At one point I was reduced to tears because I thought to myself, ‘How dare they ask me to do such work!' I realised then just how privileged a life I had growing up."
The positive effect of travelling was plain to see when Neville returned home to her parents in South Africa. She insisted on doing her own laundry and making her own bed. "My dad
was quite taken aback and so was Lucy!" she says.

Neville now lives in Dubai.

Living in a foreign country has made her nostalgic, she says: "Being away from Africa for so long makes me miss it more now. I feel more African now
than I did when I lived in South Africa. Perhaps it's because I married
a foreigner that makes me cling to my roots more. Or perhaps, being South African helps me to ground my identity.

For my art, my roots are truly inspirational. I have a unique message behind my art and something different to offer to art buyers. My art has a conscience."

Neville's work focuses increasingly on African identity. She is interested in the variety of tribal culture. "I hope that through my art I can pay homage to the African people," she says.

Neville's work has also evolved into a series of faces from the whole African continent. "I paint real people in little moments of their lives: coming home from the markets carrying dinner or selling pineapples on the streets in Kenya. My admiration for these people who carry on with their lives in simple ways inspires me to tell their stories and strengthens my pride in being South African."

For more information e-mail admin@stephanieneville.com
– Preethi Janice D'Sa,a Dubai-based freelancer

caption: Stephanie Neville describes her work as an ‘art of conscience'.