BIOGRAPHY
ARABELLA CACCIA
(b. 1965 London, UK)
‘Each work is simply a point on a journey – a journey which is an attempt at, a quest in search of truth. A goal which is both mysterious and highly illusive. It is a quest that will preoccupy me for the rest of my life.’
Arabella was born in London and grew up in Tuscany before moving to Johannesburg, where she spent her teenage years. She then went to Edinburgh University after which she lived and studied in Florence, London and New York. She returned to South Africa in 1990 and now lives and works in Cape Town.
Arabella draws inspiration from the people, places and objects she loves. From the light where she lives and the wilderness where she goes to find peace and silence. The feeling of quiet and perhaps stillness in the work reflects the ambience she creates around her, in order to find inspiration and access her creativity.
Arabella Caccia’s recent work is inspired by an exploration of patterns found in the play of light and dark on natural forms. Her paintings and sculptures use an abstract language of semi-symbolic glyphs discovered in these patterns. The primary principal underpinning her work is the belief in the importance of process. Caccia’s paintings and sculptures use an alphabet of glyphs derived from an investigation into forms found in nature. Caccia uses an alphabet of both 2 and 3- dimensional mark making to express a state of being.
Caccia’s work has most recently found expression through the study of trees, first the Baobab tree studied in Botswana followed by work in the ancient Milkwood forests of the Western Cape and then the Tsitsikamma forest biome. Her exploration has included detailed drawings of plants and trees followed by a thorough investigation into the patterns created by the bark formations of various indigenous trees. Drawing, taking moulds and printing has lead to uncovering of an alphabet of glyphs which are found in all forms and which when further abstracted form a script like visual language. Caccia uses these universal forms to recreate two and three dimensional works that by their intrinsic universality aim to create experiences that echo those of nature herself.
By steeping herself in un-spoiled expanses of the planet Caccia seeks to deepen her exploration into the plant kingdom, rock and land formations, and so refine and challenge the language and the expression of her work.
EDUCATION
1983 University of Witwatersrand
1984-8 Edinburgh University
1988-9 Parsons School of Design, New York, USA
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Winter Collection, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2024 From Lake Tanganyika and Back, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2023 What I Feel When I Think About The Cosmos, group show, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2021 Constellation, solo, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2020 On Being, Womxn’s Show, Everard Read Franschhoek, South Africa
STILL, online group exhibition, Everard Read, South Africa
2019 Into Nature, solo, Knysna Fine Art, South Africa
2018 Without Words, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
Cubicle, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2015 The Gallery at Grande Provence, Franschhoek, South Africa
2012 Solo, Johannesburg, South Africa
InToto Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
2011 Caccia & Abraham, The White House, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
2010 View from the South, group show, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Sight, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2006 Reverie, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
- Judith Wall and Sara Pearce Fine Art New York, South Africa
2002 Spark Gallery Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sara Pearce Fine Art, London, UK
1999 Sara Pearce Fine Art, London, UK
1998 Hamilton Russell Vineyards, South Africa
1995 Karen McKerron Fine Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
1994 Karen McKerron Fine Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
1993 Chelsea Gallery Cape Town, South Africa
1991 Mall Galleries London, UK
AWARDS
1995 Vita Art Now, Johannesburg Art Gallery South Africa – selected artist.
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