Elizabeth Retief

VIRTUAL TOUR

ARTIST CATALOGUE

“Grieving is feeling the loss of something significant, but I find myself mourning a connection that has not materialised, yet triggers the emotional weight of loss.”

The concept behind my final year body of work lies within the context of the strained and distant relationship I have with my sister. This body of work revolves around themes of loss, memory, and personal transformation that are rooted in printmaking and expanded into mixed media. My creative journey draws on personal grief, using shattered glass as a literal and symbolic representation of brokenness.

By incorporating found objects, such as childhood photographs and birthday memorabilia, into layered compositions. Supported by Glissant’s theory of the right to Opacity, I play with the blend of opacity and transparency. This interplay speaks to the fragmented nature of memory, while my use of pink—both as a colour and a conceptual tool—offers a way to frame vulnerability and emotional depth. I call this the Pink Edit methodology, which allows me to use these memories and fit them within the narrative that I would like to express – it serves as a methodology for personal reflection, transforming memories through rephotography and manipulation. By making use of this methodology, I explore the delicate balance between exposure and concealment.

My works are intentionally ambiguous, inviting viewers to navigate the tensions between presence and absence, revealing and withholding. Ultimately, my art is a form of self-reconciliation, offering an open space for others to reflect on their own experiences of grief, connection, and healing.