Meet Michal Kruger
Michal Kruger's works are a journey into the intersection of nostalgia and shame. The artist seeks to create an environment where personal memories are intercepted with the contradictions of his background. Within his work, Kruger explores the formation of his memories, through recurring elements such as farms, safaris, landscapes, gates, and electric fences. Employing a range of mediums, including painting, drawing, and sculpture, he captures a collective and cultural white Afrikaner nostalgia for a place and time that never really existed. The artist takes on the role of an unreliable narrator, creating a larger narrative that connects the geographical landscapes of the Netherlands and South Africa. Within this context, he acknowledges his perpetual tourist status, both at home and away.
Michal Kruger (1994) is a South Africa-born artist currently residing in Groningen. In 2016, Kruger graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Rhodes University in South Africa. In 2020, he completed his MFA at the Frank Mohr Institute in Groningen. His work has been showcased in exhibitions at Nuweland Gallery, Drents Museum, Absolute Gallery, and Turbine Art Fair, among others.
Featured product
Edition of 15
- 24 x 32.7 cm (framed)
- Full color Fine Art Giclée print
- Hahnemuhle German Etching 310 gram paper
- White wooden frame with museum glass
- Wooden hand painted flame (all flames are unique, photos are indicative)
- Signed and numbered by the artist
The original drawing is an image that constantly recurs in Michal Kruger's practice. It is somewhat based on a memory of his aunt's thatch-roof farmhouse burning down after being struck by lightning.
In South Africa, rural and agrarian architecture is heavily influenced by a Dutch colonial aesthetic, which features simplified gables, pristine white-painted walls, and grass roofs. These buildings are often found on wine farms and are surrounded by ornate gardens. In Kruger's mind, the agapanthus (a South African native flower) featured outside the house, has become a symbol of suburban bliss.
Pickup available at Unfair Amsterdam
Usually ready in 5+ days
Cape Dutch
Unfair Amsterdam
WG-plein 13
1054 RA Amsterdam
Netherlands
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