Marieke Prinloo-Rowe

Marieke grew up on a farm near the diamond mining town of Cullinan, in Gauteng South Africa. It was here that she became interested in the process that creates a sculpture – forming and re-interpreting materials from an early age. Vivid early memories include sitting on the banks of a small steam that runs through the family farm and building imaginary cities and their people from the red mud. Also, she recalls many days being on the floor in her Mother’s ceramic studio and pressing fingerprints into the clay, entranced by the malleability. Growing upon a farm gave her a distinct sense of space, site and scale. Childhood games and projects always seemed to take place on this grand scale - and with the endless supply of raw materials. That playful working with size has remained a strong impulse in her work as she tends towards the life size sculptural sizes. Later on it was the continued seeking out of art and sculpture in particular – from the privilege of seeing the masters’ work which left an indelible impression to the actual time spent studying art, something she found tremendously inspiring.

Being part of a very multi cultural, multi linguistic new South African Democracy has also impacted her sculpture significantly. There is ever the desire to communicate and be understood - to be relevant, hopeful and truthful - a meaningful part of the fiercely determined young South African Art movement. In 1997 Marieke was awarded the Sasol New signatures judges award by William Kentridge.In 1999 she was the winner of the PPC National Young Sculptors Award with her installation ‘In concrete in Concrete’.

In 1999 she had 10 life size figures acquired by the National Johannesburg Art Museum for their permanent collection. In 2010 to 2012 she presented ‘Walking the Road’ Public Art installation on the Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town. The fable like story was enacted over 2km by the 18sculptures of a10 year old little Swimmer Girl who yearns to fly like the Dragonfly she meets. In the symbolic oral tradition so intrinsic to African history preservation it sought to represent the young South African Democracy in its quest for liberation – to fly – and the pursuing of equality. On a personal level each viewer could be reminded of the dreams they themselves are pursuing and the hope that empowers. In 2014 she was awarded a national tender to create the first HIV and AIDS Children’s Memorial Sculpture. The monumental work comprised the gestural sculpting of six children who are currently living in with the disease based within her direct community. She closely collaborated with them on imaging their struggles and dreams and then transferring these as designs onto 30 sculptured doves which fly between them. The life size sculptures stand on plinths of varying heights with which a delicate water system is run… a constant reminder of hope and growth. The monument is on permanent display on the Miriam Makeba Terrace at UNISA in Pretoria.

Marieke is currently creating a 6m National Monument for the South African Department of Art, Culture and Heritage of Mr John Beaver Marks(or Uncle JB, as he was affectionately known) The bronze sculpture is to be installed in the North West Province in early 2016. Marieke has completed numerous private and public commissions and her work is represented in several public sites, private collections and galleries both nationally and abroad.

A more comprehensive list of exhibitions and publications can be found on the www.mariekeprinsloo-rowe.com website