The recent spate of violence in South Africa is the backdrop to LOVED THY NEIGHBOR, artist Lisette Forsyth's second solo exhibition with StateoftheART which opens on 06 August and continues until 22 August 2015.

The artist takes the well known Commandment from the Bible: "Love your neighbour as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:31" and uses it in the past tense for this body of work. "It can only be put down to lack of self-respect," says Forsyth," this violence against our neighbour who has come to seek shelter with us. Perhaps if there was a decent minimum wage, basic sanitation and education for all there would be an overall higher level of regard for others".

In these works the artist seeks to depict the warmth and personality of her characters against the coldness of ID numbers, conditions, stamps and crests that document the individuals to whom they belong. "These are people that we love and rely on. Finding people to trust me with their documents and in the process getting to know them better, has been very rewarding" says Forsyth.

StateoftheART director Jennifer Reynolds says "We are thrilled to be hosting Lisette's second solo exhibition with the gallery following the success of  A REFLECTION OF US  in July last year". LOVED THY NEIGHBOUR will open in conjunction with the August 2015 First Thursdays event from 5pm - 9pm.

About the artist

Lisette Forsyth travelled and worked in Europe as a model before studying Graphic Design at the Cape Technikon. A multi-media artist she describes her work as 'experimental'.  She works on found surfaces such as 1860s Government Gazette to scrap pieces of wood which dictate her subject: the people, their body language, unique style and character.

About the gallery

StateoftheART offers customers a diverse range of works at accessible prices, making it possible for everyone to own original art. A pioneer in art e-commerce, the company features a curated selection of emerging artists from around South Africa and ships artwork directly to the client’s doorstep, simplifying the purchase of art into a manageable and enjoyable experience.

Venue: StateoftheART
Address: 61 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town, 8001

For more information and high res images please contact Jennifer Reynolds: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.