Anja Marais (born 1974) is a South African sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist. She has completed residencies in Japan, Korea, Russia and Florida and completed solo and group shows in Asia, Europe and the US.
Biography
Anja Marais was born in 1974
Sabie,
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga () is a province of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It ...
, South Africa. She attended the
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria ( af, Universiteit van Pretoria, nso, Yunibesithi ya Pretoria) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa. The university was ...
where she studied visual arts and graduated with honors from the
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa (UNISA), known colloquially as Unisa, is the largest university system in South Africa by enrollment. It attracts a third of all higher education students in South Africa. Through various colleges and affiliates, U ...
in Pretoria in 1998.
After graduation, she moved to Florida where she became the recipient of the Florida Individual Artist Grant and was selected as a participant for the Creative Capitol Professional workshop by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. Her work has appeared in ''Art in America'', ''Artnews'' and the ''Florida International Magazine''.
In 2009, she completed the Mino Paper Art Residency, learning ancient paper-making techniques from Japanese masters. Marais went to Korea in 2010 for the Seoul Art Space Geumcheon Residency
and in 2013, she completed the NCCA Art-residency in
Kronstadt, Russia.
Marais’ sculptures and installations examine contradictions and life cycles like masculine-feminine, life-death, nurture-nature and their fragility and delicacy.
Marais has produced solo shows in
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
;
Seoul, South Korea;
St. Mary's City, Maryland;
Key West, Florida
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...
; and
Smyrna Beach and has participated in group shows in
Basel, Switzerland; Miami;
Havana, Cuba
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. ;
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
;
Cannes, France; and
St. Petersburg, Russia. Her works are part of collections in the
Akari Museum, Mino City, Japan; Barry D. Briskin, Chair of American Folk Art Museum, Private Collection, NY; Jean Carper Private Collection, Key West, FL; Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL; Ed Reilly Private Collection, New York, NY and Victoria Lesser Private Collection, North Branch, NY.
In 2015, she was touring with a multi-media exhibit called “The Ballast” and was featured in a solo exhibit in Greeley, Colorado.
References
External links
Installation, St. Petersburg, Russia*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marais, Anja
1974 births
Living people
21st-century South African women artists
South African sculptors
University of Pretoria alumni
University of South Africa alumni
South African women sculptors
South African women photographers