Chapter III: Fly

by

Catherine Ocholla

Catherine Ocholla, one of the most gifted painters we have come across, has recently submitted a body of paintings titled The sky is falling as part of the requirements for her Master's degree at Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. We are thrilled to announce that we will be showing a selection of the work at the WORLDART gallery in Cape Town from 5 – 27 May.

The sky is falling comprises an installation of paintings that explores a narrative theme concerning the atmosphere in our future present. Alluding to factors such as contamination, global warming, conflict, and neoliberal claims to the Commons of air and space, the premise of this project centres around some unspecified catastrophe.

The sky is falling is divided into three chapters: Chapter I: The tooth and fairies, Chapter II: It takes a village, and Chapter III: Fly. Together the chapters weave a complex tale from Chernobyl to climate change but also function as standalone projects. The exhibition at WORLDART will feature Chapter III: Fly.

“Our ability to breathe is an unconscious one. One that is critical for life and yet one that we take for granted in what constitutes as our freedom. I have experienced two different versions of that freedom being lost in my lifetime - my family’s lockdown in Kyiv post-Chernobyl in 1986, and the recent lockdowns resulting from COVID-19. ‘Fly’ elucidates on our dependence and the sky’s indifference,” says Ocholla.

Chapter III: Fly will be on show at WORLDART (54 Church Street, Cape Town cbd) from 5 – 27 May 2022

It can also be viewed online at https://www.worldart.co.za/fly

* Artworks on this exhibition were produced as part of the requirements for a postgraduate degree at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town.

Catherine Ocholla was born in Kenya in 1983. She grew up in South Africa and in the process of obtaining a Master’s degree in Fine Art at the University of Cape Town in 2022.

Her professional career spans 15 years during which she immersed herself in a number of art related projects that include the curation of group events and the participation in solo and group exhibitions. Her main interest is painting and it is in this field that she has been gaining recognition in recent years.

In 2017 she was shortlisted (Top 40) for the Sanlam Portrait Award.