Cornè Theron was born in Worcester in the Western Cape in 1974. She matriculated in Bloemfontein and went on to study law at the University of the Orange Free State, graduating in 1997 with an LLB, after which she married and moved to Swellendam. She lived on a wine farm in the Breedekloof Valley and 2019 she moved with her family to France for gaining international experience and growing her art career.
She practised as a conveyancer for two years but resigned to explore other areas of self-expression. She started taking art classes and subsequently participated in various group exhibitions where she soon gained recognition for her talent.
She describes herself as a contemporary neo-optical artist. In her abstract figures, she often portrays images of women who find themselves underwater. “I examine our reactions to environments that are foreign to our natural abilities and control,” explains Cornè. “I experiment with different types of glass as filters to create my images. I enjoy exploring the fact that our eyes are not developed to see underwater, so the images are blurred. I use water as a metaphor for our subconscious.
A neuropsychiatrist friend of mine calls the subconscious our stored memory. Most of our reactions stem from our ‘programming’. I am fascinated by the way we mostly react towards each other without first logically thinking about it and reasoning about it. The sources of our influence and the way it impacts us, in terms of our individuality and the way we relate to each other, motivate my work.”
Cornè Theron is an established artist who has gained lots of positive comments and her art is respected and liked by collectors, buyer and art colleagues. An artist to watch.
EXHIBITION HISTORY (short summary):
2023 – 2nd international Solo Exhibition in Kassel, Germany
2022 – Group exhibition in Palma de Mallorca
2022 – Group exhibition ‘she’ in Hamburg
2021 – Group exhibition in Hamburg, launch of the digital series
2021 – Group exhibition in Weimar
2020 – First international solo exhibition in Frankfurt – SOLD OUT!
2020 – Group exhibition in Berlin
2020 – Group exhibition in Crailsheim
2020 – ART Innsbruck with ARTsouthAFRICA
2019 – Context Art Miami
2019 – Paris/Contemporary Art Show
2019 – YIA Paris
2019 – The Travelling Art Gallery Exhibitions in Germany (Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich)
2019 – Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
2019 – Artmuc, Munich, with ARTsouthAFRICA
2019 – Affordable Art Fair New York
2018 – Three group exhibitions with the Travelling Art Gallery
2018 – Contemporary Art Fair, Italy
2018 – ‘Scope’, a group exhibition with Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2018 – Travelling Art Gallery exhibitions in Germany of selected South African Artists
2018 – Pavia Art Fair, Italy
2018 – Arte Genova, Italy
2017 – Summer Group Exhibition: Absolut Art Gallery, Stellenbosch
2017 – Pavi Art Fair, Italy
2017 - Arte Padova
2017 – Turbine Art Fair
2017 – “Humanity”, a Group exhibition at Absolut Art Gallery, Stellenbosch