Fine Art nominee

In this series, I am exploring aloneness, loneliness, togetherness, and connection. My inspiration for the series came from losing my brother in a car accident. It woke me up to the incredible unpredictability of life. I worked with photos of him that were taken in our living room when we were children and used it to reconstruct some of the scenes which I used in the series. I was drawn to working with twins or sisters that are no more than a year apart. But most importantly, in their relationship, they are so close to each other that they are almost inseparable. Even when apart from each other they are so in tune with one another, sometimes feeling each other’s feelings etc. This quality seems supernatural, yet it reminds us of a connection and familiarity that we all long for. I am wondering if we can still have this connection with those who are no longer with us. But also I am reflecting on how lonely we can feel being with others when we feel unable to connect with them, especially in a world where we have become so disconnected and distracted in each other’s presence.

n a male-centric art world Stefanie Langenhoven’s photography stems from her day-to-day, lived experiences, with the concept of womanhood at the core of her work. The way she represents the female body is unpolished and non-confining, challenging the patriarchy’s traditional feminine fantasy. “It’s really about taking hold of our own femaleness, and not having to fit into a ‘man’s world’ by either submitting to men or becoming more like men,” Stefanie explains. “My images express the internalisation of objectification and distorted idealisation of the female body,” says the artist, whose work deals with her personal journey around self and body acceptance. “It is very personal, but I feel that many women can relate to this.”

Stefanie has been a full-time artist since 2015, and participated in a number of exhibitions in galleries around South Africa. Stefanie is being represented by DF Contemporary Gallery Cape Town, and she is also an associated artist with the Dead Bunny Society, JHB South Africa.