about

“Growing up in a city where the brutal and painful dismantling of an entire way of life was once deemed legitimate, I began to understand the careless disregard of man in an attempt to improve. We have become a moving mass, so easy to dispose of things and this reaches down into our very core, even the shelter we call home. South End, Port Elizabeth (up to 1969) was my birthplace and the systematic destruction of this neighbourhood in the name of progress has a great influence on the way I work and the images I produce.

My way of protesting this action is to try and stimulate a remembrance, the conscience thoughts of people by exposing them to that which looks and feels familiar, that which we grew up with – the old way of life when things seemed simpler.

The buildings I paint reflect an attitude rather than an image, abandonment and despair, but with reference to hope albeit only in our minds-eye. The starkness of the buildings in a desolate background will serve as an intense focus on the story behind the lives that drifted through these buildings and not so much the building itself. Although the buildings are devoid of life, the observer is left to draw their own conclusions as to the many stories that the image may evoke in them.

The images may have been born out of my intense appreciation of Surrealism, but the approach adopted by artists such as Edward Hopper wherein discourse constantly nags at the subconscious, is a constant driving force in my work.”

~ Raymond John Westraadt
Raymond John Westraadt (1961 - )
PE Technikon

Further studies
Dumisane Mabaso
Pieter Janse van Rensberg

Exhibitions
Lavender Barn
Nieu Bethesda
The Coral Tree
Chocolat Art
Nieu Bethesda
Chocolat Art
KKNK
NAF Grahamstown
State of the Art
GFI (Ron Belling)
Cuyler Street Gallery
NAF Grahamstown
William Humphreys
NAF Grahamstown
Nieu Bethesda
Germany
NAF Grahamstown
Firefly Innovations
Art Compass 2016
Just Painting 2016
Luxembourg Art
Nieu Bethsda
Who's who in Visual Art
Arttourinternational

SAATCHI                                                                             
Grimandi Art Gallery
Viviana Puello Gallery 2019
1980


2006
2007


2002
2005
2006
2007-2012
2010
2012-
2012
2013
2014
2014
2014
2014
2015
2015
2015
2015
2016
2016
2016
2016
2017
2017
2017-18
2018
Foundation Studies


Print making
Painting


Joint with Frans Boekkooi and Rick Becker
Fugard Festival
Joint with Dumisane Mabaso
Graaff-Reinet
“The Road less travelled” (Joint)
Port Elizabeth
Oudtshoorn (Solo)
Joint with Mishak Masuku
Cape Town (Online)
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth (Joint)
“Abandonment” (Solo)
“Memories of the Inevitable” (Solo)
“Memories of the Inevitable II” (Solo)
Karoo Modern (Joint)
Certificate of Excellence 2015 – Palm Art
“Anthropology of Tractors”
International listing – online art platform
International book listing – Europe & USA
NMMAM Port Elizabeth (Joint)
International Art entry
"Under the Karoo Sky" (joint)
101 Top Fine Artists of our Day - Germany
Top 2018 Artists (ATIM Choice) Editor in chief Top Picks of the year
Digital Exhibition – Manhattan NYC
Exhibition (Joint) – Manhattan NYC
Exhibition – Manhattan NYC
An article in the June 2017 edition of the SAJBL by Prof. Dr C Grobler. Very honoured:

messages & inquiries

Footer Contact