31 Porter Street
Exhibiting Artist
Hannes Koekemoer
“We are made of stardust and Holiness”
As an artist, Hannes is fascinated by the lines and stories that make us human. Not the perfect cover model look, but the curves and circles that form us. He believes that each of us carries with us the weather of who we are. His art focuses on capturing the individual as an artwork, their body an accomplishment of self. As Hannes reflects: “We often forget the stardust within. Our brand of weirdness, if you may. With each artwork, I aim to capture the human body, not as a perfect reflection but as the spirit that inhabits it.”
In today’s life, perfection is just a filter away. Hannes believes that we should celebrate the imperfections, as we celebrate our differences, we hold space for those who have yet to discover their divine. Hannes truly aims to create works that capture each individual’s stardust and holiness. His artworks use fine liners and single-line drawings to capture the movement and emotions we keep. These single-line drawings are then translated into 3D works using a 3D pen and PLA filament. To mimic the depth of our humanity, his artwork plays around with the depth, layers, shapes and shadows
Christo Bruwer
Christo Bruwer is a Cape Town-based figurative artist whose work centres on the male form as a site of strength, vulnerability, and transformation. With a deep understanding of human anatomy, his oil paintings balance bold black-and-white contrasts with a considered use of colour to evoke emotional resonance.
His practice is grounded in themes of identity, intimacy, and self-expression. As a gay male artist, Christo’s work offers a powerful challenge to traditional representations of masculinity, inviting viewers to engage with beauty beyond convention.
Inspired by the cultural diversity of his surroundings, Christo brings clarity, precision, and a distinctive voice to the South African contemporary nude.
Ann ten Cate
The precision present in Ann’s work as a CAD jewellery designer finds a welcome contrast in the fluid, expressive practice of figure drawing. Her exploration of the human form has been significantly shaped by the experience of live drawing sessions, where the time-bound nature encourages her to move beyond a pursuit of perfection. Whether observed directly or interpreted from visual references, Ann’s drawings aim to capture the diverse beauty inherent in the human body. Through the directness of pen and the emotive qualities of pastel, her works reflect not only the external likeness of the figure but also her internal response to the subject.
Often, a personal resonance emerges, moments where she can see reflections of her own emotions within the pose and form.
François van den Berg
The human form is a timeless subject—a vessel of presence, strength, and vulnerability. François’s work captures more than anatomy; it explores the profound narratives in posture, light, and shadow.
Each mark is a moment of being, raw and unframed. Through life drawing and photography, he navigates the interplay between observation and intuition, seeking presence over perfection.
By embracing the nude form, we reclaim seeing as an act of empathy, connection, and artistic liberation.
Wikus Vahrmeijer
With an eye for capturing the beauty and complexity of the human form, Wikus creates stunning artwork that celebrates and explores the diversity and uniqueness of our shared experience.
By showcasing both the strength and fragility of the human form, his work invites viewers to connect emotionally and gain new insights into what it means to be human.
Bert Touwen
“At first, I painted for love. Then I painted for money. After that, I stopped painting. Now I paint for love again… I love the challenge of bringing the beauty of the human figure into my art and using it as an opportunity to improve my skill at expressing myself – the way I see and the way I feel, perhaps to discover who I really am. To create something new. To dig into my inner reality and express how I relate to the world around me. In doing so, I feel exposed, unveiled, even vulnerable….”
Monique Heystek
Monique is a visual artist working primarily in bold oil pastel and oil paint compositions that explore masculinity and power. Young, muscular figures are posed as a symbol of strength, vitality, and humanity’s drive to conquer and transcend.
As a female artist, Monique’s gaze is an assertion of agency. The sculpted male body is posed as an emblem of volition, a reflection of man’s (humanity’s) ability to shape both itself and the world around it.
Willem Victor
As a lifelong lover of science fiction, fantasy art, Franco-Belgian comics and independent animation, Willem draws inspiration from the boundless imagination of these genres. Willem’s restlessness and insatiable curiosity drive him to continuously learn and explore, refining his craft and deepening his artistic voice.
Through figure drawing, he aims to capture the gesture, energy, and emotion of his subjects, creating pieces that convey a story to the viewer.
Anne Wells
Anne Wells was born in the Transkei (Eastern Cape) but has subsequently spent most of her life in Cape Town. She has an Honours degree in Fine Art Education BA Fine Arts(ED)Honours. Anne has also been an educator and has tutored drawing, fibre art and painting for many years. Anne has had several solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions. Her work is represented in local collections as well as internationally. She has spent many years on the board of the Arts Association of Bellville, helping to provide a platform for both established and emerging artists. Anne’s practice centres on life drawing as a foundation for developing technical skill and deepening her understanding of the human form. She studies the body from observation in order to train her eye, strengthen her hand, and internalise anatomy, gesture and proportion. This allows Anne to move beyond reference, giving her the freedom to insert figures into any imaginary space or narrative. Her goal is to blend accuracy and intuition- bridging the gap between what is seen and what is felt so that the figure becomes a natural and expressive part of any composition. |
