Noeleen Kleve

These recent works on paper are an exploration into the motif of the corm and the meanings it evokes in the context of regeneration. I am interested in how the Watsonia corm, a local indigenous flowering plant, rebirths prolifically after a fire, and how this can be a metaphor for the experience of regeneration or “new birth”. 

Regeneration and the resurrection from the dead is a concept inherent to nature. Through plants, regeneration is evident in the earth in Spring.

Rebirth and resurrection are key themes in Greek mythology, as in the story of Persephone and Demeter; and are also intrinsic to the Christian faith. Meditation too can bring about a rebirth experience allowing for a deeper sense of purpose and spiritual connection. 

As an extension of the visual metaphor, I have worked with printmaking processes, generating an image on a surface, then covering the image with paper and printing either through the press or by hand pressure. As it emerges on the paper, the image is revealed anew: alluding to the process itself as a ‘burial’ and rebirth.