Andrea du Plessis
Andrea du Plessis, born in 1980, is a Cape Town-based multi-disciplinary artist.
Her work explores nature as a catalyst for sublime experiences, drawing inspiration from nineteenth-century Romanticism. She portrays nature as a sacred source of healing, using hybrid organic forms and psychedelia to highlight interconnectivity among species.
Du Plessis is influenced by alchemical illustrations and symbolism, delving into themes of inner alchemy, esotericism, and Jungian psychology in surreal contexts.
Specializing in traditional oil painting, du Plessis studied Fine Arts at the University of Pretoria, earned a postgraduate diploma in Art Therapy in the UK, and graduated Cum Laude in (BA) Multimedia Digital Visual Arts from UNISA. As the overall winner of the prestigious Sasol New Signatures award in 2021 she has exhibited locally and internationally.
Du Plessis combines classical, old masters, oil painting techniques with modern technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create immersive experiences. Her detailed landscapes and organic hybridity transport viewers to familiar yet alien worlds, encouraging reflection on their connection with nature. Her work revisits antiquity while embracing contemporary innovations, offering a unique blend of the past and present.