BIO
who am I ?
SKILLS
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Playing
Playing together
Co- creator
Alchemy
Winning and Loosing
Connecting
Finding myself
Seeing Beauty in everything
BITTER-SWEET
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Along this bitter-sweet journey towards unveiling the inner self, it becomes apparent that there is a myriad of visible and invisible layers of masking to outwardly express an identity, knowingly or unknowingly, in order to perform in this Masquerade called Life...
The story told is that of a “ Hero’s Journey”, exploring the relationship with the inner child through time and space, connecting, listening, accepting, surrendering, forgiving ,thanking, challenging, holding, confronting, shadowing, appreciating, loving, failing, seeing, pushing, healing, seeking questions and answers towards awakening.
Then, for a moment, grasping the essence of the true self.
The journey of a never-ending story.
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“But if we become entangled in the masks that we wear, and the mask becomes our reality, the child falls asleep. The performance act becomes reality, and reality becomes the illusive - dream, unconsciousness.”stay awake, if you can.
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It goes on, does it ever stop? The gates ahead keeps closing. Until death do you part. One day, soon. Tomorrow maybe?
As soon as you feel accomplished, you are actually ten meters back. When you think you have learnt something, another lesson knocks on the door. When do you grow up? When do you reach the point of total awareness. Total confidence. Be comfortable in your surroundings. One with yourself. Neutral.
Life...death.....life goes.......tick.....tock.......tick......tock...........its what you make of it.
Every second counts.
game is on
Creativity is how I alchemize the darkness. To me creativity is a channel to mirror the experience and then learn from it. At the same time transforming that which is dark into something beautiful . I love being a woodcarver, mould maker, installation builder, performance artist, fashion enthusiast, sound listener , any form or material that lends itself to being shaped, chiselled, bend, moulded , evoking deeper thoughts and feelings and then inspire through Beauty.
Currently I live and work in the small town Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa.
Being a mother of two young girls I decided to raise these amazing girls as close to nature as possible where it is still possible for the children to go to school barefoot, and ride bicycles. My children and nature are my muses. The closed eyed and barefoot child is currently one of Nel’s signature traits.
I see myself as a warrior of life, honoring the inner child, innocence, love and nature. The creative work becomes a voice to the silenced,
" n boodskap wat woordeloos verstaan".
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I experiment with many different materials, techniques (modeling, carving, constructing) and color combinations. The result is a tactile assemblage. I tried to communicate these many layers of masking by combining various tactile materials: hard and soft, smooth and rough, natural and synthetic. Furthermore, I combine more traditional materials and methods such as wood and wood carving with more modern and unconventional materials and techniques such as plastic resulting in a fusing of the old and the new worlds. Currently I am exploring fusing sound and the digital realm as another layer to the work, by collaborating with Seun, ( an Audio Digital Artist) we push our own boundaries , we are opening portholes together. Each layer adding to the story. Each work becoming a performance, as we unravel our art forms and crack codes in order to create new perspectives to the same stories.
wow what time to be alive!
PS remember to make popcorn and watch this incredible how called Life!
"The Coarse of life"
haidee nel 1977
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HIGHLIGHTS OF EDUCATION, AWARDS, ART FAIRS & Fun Fairs
Pending Masters in Fine Art, UCT, Cape Town
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2022-23 Seun and Liefie, collaboration, School of life , location Earth.
2022-23 My Lam / My Lamb, FynArts Public Sculpture Hermanus South Africa, and the Review Die Lam Alweer, by Seun- Klanke van die Mensdom
2022 Lam Alweer and Rooiborsduif collaboration installation brainstorm, Liefie & Seun. Awardwinning Mixtape van die Liefde,Aardklop, Johannesburg, South Africa
2018- 20 Meerlig, FynArts Public Sculpture Hermanus South Africa
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2015- 22 Cape Town Art Fair, Joburg Art Fairs, AKAA Art fair Paris, Turbine Art Fair, Woordfees
Stellenbosch, KKNK Arts Festival Oudtshoorn, That Art Fair (African Art Fair CT) , Aardklop (Johannesburg), Brussels ArtFair.
2016 1st Prize for Sculpted Dress ‘At the End of the Rainbow - Show Stopper - Fashion Show,
Swellendam
2014 Finalist Best Retail Design - Spectrum Retail Design and Development Awards
2014, Category Retail Store, Rain Africa, Gateway Mall, Durban
2012 Design Indaba Fair - Hartedief Art Object, one of best designs at the Design Indaba Fair
2011 Regional Finalist, Absa le Atelier Art Awards, Cape Town
https://issuu.com/arttimes/docs/absa_l
2010 Overall Winner, Vuleka Art Awards, Cape Town
http://issuu.com/arttimes/docs/vuleka_art_competition_2010
2002 Merit Award, Sasol New Signatures Competition, Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria.
http://www.artsmart.co.za/visual/archive/1181.html
www.sasolsignatures.co.za/sites/sasol_signature_live/.../SASOL-Catalogue-2014.pdf
2001 Jewellery Course - Pearls of Wisdom, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, England
2000 Diploma in Advanced Black and White Photography, Micheal Hetem School of
Photography, Johannesburg.
2000 Dean’s Merit List, Award for Academic Performance. University of Cape Town
1996-
2000 Bachelor of Fine Art Degree (Hons), Major in Sculpture, University of Cape Town,
Michealis School of Fine Art.
EXHIBITIONS & HAPPENINGS
Upcoming exhibitions 2023 TAF & The Masbiekers Rainbow, more of Seun and Liefie
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2023 Stukkie Website- haidee nel, under-construction and guided by Liefie and SEUN
2023 Dis God se geld en darm nie so ver soos n droom nie, Episode 0- Seun en Liefie collaboration WFT café (what the fudge Café) The collision, in-between Heaven and Earth
2023 Creation of the Award Sculpture for KKNK 2023, Afi-kaanse Dali Tambo
2023 UNPLUG REPROGRAM – series of 6 public sculptures- The Rainbow - Swellendam, in collaboration with the awesome people of Swellendam. First one up - Bontebok Primary School Swellendam.
2023 Haidee Nel presenting GoFigure by George, Swellendam
2023 Crush Exhibition, Group show, Bruise Gallery , Swellendam, South Africa
2023 All that Glitters Is Not Gold, Uitstalling, Genk, Belgium
2022 Mixtape van die liefde, Swartskapie & Die Lam Alweer. Installation collaboration, SEUN en LIefie. Rooiborsduif, Aardklop, Johannesburg, South Africa.
2022 Bruise gallery epic opening group show Overberg Artists, Swellendam, South Africa.
2022 Group show Grande Provence, Franschhoek.
2022 Live Virtual Auction Strauss&Co
2022 ZYCIE NIEZBADANE/UNEXAMINED LIFE- Uitstalling/MAD ART Gallery , Poznan, Poland.
2022 Hybrid III, Uitstalling Genk, Belgium
2022 Hermanus Fine Art Public Sculpture MY LAM/ MY LAMB June 2022
2022 Brussels Art Fair, The Solo Project, May 2022
2022.
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2021 Home is where the art is , Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town
2021 Liefie Series, Group Exhibition, Schoeman Gallery, De Rust
2021 Liefie Series, Kamers Art Fair 2021, Stellenbosch
2021 Infantry Girl & Boy, ORT Global Online Art Auction
2021 Collaboration with Mrs SA finalist, Johanni Steenkamp- Charity Auction, Johannesburg
2021 Eye of the Storm, Up to the Mark – Group Exhibition, Aity Galley, Franschhoek
2021 Trojan Horse & Urban Masquerade, Hybrid – Group Exhibition, Uitstalling Gallery, Genk, Belgium
2021 White Rabbit – Lockdown Art 2020, Instagram Auction
2020 Crown Sculpture, Give Her a Crown Exhibition, Jaguar Experience Centre, Johannesburg
2020 Group Exhibition, Fuck It – Let’s Wrap It, Cape Town
2020 Infantry Series (Girl & Boy), 'Home Is Where the Art Is', Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town
2020 Infantry Series (Girl), Kunst Zürich 2020, Zürich
2020 Solo Exhibition Bittersoet/ Bittersweet, Uitstalling, Belgium
2020 Commission for Swellendam High School
2019 Infantry Boy and Girl ,Les Couleurs Charity- New York
2019 Artintheyard – Franschhoek Literary Festival
2019 Art Angels Ellerman house South Africa
2019 Meerlig Public Sculpture. Fyn Arts Festival Hermanus South Africa
2019 Infantry Series MAD Art Auction Lionel Smith Studio Cape Town
2019 Infantry Series Mad Art Auction London
2019 Onmisbaar/Indispensable Turbine Art Fair- Lizamore & Associates Johannesburg
2019 Jan Celliers Art Fair –Lizamore & Associates
2019 Infantry auction at Les Couleurs New York
2019 Growing Pains/ Groeipyne – KKNK Oudtshoorn Arts Festival Group exhibition
2019 Liefie bird- Rust en Vrede Group Exhibition
2018 Row -Row Everard Read Franschhoek Western Cape
2018 Shimmer & Shrine Series, AKAA Contemporary African Art Fair, Paris
2018 Onmisbaar / Indispensable Series, Turbine Art Fair with Lizamore & Associates Gallery,
Johannesburg
2018 Meerlig, Public Art Group Exhibition Sculpture on the Cliffs, FynArts Hermanus, Western Cape
2018 Masquerade Series, Group Exhibition, Knysna Fine Art Gallery, Knysna, Western Cape
2018 Groeipyne Series, Group Exhibition at Absolut Art Gallery, Stellenbosch, Cape Town-
Woordfees Art Festival
2017 Infantry I Series (Girl), Click Foundation Charity Auction – Art Angels, Ellerman House,
Cape Town
2017 Liefie Series, Black Orchid, Group Exhibition at Elm Auction – Orchid Association, Stephen
Welz & Co, Cape Town
2017 Groeipyne Series, Solo Exhibition, Worldart Gallery, Cape Town
2017 Infantry I & II Series, Boyoyoboy Gallery, Chicago, USA
2017 Sculpted Flower Dress / Performance Piece, Art Auction for Swellendam Hospital
2017 Liefie Group Exhibition, Buzz-TED (Bee Awareness) - Art@Almenkerk, Elgin, Cape Town
2017 Groeipyne Series, Solo Exhibition - Woordfees, Stellenbosch, Cape Town
2016 Infantry I & II Series, Bennett Annual Art Fair with the Bennett Gallery, Cape Town
2016 Sculpted Performance Piece, Epson 'Flowers in Art' Exhibition, Castle of Good Hope, Cape
Town
2016 Infantry II Series (Boy), Solo Exhibition – Lizamore & Associates, Johannesburg
2016 Infantry Series I & II, Johannesburg Art Fair in collaboration with Orange Babies
2016 Liefie Series – Turbine Art Fair with Lizamore & Associates, Johannesburg
2016 At the end of the Rainbow, Sculpted Dress - Show Stopper - Fashion Show, Swellendam
2016 Camouflage Series, Lizamore@Clairvaux- Sculpture Garden, Robertson, Western Cape
2016 Veterans, THAT ART FAIR with Ebony Gallery, Cape Town
2016 Urban Masquerade Series - Cape Town Art fair with Worldart Gallery, Cape Town
2016 Camouflage Series, Cape Town Art Fair with Lizamore & Associates
2015 At the End of the Rainbow & Trojan Horse – Equus Gallery, Cavalli Estate, Somerset West,
Cape Town Follow link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXXSghaYFGo
2015 Infantry I Series (Girl) – Joburg Art Fair with Orange Babies - South Africa
2015 Liefie Series, Human Experience, Kingdom Exhibition - Equus Gallery Cavalli Estate
Somerset West, Cape Town
2015 Liefie, Art Beat Exhibition, Swellendam, Western Cape
2015 Infantry Series I, Solo Exhibition, Salon 91, Stellenbosch, Cape Town
2015 Urban Masquerade Series, Cape Town Art Fair with Erdmann Contemporary
2015 Infantry I, That Art Fair with Ebony Gallery
2015 Infantry I, at the Franschhoek Literary Festival, Cape Town
2014 Urban Masquerade Series - Cape Town Art Fair with Erdmann Contemporary
2013 Engel I & II, Group Exhibition at ArtB Gallery, Bellville, Cape Town
2013 Liefie, Homing Bird, The Travel Suitcase Group Exhibition curated by Dr Paul Bayliss, Design
Indaba, sponsored by ABSA, Cape Town
2013 Journey of Liefie de Milo, Photographic Prints, ABSA L’Atelier Competition, Art ’B Gallery,
Bellville, Cape Town
2013 Producer and curator for exhibition/animation and performance ‘I Long for you/ Les nuits
d’Ete in collaboration with soprano Marcel Volkeart and pianist Sylvia Schulman
2012 Journey of Liefie de Milo – Photographic Prints, Exhibition at BMW Auto Atlantic showrooms
at the Foreshore with Erdmann Contemporary, Cape Town
2012 Hartedief Heart Objects d’Art Exhibition, Design Indaba, Cape Town
2012 Art is my Child Group Exhibition, Design Indaba Cape Town
2012 Journey of Liefie de Milo, Group exhibition ME MYSELF & I, The ArtBusiness Gallery,
Piketberg, Western Cape
2011 Liefie, Higher, Group Exhibition, ABSA L’Atelier Competition, Art ‘B Gallery, Bellville, Cape
Town
2011 Liefie de Milo, Van die Hand na die Mond, Group Exhibition 360 degrees, Art Space Gallery -
Teresa Lizamore, Johannesburg
2011 Infecting the City – group exhibition with Erdmann Contemporary, Cape Town
2011 Liefie, Higher, Absa le Atelier Competition, Cape Town
2010 I Long for You, group exhibition Matters Conceptual: Seeing, Erdmann Contemporary, Cape
Town
2010 I Long for You, Group Exhibition Aardklop, Potchefstroom Museum, Potchefstroom, North
West Province
2010 I Long for You, Lanzerac, Stellenbosch, Cape Town
2010 Hartedief range of Art Objects and catalogue, launch in Cape Town
2010 I Long for You, Vuleka Art Competition, B Art Gallery, Bellville, Cape Town
2008 Teaching (part-time) at Frank Joubert Art Centre, Claremont Cape Town – subject Spatial
Design
2004-03 Love Painting Series, Group Exhibition, Grahamstown Art Festival, Grahamstown, Eastern
Cape
2002 Maya II, Portrait/Relief Sculpture, Sasol New Signatures Competition, Pretoria Art Museum,
Pretoria
2002 Maya Series of relief sculptures, Group Exhibition Oer Baan' at the Open Window, Pretoria
2002 Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil, Group Exhibition Millennium Gallery, Groenkloof,
Pretoria
2006 Full time Master’s student at Michealis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town
2000 Optical Virgin-‘SOFT SERVE II’ A Collaborative Exhibition. The National Art Gallery of Cape Town. My
Sculptural live Performance ‘Optical Virgin’ was a great success and received great media
attention: Cape Times, Argus, Big Issue Magazine, Cape review Magazine, Mail & guardian
Art Throb Website and ETV. The Optical Virgin’ was also exhibited at Cape Town One City
Festival, Rondebosch Boys High, Edinburgh Art Festival and London, England.
www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/fineart/0005/000512-softserve.html
www.public-eye.co.za/00-p1.html
1999 -
2000 : A diligent member of ‘pm Inc’. Pm Inc Is a group of 8 young artists collaborating to bring art
into an active public space of the inner city of Cape Town via performance art, video art,
intervention and propaganda. Pm Inc achieved nine exhibitions in different locations in the
city space including the Gallery National Gallery of Cape Town, Ava and Joao Ferreira
Gallery. We were also invited to share our new ideas about art at Cape Town Rondebosch
Boys High and Frank Joubert Art School. As a pm Inc member, I was the Video Art Director,
Costume and set designer, creative researcher and a performer.