Deon Venter - Olympia - 2010
"Deon Venter’s new paintings entitled Olympia at first appear to be a departure from the socio-political content for which he has become known, however, the male artist painting the female nude today is, in itself, presumed to be a political statement. The Olympia paintings are therefore at once history painting, and the development and future of painting in contemporary art.
Venter’s nudes are not eye candy, nor are they the product of the male gaze, but the models have become an integral part of the creative process, interactive with the viewer in their multiple renditions and the heavy impasto and taped painting. There is the suggestion and impression that the model is, at times, actively participating the battle of the creative process and at other times this is abandoned and newly drawn imagery is pursued." Robin Relph, 2010
