"Hollows and Horizons" - Nikai Van Garderen

Nikai is a local artist who has been a visual artist for over 20 years, working mainly as a painter. Having begun with a Steiner education and being very interested in colour theory, his artwork is about representing moods and emotions, although the colours he uses may not represent reality, but are more about conjuring a feeling.
With this new show, he explores both the horizon line in general, which is very much a representation of the future and where we are headed, as well as the darker inner workings of oneself, being the hollows of our own perception of ourselves.
The inspiration for the tanker images came from the idea of pirates rampaging in the red sea in medieval times, and the idea of something being so old and archaic yet still in action on our seas as pirates are. These artworks now hold a whole different relevance due to the BP leak, and the fascination of both natural disasters and mans impact on our future is now more relevant to him than ever.
“My work at present explores the landscape and its reflection of human emotions .I see myself in turbulent skies, dark and confused forests or sunny hillsides. The natural landscape is both so threatened and formidable it becomes a perfect tool to display my inner thoughts and reflections on what it is to be human.”