Artists

Margo Schopf lives in Johannesburg and has been a full time artist for the past 14 years after giving up a career in graphic design. Margo’s work is mainly figurative, oils on canvas.

“As Francis Bacon once said ‘If you can talk about it, why paint it?’ What I feel is what I paint – not what I see. I try to deal with aspects of my identity, pivotal moments or whatever influences my thinking at any given time. This allows me to bring some sense, some order into my world. I do give my paintings titles, but this is more out of a necessity to easily identify a particular work. I prefer the viewer to bring his/her own interpretation to the work. All is emotion.

“I often think about women’s status in the world generally. Woman are fantastically strong and yet – oftentimes do not get the credit they deserve in spite of being the driving force behind many a successful man. They are hardly acknowledged. The glass ceiling still exists. Woman are still paid less than men doing similar jobs. Historically women have been largely ignored, especially in the arts. Is it any wonder that there are very few woman artists and sculptors? It is only now that woman are attaining their rightful status and are being acknowledged. These are the woman behind their men, influential but . . . mute. On the other hand, other women have no voice whatsoever. These women are relegated to the background. Almost non people. They exist to serve their men. They have no status. In this sense they stand behind their men – literally.”