Notes

South African artist Hannalie Taute’s work is the exploration of identity. Through the juxtaposition of embroidery thread stitched onto rubber inner tyre tubes and vintage photographs, she subverts conventions and existing narratives. Alter egos or conflicting identities are imposed onto the characters in the photographs who are given incongruous masks and transformed into hybrids. Through these provocative transfigured portraits, the artist questions ideas of socially assumed identities. Hannalie’s combination of materials – car tyre rubber referencing a traditional realm of men and embroidery thread traditionally related to women’s work – challenges patriarchal stereotypes and adds a layer of tension to her arresting portraits. Another area of exploration is the artist’s own paracosm – or imaginary world. Fairytale characters, creatures and monsters find their way into wedding and other portraits or become darkly humorous 3D embroidered rubber sculptures. Hannalie’s work can be found in collections globally. She has exhibited extensively, both in South African and abroad.