ABOUT THE WORK

Cassie uses her work as a medium to explore the hidden world of the unconscious. Her works feature exotic female forms entangled in orgiastic settings with hyper-masculine stereotypes. A single meandering line is used to represent both the subjects and the tropical background in which they appear, giving equal value to both. The resulting flattened plain is then overlayed with thick oil paint which is applied independently of the defining line. The use of colour is informed by its symbolic value and energetic potential.

The true inspiration driving Cassie’s work stems from her fascination with quantum physics, the work of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, as well as the writings of Virginia Woolf and Aleister Crowley.

Cassie’s aesthetic is driven by its underlying objective: to uncover the ‘mystical underbelly of the unconscious.’

‘I see my work as a portal to a hidden inner world. My curiosity and desire to reveal even a splinter of this other realm is what drives me to keep painting. I have no desire to produce a single piece - but my fascination with exploring and hopefully capturing the hidden secrets of a shared unconscious has become an obsession for me.’

Cassie’s works merge the material world with the unconscious in a kaleidoscopic manner, echoing the fractured and layered memories, both inherited and experienced, with perceived ‘reality’.

Cassie’s work is rife with contradictions. Borrowing from the psychological technique of automatic writing, the works display a disturbing tension between the arguably traditional subject matter and the unorthodox avenues through which it finds expression.

The influences of Cassie’s multidisciplinary background are reflected in her work. Her degrees in architecture and art are evident in her technique. However the mastery of any formal technique, in and of itself, is irrelevant to the artist whose sole agenda is to use whatever medium facilitates the conversation between herself and her unconscious. To that end she sees as much value in a deck of Tarot cards as she does her Masters in Fine Art or her degree in architecture.

Cassie is currently living between London and Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Abstract artist Cassie Snelgar was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her work is underpinned by a multidisciplinary grounding in Architecture, Psychology and a Masters in Art.

For more information or to contact the artist please contact: aaron@cas-art.co or WhatsApp