Rentia Retief (b.1992, Caledon, South Africa) is a Cape Town-based visual artist, recognised for her exploration of landscapes. These scenic renderings are derived from places visited or environments that Retief is well familiar with, though the setting of the terrain is not the main theme of her work. Rather, Retief focuses on the stillness of the location, and what she refers to as 'quiet spaces’, where the emotional and physical landscape meet each other. By reducing the portrayal of the topography to loose, gestural brush strokes, Retief aims to instill the viewer with a sense of loss over a place that once was - or perhaps never was in the first place.

‘My approach to landscape art can most accurately be described as the Portuguese concept of 'Saudade'. Saudade is a melancholic feeling of longing or loving something that you never had in the first place. I have a longing for the stillness echoed in my work.’ - Rentia Retief

The longing for solitude and the untouched outdoors are major themes in Retief’s work. Retief captures her awareness of being one with the natural surroundings, exploring the everyday interaction we all share with the environment whilst drawing on the constant reminder that we are only brief, insignificant visitors in this world. Many of her works on paper and canvas are made en-plein-air, where the natural elements contribute to the mark-making process. The resulting compositions emerge from layering and working on both sides of the canvas. This act of the reverse of the canvas informing the front references the artist's reliance on memory and the subconscious for these landscapes to take shape.

Retief graduated with a BA in Fine Arts in 2014 and an Honours in Illustration in 2016, both at the University of Stellenbosch. She is currently working as a fine art professional and illustrator.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023
‘En So Is Dit’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa

2022
‘Terugblik’, MOK Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
‘Reflection’, Kanonkop Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2019
‘Die Berg is Geduldig (The Mountain is Patient)’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa

2017
‘Scenes of Remembering’, Mullers Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2016
‘Sondebok’, MOK Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa

2023
'We Are Africa', DHL Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa
'African Galleries Now x Artsy', EBONY/CURATED, Online Presentation
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa

2022
‘Summer Show’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa
‘Palimpsest’, AVA Gallery and Remembrance Gallery, The Leeuwenhof Slave Quarters, Cape Town, South Africa
‘Summer Trio’, 131 A Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2021
‘The Long View’ with Larita Engelbrecht, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa
‘Genius Loci’, State Of The Art Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
‘Light’, Glen Carlou Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
‘Bud’, RK Contemporary Gallery, Reibeek Kasteel, South Africa

2020
‘Country’, MOK Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
‘Home Is Where The Art Is’, Zeitz Mocaa Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

2019
‘Land and Sea’, Art on Avenues, Somerset West, South Africa
‘Art and Equine’, Imibala Gallery, Somerset West, South Africa

2018
Knysna Fine Arts, Knysna, South Africa
‘Wild’, Imibala Gallery, Somerset West, South Africa
‘Black and White’, Dyman Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2017
‘Landscape’ with Johan Coetzee, MOK Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2016
‘August Exhibition’, EBONY/CURATED, Franschhoek, South Africa
‘Summer Show’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa

2015
‘Emerge’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa
‘Landscape’, EBONY/CURATED, Franschhoek, South Africa
‘Tasseography’, Equus Gallery, Stellenbsoch, South Africa
‘Composition Emporium’, Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa
‘30’ x 40’’, ArtB Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2014
‘Gradex’, Stellenbosch Visual Arts Department, Stellenbosch, South Africa

RESIDENCIES

2018
Kleinood Artist Residency

2016
Muratie Artist Residency

SELECTED PRESS

Du Toit, S. (2023) Welcome the month of June by exploring the exhibits on First Thursdays. Available at: https://www.capetownetc.com/cape-town/welcome-the-month-of-june-by-exploring-the-exhibits-on-first-thursdays/ (Accessed: 02 November 2023)