the painted caves

May-June 2023, I made a series of 15 mud paint diptychs ("tweeluiken"), of couples, inspired by the cave art images in Peter Garlake's book: The Painted Caves, and introduction of the prehistoric caves of Zimbabwe. Published by Modus Publications in 1987 (see ex. bel0w). 

20230609_125636

20230609_125646

The San artists created a rich variety of cave art on the granite outcrops, imagining animals, human figures (hunters and gatherers, men and women), painted in ochre and earth colors, in every shade of red, yellow and brown, derived from ores or oxides of iron. I used Swedish mudpaints (red and black) based on iron minerals as well, to create contemporary paintings on paper (50 x 65 cm), yet keeping the spirit of the San cave art.

Beware of the Dog

The Painted Caves 19-20_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609 (1)

The Painted Caves 25-26_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609 (4)

The Painted Caves 23-24_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609 (3)

 The 15 pendants (50 x 65cm each)

The Painted Caves 1-2_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 3-4_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 5-6_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 7-8_antoonloomans_IMG-2023060920230609_170838

The Painted Caves 9-10_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 11-12_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 13-14_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 15-16_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 17-18_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 19-20_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 21-22_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 23-24_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 25-26_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 27-28_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609

The Painted Caves 29-30_antoonloomans_IMG-20230609