'Interlude' by Anico Mostert
Anico Mostert is a South African artist whose work explores the subtle moments of everyday life. Her approach to making is versatile, allowing her practice to remain intuitive and evolve as a continuous process of learning and discovery.
Through her distinctive, expressive style, Mostert invites viewers to reflect on how we shape the spaces we inhabit and, in turn, how those spaces shape our sense of self. Concerned with the experiential characteristics of space and belonging, Mostert examines how ‘lived spaces’ act as receptacles of memory, emotion, sensation, and identity. With her intuitive use of colour and bold brushwork, she seeks to articulate humanity’s innate being-in-the-world, illustrating the ongoing cycle of projection and reflection between her mind and the environment.
The works in this series capture moments of stillness and reflection, celebrating the simple, everyday experiences – the brief pauses in the rhythm of daily life. A departure from her usual medium of oil on canvas, the ink on calico reflects a period of experimentation and play in the studio. These pieces bring to mind the calm interludes of summer and spring, when time seems to slow, allowing us to appreciate the comfort of shared silences, the ease of visitors coming and going, and the simple joy of a bowl of fruit on the table.
Q&A with Anico Mostert
Anico, this collection reflects a period of experimentation, moving from oil to ink. What drew you to this medium, and how did it alter your relationship with mark-making and expression?
The ink started as a way to incorporate more time for drawing and sketching in between painting. I missed drawing, so I thought working with inks would be a fun way to reintroduce it into my regular practice and use it as a tool to explore other ideas I was developing in the studio.
Over time, I found myself spending more and more time painting and drawing with the inks, even taking a break from oils for a couple of months. Looking back now, I can see that the work for Sister, even though it’s done with ink on calico, still reflects the way I approach a canvas with oil paints but the more I continue to work with ink, the looser my mark-making becomes, and I’m excited to see how it evolves further.
Stillness and reflection are central themes in this collection. Do you view your work as an invitation for contemplation, and how do you hope it affects the energy in a viewer’s space or daily life?
It would make me happy if the work gently invites others to think or reflect on whatever comes up in the moment. I think the paintings speak with calm, and I hope that’s the feeling they bring to someone’s space.
‘Interlude’ explores how spaces shape us and how we, in turn, shape them, often touching on themes of lived experience and memory. Do you see these pieces as a form of memory keeping, and are there particular moments or places that influenced this collection?
Definitely, My work often reflects small and significant moments I experience or notice — some are very specific, while others are more about a feeling or sense I got from the experience. I want it to stay open to the viewer to project their moments, so that the work can serve as a point of reference or a starting place for someone to recall their own memories.
That being said, I’ll share that Until Next September was inspired by a trip I took with a good friend to see the spring flowers on the west coast of Cape Town. The painting sort of unfolded after the trip, and as it neared completion, I realised I had painted me, my friend, and the flowers.
As your practice continues to evolve, what excites you most about what’s ahead?
I hope to stay open to new ways of working in the studio, whether that’s experimenting with new mediums or exploring how I choose to be and work in the space. I’m excited to continue working with ink and see where it takes me! I also really enjoy working on paper and would love to focus more on drawing this year, maybe even develop a series of monotypes.
Anico's work is available to view at The Blewcoat School until 16th May 2025.
Thank you Anico!
