ARTIST BIO
Catriona Towriss, is an self-taught artist who creates sculpture, relief and land-art from tree bark, seeds and other foraged-materials. Born in the UK, Towriss’ work examines her European-ness in relation to land and time in South Africa, where she practices. Her work is an exploration of what lies beyond the time and resource principles of capitalism, through which she seeks to repair and regenerate reverence for the land.
In 2020, after eleven years in public health research, Towriss transitioned into full-time artistic practice.
In 2022, Towriss held her first solo exhibition at Alliance Française in Cape Town, and in 2023, she was shortlisted for Stauss & Co’s Cassirer Welz Award. Towriss has participated in artist residencies across South Africa, including Tankwa Artscape (2024) and Bodhi Khaya residency (2023).
ARTIST STATEMENT
I create sculptural, relief and land art that examines my European-ness in relation to land and time in South Africa. My works are created from hundreds of pieces of tree-bark, seeds and other organic found objects, foraged from the landscapes where I practice. These materials, often gathered from invasive species, tell stories of the impact of European colonialism and resource extraction upon the land. The laborious, repetitive processes of preparing and assembling my work shape my existence beyond the capitalist principle of ‘time as money’, and connect me to traditions that have held Earth’s seasonal vitality as sacred. Through drawing attention to the inherent creative and sustaining power of nature, my work seeks to repair and regenerate reverence for the land.