Can you introduce yourself?
I am Stephanie Neville (b.1973) from Pretoria, South Africa. I have been a resident of the UAE since 1999 and recently received a Golden Visa from the Cultural Department. I grew up with a love for arts, always painting, and in 2009 commenced a Bachelor of Visual Arts and completed my Master of Visual Arts in 2018.
What medium of art do you use and why that medium?
I predominantly work with textiles and appreciate the variety of materials and fibers lending many opportunities for experimentation and manipulations. I grew up surrounded by fabrics as my mother is a dressmaker. My grandmother did a variety of crafts and needlepoint works, so I would say the love for everything soft, shiny and fluffy runs in my blood.
I feel the traditional feminine aspect of crafts and textiles conceptually agrees with the themes I explore in my art – searching for connections and belonging; tracing memories and dealing with absence in relationships.
What are the projects you’ve worked on in UAE and worldwide?
I am lucky to have been selected in Made in Tashkeel for the few years, as well as some of their previous open calls. Further, I have exhibited in various group shows in the UAE.
My project works are taking up more of my time and a career path I am following. The largest project to date was just revealed at Atlantis The Royal: a hand-dyed fish net installation over the staircase of La Mar restaurant; as well as a few individual pieces of art in some of the suites. I have a few artworks in the newly renovated Bab Al Shams, various Vida and Rove Hotels around the country, LinkedIn offices, and in projects in KSA (Fairmont Riyadh/ Grand Hyatt Al Khobar), Bahrain (Raffles, Vida) and Kuwait (Waldorf Astoria), to name a few.
What brands have you collaborated with?
No, not so much with specific brands. I often work with Capsule Arts and 17A Art Consultants, as well as building a relationship with TWO Art Consultants and Courtyard Arts.
What are your plans for the future, are there any projects, or collaborations you could hint on?
I am currently working on a piece for the lobby in The Opus by Omniyat of which I am very excited. I have been approached by consultants for work on future projects in KSA which seems to be becoming an area of interest for development.
What message are you trying to deliver with your art?
My work is predominantly autobiographical, and I strongly believe that by confessing personal experiences and emotions, the viewers can make their own deeper connections to the works and reflect on their own experiences.
What are your thoughts on the current art landscape in the UAE?
It is exciting to see it grow so fast after so many years of living here. There are lots of opportunities for artists on all levels.
What can you tell about the particular genre of art you deal with?
Textile and Fiber arts might still be viewed by some as ‘craft’, rather than ‘high art’, but with so many contemporary artists exploring these mediums, they have a rightful place to exist as pure art forms. Conceptual art elevates these traditional techniques when it is possible to convey messages and themes. The blanket term of textile/fiber covers so many different mediums and techniques that are culturally valuable and appropriated by various cultures across the world, lending great opportunities for development and experimentation.
What message would you like to give to our readers and young artists?
Be open to new experiences and new art developments. It is not possible to like everything out there in the art world, but it is possible to find an artwork or an artist you can connect with, understand or appreciate.