https://637dd8a404a7e.site123.me/
Paul Ricoeur's (2004) assertion that “memory is the present representation of an absent thing” underscores the foundation of Retro-spective, a project that delves into the intricacies of ‘temporal consciousness’, encompassing the perception of time, memory and nostalgia. This central theme explores how pre-cinematic toys and traditional art-making methods can reinvigorate the past, transforming fragments of time into fresh and tangible expressions of nostalgia and memory. My artistic practice combines the creation of pre-cinematic toys, oil painting and creating a time-lapse video of the painting process. The themes of nostalgia, memory and time will be introduced, followed by a brief history of pre-cinematic toys, and a look at Roget’s theory of ‘persistence of vision’. Additionally, contemporary artists who have dealt with similar concepts, Hayao Miyazaki and Eric Dyer, are analysed to further an understanding of Retro-spection, highlighting the relevance of these themes in today’s artistic landscape.
Temporal consciousness encompasses nostalgia, memory, and the perception of time, shaping my artistic practice and engagement with art perspectives. Sarah Thornton (2000) views nostalgia as bridging past and present, engaging viewers' memories and emotions. I would argue that nostalgiaandmemoryare significant in art's meaning-making, influenced by past experiences. Scanlan (2004) notes that memory's seductive nature archives the past, while in contradiction, Dika (2003) argues that nostalgia can stifle creativity by replicating the past without offering innovation. I counter this by using oil painting, a nostalgic yet timeless medium. In Retro-spective, my exhibition features oil paintings accompanied by timelapses of the painting process, embodying the tradition and nostalgia of art history drawing. Thematically my work draws from vintage photos
of my deceased father, musical influences, and eerie childhood games from yesteryear. These works reflect nostalgia through their subject matter and monochromatic colours. Art captures moments and ideas, aligningwithBergson's(2023) concept of durée, where memory flows and shapes creativity, making each creation a manifestation of lived time. Therefore, art can be viewed as a repository of memories and a dynamic expression of temporal consciousness, linking past and present. Nostalgia, memory, and time hold deep personal significance for me, tied to my lived experience and reflections. Childhood memories connect me to my inner child. As time accelerates, we may lose the sense of wonder and curiosity that defines childhood, yet nostalgia offers a way to reconnect with that sense of curiosity. As an art observer, I craft narratives
through personal memories and experiences, striving to create art that allows others
to interpret it through their distinctive lens,inspired by nostalgia.
The history of pre-cinematic toys dates back to the 19th century, when inventors and artisans began experimenting with optical illusions and mechanical devices and toys to create moving images (Crafton 1993). This included the zoetrope (figure 1), phenakistoscope (figure 2) and Jacob’s ladder (figure 3). As precursors to modern cinema, pre-cinematic toys paved the way for the development of animation and motion pictures, illustrating the balance between
technological innovation and artistic craftsmanship (Whissel 2024).The toys work on the principle of ‘persistence of vision’, a theory that was first explored by the English physician Peter Mark Roget in 1824. The theory stated that “the eye and brain retain an image on the retina for a fraction of a second after the image has been removed from the field of vision. Hence when a series of images are perceived in rapid succession, the eye will
The imagery I have made for the pre-cinematic toys in Retro-spective such as the mutoscope, The Fall (figure 4), phenakistoscope, Mei’s Toy (figure 5) and the Jacob’s Ladder, The Baron (figure 6) are all hand-painted, frame-by-frame in gouache (a medium employed by the Studio Ghibli Figure 8) or acrylic, reflecting Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic and traditional animation techniques. I primarily used wood for these toys, a material with a long artistic history which reinforces a nostalgic aesthetic, distinguishing them from modern materials like plastic , reflecting my deep appreciation for past creative processes (Schiffer 1987).
Mei’s Toy, (figure), is a wooden disc divided into 10 hand painted images, with slats around the edge of the disc. Viewers look through the slats at a mirror reflecting the images which appear to be in motion when the disc is spun. The mutoscope works on the same principle. Multiple, consecutive images are painted with gouache on paper. The images are
mounted on sticks and attached through little holes on two 3D printed discs. When the discs are spun by operating the handle, the images give the illusion of motion. The animation titled The Fall (figure 4), depicts a monkey-like figure falling through time and space as a black hole drops him from the sky, reflecting the complexities of our monkeybrains trying to understand time and space. The last toy is Jacob’s Ladder, consisting of wooden blocks that form one image on either side, inspired by Miyazaki's character The Baron, a humanoid cat with a chivalrous demeanour. The blocks are attached in a way that allows them to cascade individually as the block is flipped, revealing the image's backside.
For the tactile and mechanical side of Retro-spective, Eric Dyer served as a referential artist, as he is known for his exploration of motion involving pre-cinematic toys, such as phenakistoscopes and zoetropes (Dyer 2016). This approach reflects my methods used in creating the
timelapse of the oil painting as well as the GIF of the phenakistoscope. While the traditional artistic practice of creating an oil painting reflects notions of the past, a timelapse video and GIF address the modern present and perception of time.
The images of the toys were translated digitally through photographing each frame and rendering a short digital version of the animation with use of an app called Stop Motion Studio.
Like the pre-cinematic toys, the paintings served as a mode to explore temporal consciousness as well as contemporary ideas. They are both reminiscent of childhood - the paintings dealing with nostalgic memories of childhood and the toys address tactile interactivity (play) and a childlike sense of wonder. The paintings are painted on wooden boards maintaining the connection to traditional materials. The GIF and the time-lapse of the painting process both share similarities with the frame-by-frame principles of the pre-cinematic toys. Whereas Mei’s Toy is photographs section by section to create a digital GIF, the painting process was filmed over a period of days and linked together to create a singular representative of the painting process (figure 7). A time-lapse video captures frames at set intervals and speeds them up in order to capture movement which would otherwise be too slow to observe in real time. This aligns with Roget’s theory of
persistence of vision, providing a visual similarity to stop-frame animation, creating rapid sequences of images for swift movement. To link the toys and paintings further, the colour purple recurs, being associated with introspection, mystery and reveries - making it an appropriate way to evoke the sentimentality of nostalgia and memory (Gage 1999). For the final exhibition, I opted for a corner spacerather than a singular wall, evoking a speelhoekie (play corner) reminiscent of childhood. The pre-cinematic toys were displayed on plinths of varying heights to create a playful atmosphere and attract viewers. The paintings were symmetrically arranged on the opposing walls to encourage a conversation between the artworks above and the toys below.Together, the toys and the paintings represent distinct approaches to explore nostalgia and the transient nature of time and memory.
Innovation and art-making often draw on temporal consciousness and the past to foster progress.
Ricoeur's theory, “memory is the present representation of an absent thing,” is not merely retrieval but a re-presentation of what’s absent now. This aligns with Bergson’s idea thatmemory and nostalgia guide present-day creative expression.
Retro-spective explores memory, nostalgia, and time, using pre-cinematic toys and traditional art methods like hand-drawn animations andoil painting, combined with digital renderings. This combination bridges past and present,highlighting the relevance of these antiquated art forms today. Ultimately, memory and nostalgia offer a rich framework to shape our present and future. Reconnecting with the past through art is a powerful act of personal reflection and offers a profound opportunity for art observers to engage with their memories and experiences.
B. 1994. Lisa-Marie is a South African artist from the small town of Robertson, with a love for creating. Mostly self-taught, she seeks to expand her frontiers on art and culture through explorations of mediums, thought processes, academia and emerging herself in nature. She has always loved drawing and sees this as her first and introductory love to art.
Her mediums consist of oil painting, printmaking, stopmotion, digital art, progressive literature studies and would partake in anything that advances imaginative speculation. She is currently completing her BA degreein Visual Multimedia at the University of South Africa.
Jeanne Hugo | Feb 2024 - Present
Assistant to gallery director
Responsibilities include creating exhibition catalogues, content creation, assisting with curation, liaising with artists, gallery sales, illustrating
Clare Menck | 2020 - 2024
Mentee, personal assistant and social media advisor
Duties include creating digital catalogues foronline sales, responding to emails, assisting with digital skills, packaging of art for exhibitions, studio assisting.
Komposjaard Art residency | Aug - Sept 2019
A fellow artist and I, participated in the Komposjaard Art Residency at Kleinood Farm, Stellenbosch, spanning six weeks. During this residency, we were both engaged to complete a collaborative project.
The Framed Feather Framing and Art shop | 2016 - 2018
Shop Assistant and assistant framer
Duties included art retail, thorough knowledge about art products, selling own art in the shop, emails and phone calls, assisting clients with framing quotes, assistant framer which included: cutting glass, mount board, assembling frames
Carlos Anselmo | 2019 -2020
Freelance video editor
The job was basic video editing and compiling of an educational wildlife photobook.
2024
‘Summer Soleil’, duo exhibition by Clare Menck and Lisa-Marie Myburgh
Curated by Lisa-Marie Myburgh
Kingsbridge Art, Bellville, Cape Town
‘In the Wake’, Invite only group exhibition
Curated by Jeanne Hugo
Hugo Modern Gallery, Welgemoed, Cape Town
‘You Are Here’, Group exhibition
Curated by Jeanne Hugo
Hugo Modern Gallery, Welgemoed, Cape Town
‘Art enriches space. Music enriches time.’, group exhibition
Curated by Tiffany Onderstall
196 Victoria Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
‘REVE(!)ATION’, Graduate Exhibition
Curated by the students of UNISA
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
2023
‘African Tails Art & Wine auction’, Invitation for art donations
Curated by Alma Schaap
Fresnaye, Cape Town
‘Streetopia’, Group Exhibition
Curated by Ilse Erasmus
Community centre, Observatory, Cape Town
'Tiny Treasures X', invite only Group Exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Members Exhibition', Group exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
2022
‘Proudly Porterville’, Group exhibition
Curated by Ronel Bakker
Porterville
2021
'Small Worlds', Group Exhibition
Curated by Marita Schneider GalleryOne11, Cape Town
'Landscape / Landskap', Group Exhibition
Curated by Clare Menck
HAAS Collective, Cape Town
2020
'Subsurface Scattering', Group Exhibition
Curated by Clare Menck & Marita Schneider
GalleryOne11, Cape Town
Untitled Group Exhibition
Curated by Nicole
Skew Space, Kwazulu Natal
'Home is Where the Art is', Group Exhibition
Curated by Koyo Kouoh
Zeitz Mocaa Museum, Cape Town
2019
'Four Seasons', Group Exhibition
Curated by Diane White
Bright street Gallery, Somerset West
‘Tiny Treasures', Annual open call Exhibition
Curated by ArtB Committee ArtB, Bellville
'Apart / A Part', Group Exhibition
Curated by Laurette de Jager, ArtB Gallery, Bellville
‘New Guard', Group Exhibition
Curated by Adele van Heerden
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Home Moods', Group Exhibition
Curated by Avril Gardiner
Liebrecht Gallery, Somerset West
2018
'First Thursdays', Group Exhibition
Curated by ArtB Gallery
SA Missionary Museum, Cape Town
'Wild Life', Group Exhibition
Curated by Diane White
Bright street Gallery, Somerset West
'Paper Exhibition’, Group Exhibition
Curated by Hugo de Villiers and Ilse Nieman
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Tiny Treasures', Annual open call Exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
2017
'Re-Union', Group Exhibition
Curated by Lindi Barnard
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Vice Versa', Group Exhibition
Curated by Juria le Roux & Brahm van Zyl
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Paper Exhibition', Collaboration
Curated by Ilse Nieman & Hugo de Villiers
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'African Tails Book Launch', Collective Exhibition
Curated by Alma Schaap
Untitled Studios, Cape Town
‘Tiny Treasures', Annual open call Exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Members Exhibition', Group Exhibition
Curated by Fanie Scholtz
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'The Framed Feather Exhibition', Group Exhibition
Curated by Ilse Nieman & Hugo de Villiers
Artscape, Cape Town
2016
'Committees Choice', Group Exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Vuleka Competition', Finalists Exhibition
Judges: Theo Kleynhans, Willie Bester, Ellené Louw
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
'Tiny Treasures', Annual open call Exhibition
Curated by ArtB committee
ArtB Gallery, Bellville
Fig 1: Myburgh,L. 2024. RETRO-spective exhibition installation, artB Gallery. Bellville, Cape Town. Image courtesy of Laurette de Jager
Fig 2: Myburgh, L. 2024. Fathers Gaze detail shot. Oil on canvas. 25 x 35cm.
Fig 3: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Drumkeeper detail shot, Oil on board and digitally rendered timelapse. 20 x 20cm
Fig 4: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Fall (a mutoscope). Wood, paper, gouache, plastic. 50 x 27 x 18cm
Fig 5: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Baron (a Jacob’s Ladder in use). Wood, acrylic paint, brass chain. 27 x 7,5 x 2cm
Fig 6: Plateau, J. 1833. Phenakistoscope. Wood. Dimensions variable.
Fig 7: Horner, W. G. 1834. Zoetrope. Wood. Dimensions variable.
Fig 8: Unknown. 1989. Jacob’s Ladder. Wood and ribbon. Dimensions variable.
Fig 9: Myburgh, L. 2024. Mei’s Toy detail shot
Fig 10: Miyazaki, H. 1988. My Neighbour Totoro. Animated movie. Dimensions variable.
Fig 10: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Drumkeeper. Screenshots of digitally rendered timelapse. Dimensions variable
Fig 11: Myburgh,L. 2024. Studio shots of painting process.
Fig 12: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Séance detail shot. Oil on board. 40 x 50cm.
Fig 13: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Baron (a Jacob’s Ladder) detail shot. Wood, acrylic paint, brass chain. 27 x 7,5 x 2cm
Fig 14: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Séance. Oil on board. 40 x 50cm.
Fig 15: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Silent Witness. Oil on board. 40 x 50cm.
Fig 16: Myburgh, L. 2024. Brooks Nielsen. Oil on board. 20 x 20cm
Fig 17: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Drumkeeper. Oil on board and digitally rendered timelapse. 20 x 20cm
Fig 18: Myburgh, L. 2024. Fathers Gaze. Oil on canvas. 25 x 35cm.
Fig 19: Myburgh, L. 2024. But who do you really know?. Oil on canvas. 25 x 35cm.
Fig 20: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Fall (a mutoscope). Wood, paper, gouache, plastic. 50 x 27 x 18cm
Fig 21: Myburgh, L. 2024. Mei’s Toy (a phenakistoscope). Wood, acrylic paint, brass, mirror. 40 x 50 x 0,5cm
Fig 22 & 23: Myburgh, L. 2024. The Baron (a Jacob’s Ladder). Wood, acrylic paint, brass chain. 27 x 7,5 x 2cm
Fig 24: van Deventer, T. 2024. Lisa-Marie Myburgh. Digital photograph. Dimensions variable
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Bray, X. 2001. The Oxford Companionto Western Art. Oxford University Press.
Crafton, D. 1993. Before Mickey: The animated film, 1898-1928. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
Gage, J. 1999. Color and Meaning: Art, Science, and Symbolism. London: Thames & Hudson.
Howard, S.A. 2012. ‘Nostalgia’, Analysis, 72(4), pp. 641–650.
Sahoo, S. 2024. The impact of Studio Ghibli on animation worldwide, Rock & Art. Available at: https://www.rockandart.org/studio-ghibli-on-animation-worldwide/ [Accessed: 06 August 2024].
Schiffer, M.B. 1987. The Archaeology of Ancient Woodworking. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 1(1), 1-54.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) Directed by Mami Sonada [Film]. Japan, Toho Distribution.
Thornton, Sarah B. 2000. “The Role of Nostalgia in Art and Art History.” Art Journal, vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 42-49.
Whissel, K. 2024 . ‘Schirmer Encyclopedia of film’. encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ pre-cinema [Accessed: 6 Aug 2024].