Rose van der Merwe (Johannesburg) 

2025 Sasol New Signatures Finalist

Birds of war 

Acrylic on canvas 

165 cm x 150 cm 

Artist’s Statement

In Birds of War, I am attempting to create a tension between 2 opposing realities: war and peace.

The fact that there are currently so many conflicts (and with broader global tensions growing) is something that preoccupies my current thinking.

The figures/symbols used express the paradox that “things are not always what they seem”. 

Governments and leaders can often seem to be “warmongering” at the expense of the nations that they are meant to serve.

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