KEER TERUG
Keer terug (2018), is an Afrikaans phrase which translates to ‘turn back’ or ‘return’. It implies three possible notions of return. The first; to return to the past, to reflect and to remember. The second; to return to traditions and to continue them. And the last; to return to the skies, or heavens, and to transcend the physical realm.
This body of work reflects on concepts of loss, memory, tradition and remembering. After the sudden loss of the her grandmother due to tragedy, Visser found herself latching onto her grandmother’s belongings as if they were precious artefacts. Re-appreciating her grandmother’s delicate handiwork awakened a deep desire to try and recreate or continue a tradition of craft. However, there exists a void, a missing piece of information; her grandmother never had the opportunity to pass down the knowledge of her craft. As an artist, and as a granddaughter, Visser takes up the responsibility to attempt to fill this generational gap. The resulting research is rooted in traditions unique to the artist’s South African, or more specifically; Afrikaans heritage, as she reflects on fragments and traces of the past to uncover hidden stories and meaning, This includes traditions and practices such as the use of natural remedies and folk medicine, also known as ‘boere-rate’, foraging, certain craft traditions, natural dyeing techniques and ways of preservation.
