Artist Johnathan Schultz, a Las Vegas-based South African artist, reflects on his first solo exhibition in South Africa, paying tribute to significant local stories.
Schultz details Richard Kilpert's co-curated exhibition, Lasting Impressions: Tracing Identity & Resilience, which honors the stories, struggles, and legacies that shape South Africa's cultural identity.
The celebrated artist tells the Saturday Star that he was raised in Welkom and credits his South African upbringing as central to his artistic vision.
The presentation, which celebrated SA's heritage, provided local audiences with the chance to explore work showcased at international fairs like Art Basel Miami Beach and Art Palm Beach.
“Heritage Month reminds us that we are not only the sum of what we inherit but also of what we create for the future. My work seeks to capture that tension: the scars, the triumphs, and the indelible imprints of resilience,” Schultz said.
Using raw textures, archival materials, and industrial elements, he constructs layered artworks that serve as both sites of memory and spaces of confrontation.
“My journey has been one of continuous refinement and challenges: a search for truth through material, light, and texture. In the early years, I was captivated by form and technique, by the discipline of the craft. Over time, that fascination evolved into something more contemplative. I began to see art as a mirror to our shared humanity, a space where beauty and fragility co-exist,” Schultz explained.
Schultz emphasises that, while Mandela’s fingerprints initiated the series, the works now celebrate a broader South African identity.
“Each mark carries a story: of builders, dreamers, mothers, creators, makers, and more. Together, they form a portrait of a collective identity that is diverse, imperfect, and profoundly resilient. It is less about one figure and more about the multitude of imprints that define who we are.”
Living and working in Las Vegas has given Schultz a new perspective on South Africa’s cultural narratives.
“Las Vegas is a city of spectacle, a world built on light, reflection, and the “wow” factor. Working there has sharpened my awareness of what is authentic and what is artifice. From that distance, I see South Africa with new clarity, its textures, its honesty, and its emotional truth,” he said.
“South Africa taught me that light reveals truth, but shadow gives form. The stories, the landscapes, and the human spirit shape the emotional tone of my work, the interplay between grace and gravity, and light and dark. Even when I am working abroad, the textures and hues of home find their way onto my canvas. They are not just memories; they are the pulse of the work itself.”
Sharing his work on global stages like Art Basel Miami Beach has been deeply affirming, Schultz notes, yet exhibiting at home carries unique significance.
“Recognition abroad is affirming, but sharing the work at home carries a different kind of weight, a sense of completeness. To stand on global stages and still feel tethered to where it all began reminds me that art transcends geography. Each exhibition, whether in Miami, London, or Johannesburg, is part of a larger dialogue, one that connects past and present, the individual and the collective,” he added.
Looking ahead, Schultz envisions his art evolving toward simplicity and stillness, exploring the dialogue between material, design, and meaning. “If my work can remind others to look beyond the surface, to see beauty as both reflection and revelation, then that would be enough. My hope is to leave behind not just objects of admiration, but meditations on truth, identity, and the delicate endurance of the human spirit,” he concluded.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star