GERHARD VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

ARTIST STATEMENT

Beneath the Surface

Beneath the Surface explores the tension between strength and sensitivity, between the exterior we show and the inner world we conceal. Each piece fuses metal and paint — two materials that mirror the duality of the human experience.

The metal skin shields and reflects, while the oil-painted figures reveal emotion, movement, and the fluidity of identity. Through depictions of the female form and the fleeting elegance of fashion, the works invite viewers to look beyond appearances and sense what lies beneath.