ARTIST STATEMENT - February 2026
Hear Me is about how meaning gets lost in a world full of noise, images, and too many choices. It looks at love, trust, and conflict, and how they’ve changed over time. This is my message of advice to every generation.
Overall, my collection is about slowing down, questioning what we’re told, and learning to listen — not just with our eyes, but with intention and feeling. In a world where life is hard enough, our decisions shape generations, whether we believe it or not.
Hear Me!
Love, Distorted
My generation
Represents how love isn’t what it used to be. With so many options and constant access to new people, loyalty feels weaker and commitment feels temporary. The broken wording reflects how love has been changed, edited, and often treated as disposable.
Seeing isn’t believing
The new generation
Speaks to how easy it is to believe things at face value. We’re shown so much every day that it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s controlled or fake. The work is a reminder to question what we’re being fed.
Wars we didn’t choose
Old generation
Represents wars and conflicts that are passed down rather than chosen. They speak to a generation that is tired of being handed violence, beliefs, and problems that don’t belong to them. We choose love, kindness, compassion, respect, and equality in all walks of life.
The Bare Bear sculptures
For all generations
The Bare Bear sculptures show the difference between thinking and feeling. One bear exposes a brain, symbolising logic, overthinking, and being shaped by outside voices. The other exposes a heart, representing emotion, vulnerability, and intuition. Together they ask whether we listen with our heads or our hearts, and how that shapes everyday life in different ways.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My name is Ashley Algeria Ferreira, otherwise known as That’s Ash. I was born and raised in the East of Johannesburg. I love all things colourful and vibrant. As a child, taking things apart to change their appearance was an everyday adventure — I needed to ensure everything I owned was unique to me.
When Covid struck, I had the unique opportunity to reflect on my life, and I decided to make a bold move to Cape Town with no clear direction or intention. Here, I discovered my true passion for creating through spray painting, painting, and sculpting. I’ve since been able to bring my imagination to life in unique ways.
As a versatile artist, I am driven by the exploration of diverse materials and mediums, ensuring that each piece I create is one of a kind. My work spans a wide range of styles, from vibrant, colourful compositions to textured, technical designs. I take great satisfaction in the entire creative process, from conceptualising and crafting my artwork to refining each detail. Embracing a hands-on approach, I believe in experimenting with every possibility and dedicating myself fully to each project I undertake.
My true passion blossomed when I created my own character, Bare Bear. From the first sketch, I knew this was the one. I have since brought him to life in sculptural form and continue to create entire collections dedicated to this character.
