Berni Searle
Encyclopedia
Berni Searle is a South Africa
n photographer and installation art
ist. Trained originally as a sculptor, she is best known for her installations consisting of found object
s mixed with photographs of her own body, marked in some fashion to suggest scarification ritual and displayed to suggest voyeurism. None of the marks are permanent; they are usually made with henna
. Her work was included in the 1997 Johannesburg Biennale, the 1998 Cairo Biennale, and the 2001 and 2005 Venice Biennale
s. Searle lives and works in Cape Town
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n photographer and installation art
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
ist. Trained originally as a sculptor, she is best known for her installations consisting of found object
Found object
A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things which occur in nature...
s mixed with photographs of her own body, marked in some fashion to suggest scarification ritual and displayed to suggest voyeurism. None of the marks are permanent; they are usually made with henna
Henna
Henna is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes...
. Her work was included in the 1997 Johannesburg Biennale, the 1998 Cairo Biennale, and the 2001 and 2005 Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
s. Searle lives and works in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
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Awards
- UNESCO award (1998)
- Minister of Culture prize at the Dak’art Biennale (2000)
- Civitella Ranieri Fellowship (2001)
- Standard Bank Young Artist AwardStandard Bank Young Artist AwardThe Standard Bank Young Artist Awards were started in 1981 by the National Arts Festival to recognise emerging, relatively young South African artists who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their chosen field. These prestigious awards are presented annually to deserving artists in three to...
(2003)
Nominations and shortlists
- FNB VITA Art Award (2000)
- Daimler-Chrysler Award for South African Contemporary Art (2000)
- Artes Mundi award (2004)