A new solo exhibition by Emma Willemse, titled The Parchments, opened at Nel Gallery on September 29 and will remain on view through October 31, 2026. The exhibition offers an intriguing look at the artist’s ongoing exploration of papermaking and the meanings that can emerge from the medium. The show features five large-scale paper pulp collages that combine handmade paper with plant materials.
About Emma Willemse
Willemse lives and works in a studio in the small town of Riebeek-Kasteel, South Africa. Her artistic practice focuses on human experiences associated with the loss of place, including displacement. In response to the growing impact of natural disasters and climate change, she has also explored disaster-related displacement in her work. Her conceptual art often combines different media and techniques, ranging from painting and installation art to printmaking, photography, film, and artist books.
The artist has exhibited extensively across South Africa and internationally. Her works are held in the Nando’s Collection, the Spier Collection, and the MAPSA Collection. She also created a book installation titled 101 Ways to Long for a Home, which has been exhibited internationally.
The Parchments: Conceptual Artwork with Deeper Meanings
The Parchments reflects Emma Willemse’s longstanding interest in papermaking. The five pulp collages incorporate air roots from a Ficus tree and bark fragments from a Eucalyptus tree. According to the artist, the series was inspired by a severe storm in May that affected a tree next to her home. She witnessed a large branch breaking away from the tree, prompting her to reflect on the unpredictability of contemporary life and the continuity of human challenges from ancient times to the present.
The exhibition takes its name from parchment, a writing material made from prepared animal skin that played an important role in record-keeping during the Middle Ages. By combining paper as a surface for recording information with roots and bark as natural elements, Emma Willemse creates a connection between the preservation of human experience and the enduring presence of nature.
Nel Gallery: An Art Hub in Cape Town
Nel Gallery is a contemporary Cape Town-based gallery that welcomes both local and international talent while working to build creative networks and expand their visibility. Founded and run by Luan Nel and his partner, Neil Pendock, the gallery presents art alongside design, fashion, and crafts, creating a distinctive cultural experience for Cape Town locals and visitors.