Les Femmes Émergentes

Cornè Theron

Cornè Theron is a former conveyancer turned artist who has rapidly gained recognition for her innovative and emotionally resonant work.

Born in Worcester, South Africa, in 1974, Cornè Theron pursued a law degree at the University of the Orange Free State, completing her LLB in 1997. After several years in the legal profession, she transitioned to the art world, where she was quickly acknowledged for her talent. She was named a finalist in the Crouse Gallery’s ‘Fresh Talent Competition’ and shortlisted for the SA Taxi Art Awards. Theron has participated in numerous group exhibitions and held her first solo exhibition in Johannesburg.

In 2019, Cornè Theron moved to France on a talent visa awarded by the French government to further develop her artistic career. It was during this time, in a farmhouse near Cape Town, that she began experimenting with glass as a medium to pixelate her images. This innovation introduced abstraction and depth to her work, blurring the boundaries between reality and perception. In her practice, pixels are not merely aesthetic elements—they symbolize individuality within a collective, echoing the human experience within society.

Each pixel in Cornè Theron’s work represents a distinct aspect of the self. When viewed as a whole, these elements coalesce into a cohesive image, much like
individuals forming a community. This conceptual framework draws inspiration from neo-impressionism, where small, distinct components come together to form
a unified visual expression.

In France, Theron has continued to explore glass as a filter, inspired by the discovery of vintage French glass in an old door during the renovation of her home. Her practice is multidisciplinary, bridging both traditional and digital mediums. She creates richly textured oil paintings on canvas, inviting viewers to delve beneath the surface. Her work also spans photography, video, computational media, and animations of her digital works.

In 2020, Cornè Theron held her first international solo exhibition, AMA, in Frankfurt, which sold out within a week. She garnered further acclaim with her 2023 exhibition, AQUA, in Kassel, Germany, followed by a 2024 solo exhibition in Munich curated by Dr. Sonja Lechner.

Cornè Theron is recognized as a neo-optical contemporary artist deeply fascinated by the subconscious mind. Water serves as a recurring metaphor in her work, symbolizing the fluid and often hidden nature of human behaviour. Through this lens, she explores the question: “Why do we do the things we do?” Water, in her art, becomes a conduit for examining the depths and complexities of the human psyche as it flows between conscious and unconscious states.

Her work, known for its intellectual and emotional depth, encourages viewers to reflect on their own behaviors and motivations. Cornè Theron is supported by a number of notable collectors, including Mike Steib, former CEO of Artsy, who has publicly endorsed her work.

Cornè Theron currently resides in France, where she continues to expand her artistic practice and explore new perspectives on the human experience. She is represented by The Artists Gallery in Cape Town.