Group Exhibition: 'Battle Scars'

ESCAP3 Gallery is delighted to present the Group Exhibition: Battle Scars,  14 February - 28 March 2025. Viewing throughout February & March 2025 strictly by appointment only.

Participating Artists: Oscar Henning, Luan Nel, Natasha Norman, Octavia Roodt, Richardt Strydom, Lisa Younger (South Africa) & Madiha Sebbani (Morocco).

This exhibition continues an exploration of the ideology and process of making, seeking a deeper connection to its source. The works on display reflect the diverse creative processes of each artist, bearing witness to both their practice and lived experience. They reveal traces of the hidden and unseen, transcending what is often overlooked.

All the works in Battle Scars carry a sense of scarring, both in a literal and figurative sense, which we recognise here as battle scars akin to war paint. War paint refers to the ritualistic practice of applying pigments to the face and/or body before battle. It has long served as a means of protection, a symbol of strength, or a declaration of identity. 

Traditionally derived from minerals, plants, and animal materials, these markings reflect a connection between body, material, and purpose – just as the creative process itself does. To create is often to confront: to challenge the self, engage with materials, or resist convention. If making can be seen as a kind of battle, then the artist’s body, tools, chosen mediums, remnants of performances, or objects found in the studio become their “weapons.”

Many of these artifacts are deeply personal and not for sale. They hold fierce emotional weight, unique histories, and an irreplaceable connection to their makers. Surrounded by these charged “weapons,” Battle Scars invites a sensory engagement beyond the visual – incorporating touch, scent, and presence to create a more immersive encounter with the works.

A Side Note on Process

During installation, the director’s diary was unintentionally used as a hammering buffer, leaving behind lasting indentations – a fitting, accidental mark of Battle Scars’ themes. Additionally, the installation I Like Spinning, It’s Nice by Oscar Henning requires handling with gloves due to its toxic nature. However, in an act of personal curatorial practice, the director chooses to disregard this precaution, embracing risk as part of the experience.

Image Credit: Octavia Roodt l Afrikaner in Antwerpen (Detail) l 2025 l Leather & Ink