1. By Cheyenne Randall and Sophie Bossino
Marlene Dumas
Artist Presentation
By Cheyenne Randall and Sophie Bossino

2. General Information Born August 3, 1953
Born in Cape town, South Africa
Works in Amsterdam
Education : University of Cape Town, : Ateliers’63, Harlem, : University of Amsterdam
Contemporary artists. Who produces paintings, collages, prints, drawings and installations.
Now a days she she mainly works with oil on canvas and ink on paper.

3. Technique Thinned down paint Wipes pigment from canvas or paper
Video:

4. The first people, 1990

5. Series of 4 canvases
Larger than life in size.
Composed vertically
Not idealised images
Babies are repulsive and unappealing
Unfavourable skin tones

6. The Teacher (sub a) , 1987

7. Made from a class photo from her childhood
Oil on canvas
Dark palette unlike The first people.
Sold at Christie’s, London for $3.34 million.
Making Dumas the most expensive living female artist of the time.

8. Her feelings on the $3.34 million price tag
Mixed emotions about sale prices
Usual price for her pieces was roughly $50,000
Number of works reached more than $3 million
Feels ashamed that prices are so high yet happy that people want to buy her works
South Africa artists are seen as narcissistic.
Prefers Works going to institutions instead of collectors.

9. More to Marlene than visual art
Not only a visual artist, she is also a teacher and produces texts.
Her exhibitions and catalogues are usually companied by several of her poems, texts and essays.
She uses these as descriptions of works and ideas.

10. Sweet Nothings An example of this is Sweet Nothings.
Published by the Tate in 2015.

11. “She is, you might say, the world’s most un-famous famous artist”
Summary
South African born artists lives and works in Amsterdam
Uses a variety of techniques
Produces visual art, texts and catalogues
Committed teacher
Held the title of the most expensive living female artists in 2005.
Lacks self promotion and production lines that the 21st century art community has become to familiar with.
“She is, you might say, the world’s most un-famous famous artist”
The Guardian
The daring art of Marlene Dumas: duct-tape pot bellies and Bin Laden, January 2015

12. Bibliography
Slide 1
Vogue UK, (2015). Marlene Dumas: Queen Of The Canvas. [online] Available at:
Slide 2
Marlenedumas.nl, (2015). Biography of Marlene Dumas. [online] Available at:
Slide 3
YouTube, (2015). Marlene Dumas aan het werk in haar studio. [online] Available at:
Slide 4
Depont.nl, (2015). De Pont museum: artist. [online] Available at:
Slide 5
Artnet.com, (2015). artnet Magazine. [online] Available at:
Slide 6
Jefferson, A. (2008). Marlene Dumas ~ Her Paintings Sell for Millions . . But Are you pro-Dumas or anti-Dumas?. [online] Raw art Weblog. Available at:
Slide 7

13. Slide8
Cooke, R. (2015). The daring art of Marlene Dumas: duct-tape, pot bellies and Bin Laden. [online] the Guardian. Available at:
Slide 9
Marlenedumas.nl, (2015). writings Archives - Marlene Dumas. [online] Available at:
Buchin, N. (2012). The Artist and Her Models: Snapshots of Marlene Dumas’ World - Yabangee. [online] Yabangee. Available at:
Slide 10
ArtAttack, (2015). (Con)text is Everything: Marlene Dumas' 'Image as Burden' at Tate Modern. [online] Available at:
Miettila, M. (2014). Marlene Dumas: Why do I write (about Art) | Exhibiting Painting. [online] Blog.kkh.se. Available at:
Slide 11