You know that sensation when one part of you holds another part of you? Like one hand holding the other? Have you ever noticed how different the sensation is when one hand is asleep? You feel yourself as if from the outside, as others experience you. The experience never lasts very long, but it is a reminder that you cannot hold yourself in the normal course of things. I wonder if everything isn't held together like this: all of us holding one another in place, every place holding us together, us together holding things in place. Maybe that is what I am doing when I make art: waiting for that moment when one hand goes to sleep so that the other one can truly feel it - as if it was a distinct and separate thing. To momentarily become aware of all that holds me in place; the soft membrane of the space into which I am poured in the world. What I know of this sensation, is that if feels a bit like drifting in water. Have you ever floated on your back in the ocean? That gentle sensation of being complexly moved from side to side and up and down? Feeling almost as if the motion was your own; as if it all emanated from within. Perhaps that is how it is to be in the world. And me, more or less given over to life's energetic deformations, drifting, waiting and hoping to feel the water.

Growing up in far northern Namibia with its wide open spaces and ancient peoples  and then studying and working in a modern business environment had an indelible impact on my life and the way I express my art. A theme that runs through all the works is the bringing together of the primitive with the modern, mostly in a semi-figurative sense, but with deeper nuances touching on the spirituality of our being, here in Africa. The vulnerability and imperfection of characters’ underlying nature and personalities provide strong commentary on the milieu within which we find ourselves.

The name Hippocampus is derived from Greek (hippos, meaning “horse,” and kampos, meaning “sea monster”), referencing a mythical sea creature often depicted as a horse with a fish-like body. Hippocampus is part of Janko’s horse-themed series, Equus, which explores the mythical relationship between humans and horses. Crafted from kelp collected along the beaches of the Western Cape, de Beer transforms this organic material into a tapestry of vibrant forms. The sculpture goes beyond aesthetic appeal—it's an interactive experience, inviting viewers to engage with the rich cultural narratives it embodies