WINDHOEK-Namibian visual artist and body painter, Sunya “Krayzee Sue” Beukes is planning on hosting her first solo exhibition of women body paintings soon.
Krayzee Sue says she is only waiting for the ultimate inspiration to kick start her exhibition. The 23-year-old artist may be as crazy as her name sounds but her works are stunning, unique and filled with creativity. The laid back and people’s person describes herself as a diamond in the rough. “I have been doing body art or body painting for two years now I would say. It’s a new style I have created for myself, this way taking my artistic ability to a new level of creativity. I paint on topless women breasts simply to create awareness of day-to-day gender based violence,” says Krayzee Sue.
Born and raised in Windhoek before moving to Katima Mulilo at the tender age of 16 years, Krayzee Sue Visual Arts is a graduate from the College of the Arts (COTA). “My arts sparks are influenced by a lot of tattoos and graffiti, thus incorporating it in my artworks to portray my personality,” says Krayzee Sue. She adds that she has featured her works in five group exhibitions over the past two years.
Krayzee Sue usually does African contemporary art and the theme of her artworks is based on the identity of women in general. Her style and technique of painting is young and vibrant, using mediums such as tattoo ink, coffee, watercolours, graphite and paint. “I’ve been an artist for practically my whole life since I have picked up a pencil, but have been doing it professionally for the past years. Arts has been my escape from the normal world we live in but only now do I understand it fully as I have grown up. Arts is like my first real love,” she says.
Krayzee Sue says that the titles of her artworks depend on the images she portrays. So far she has done two fashion shows this year, one of which was for Orange Day on July 25, a day celebrated worldwide to end violence against women. “The audience loved it, because it was fresh and innovative. Some people think it’s pornographic but It doesn’t bother me while there are thousands of people loving my bravery,” she says.