Profile

Originally from South Africa (b. Kenya), Mandy Coppes Martin is a visual and textile artist based in the UK. Mandy specialises in making 2- and 3-dimensional artworks using a variety of mediums such as paper thread, raw un-spun silks, vintage leather gloves, fish bones and collected antique laces that embody a life once lived. She creates textile sculptures and drawings by incorporating and embedding these materials into almost woven reconstituted structures that become tangible links to the past.  

She has exhibited both locally and Internationally and her work is held in private and corporate collections. 

 

Education  

1991 - Matriculated in Johannesburg School of Art, Ballet, Drama and Music - South Africa 

1993 - Photography Diploma - Vaal Triangle - South Africa 

1996 - Fine Art Diploma - Technikon Witwatersrand - Johannesburg - South Africa 

1999 - BACCALAUREUS TECHNOLOGIAE - Fine Art - Technikon Witwatersrand - Johannesburg - South Africa 

2004 - Masters Degree (Cum Laude) - University of Johannesburg - South Africa 

The Title of the Master's Thesis was “Hand Papermaking and the use of Invasive Plant Species for Sustainable Cultural Development”. 

 

Awards 

1995 - Fuji Profoto Award - Bronze Medal - South Africa 

2002 - Best Postgraduate Research Award - Technikon Witwatersrand - South Africa 

2012 - SASOL NEW SIGNATURES – RUNNER-UP 2012    

2017 TRANSPARENCY WINNER -      a collaboration between the Swedish Embassy and the University of Johannesburg - South Africa 

2022 Finalist for the Fine Art Textile Award - Festival of Quilts - Harrogate - London - UK 

2022 - QEST Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Award - UK 

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Exhibitions  

2023 - Plant Communitas Linum - R Space Gallery - Lisburn, Northern Ireland 

 

2023 - Plant Communitas - Sydney Nolan Trust - UK 

 

2023 - Reciprocity - Spring Cheltenham - Cheltenham - UK 

 

2022 - Collect Art Fair - Somerset House - London - UK 

 

2022 - Into the Woods - Spring Cheltenham - Cheltenham - UK 

 

2022 - Group Exhibition - Plant Communitas - Museum in the Park - Stroud, UK 

 

2021 - “Cartographies of Becoming” - Sylt - Germany 

 

2021 - Solo Exhibition - “Lament” - Hallidays Mill Gallery - Chalford - UK. 

 

2019 - “Art About Fashion”  - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2019 - "Small Room”  Priest Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2019 - "Collecting Contemporaries” - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2018 - Textile Biennial - Textile Art of Today - Bratislava - Slovakia 

 

2018 - “In Silva” - Kalashnikov Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2018 - “Requiem to a Rain Forest” - Whitman Museum - USA.

 

2017 -  “Transparency" - FADA - University of Johannesburg - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2017 - "Well Worn” - Cavali Gallery - Western Cape - South Africa 

 

2017 - “Myopia" - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2017 - 35 Years - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2017 - Solo Exhibition titled “Substrate" - Art Room - Johannesburg - South Africa  

 

2016 - " Desire” - Curated by Johan Conradie - Pretoria Art Association - Pretoria - South Africa 

 

2016 - Solo Exhibition -  FNB Art Fair - Johannesburg  - South Africa   

 

2016 - Paper Biennial - Rijswijk Museum - Rijswijk - Holland                                                                                                        

2016 - “African Routes” - Lacey Contemporary Gallery - London - UK                           

 

2015 - “Exceptional, Handmade Paper Beyond the Substrate” , Minnesota, USA  

 

2015 - Solo -  “Latent” - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa  

 

2015 - “Blue Konjak” - Poking Province - Philippines.                                                         

2015 - “Young Collectors” - Fried Contemporary Gallery - Pretoria  - South Africa                                    

 

2015 - “Tasseography” - Equus Gallery - Cavali Estate - Western Cape - South Africa

 

2015 - Cape Town Art Fair - Lizamore and Associates - Cape Town - South Africa                                                              

 

2015 - “Suspended Animation” - Art Lovers - Pretoria - South Africa    

 

2014 - Paper Collaborations - Artist Proof Studio - Johannesburg.  

 

2014 - “Equus” - Equus Gallery - Cavali Estate - Western Cape - South Africa 

                            

2014 - Turbine Art Fair - Lizamore and Associates - South Africa.                                                                    

 

2014 - FNB Art Fair, Lizamore and Associates - South Africa.                                                         

 

2014 - “Degree of Separation” ABSA Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa          

 

2014 - “Materiality” -  Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa.  

 

2014 - “Marking the Map” - Lizamore and Associates - Johannesburg - South Africa  

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2013 - Solo - “Killing the Goose” Lizamore and Associates, Johannesburg - South Africa

 

2013 - “New Voices” - Art Space - Rosebank, South Africa.          

 

2012 - “Sasol New Signatures - Pretoria Art Museum - Pretoria - South Africa.    

 

2011 - “Collaborate” - University of Johannesburg - Johannesburg - South Africa.  

 

2009 - “ Sasol New Signatures” - Pretoria Art Museum - Pretoria - South Africa.  

 

2009 - “Wasted 2” - Unity Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa.    

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2009 - “Collaborate” - Unity Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa.

 

2008 - “Wasted 1” Unity Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa.

 

2007 - “The Forgiveness Project – Unity Gallery - Johannesburg - South Africa.

 

2003 - “In Dialogue” travelling show, Belgium and South Africa.

 

2002 - “Transformation” Works in Paper at Art on Paper - Johannesburg - South Africa 

 

2002 - “Broken Borders” - Stellenbosch - South Africa 

 

2001 -  Solo Exhibition, titled “Fotografie” - Antwerp - Belgium  

 

2000 - Solo Exhibition titled “Genetic Underclass” - Turbine Hall - Johannesburg - South Africa  

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