Lize Beekman’s art comes full circle

 

Lize Beekman is acknowledged as one of South Africa’s leading singer-songwriters.  Her Afrikaans songs have endeared her to audiences, and over the years these songs have become known and loved.  Beekman’s gentle yet powerful performances carry the hallmarks of integrity and quality.

 

Her creativity is, however, not limited to music only: visual art lovers now have the opportunity to experience and enjoy this exceptional talent on canvas and paper also.

 

Beekman’s visual art includes a gripping collection of mandalas. She re-invents and re-interprets this centuries-old art form in a fresh and unique way, inventing circles and whorls in order to represent a very personal journey.  Originally a Sanskrit word, “mandala” simply means “circle”, but in a larger context it symbolises the unity of Creation.  Indeed, here the mandalas not only become a cosmic representation of healing, but also refer to the complexity of life and death.

She explains…

“Music and lyrics have always been channels for me to express my emotions. However, in an extremely traumatic and hurtful time in my life I simply could not express my grief through words.  I had no knowledge of mandalas – they presented themselves to me unannounced.  I did not search for them; they were simply there.  I often draw for hours and days on end and sometimes lose track of time; for me the mandalas have become the letters, conversations, and the prayers of my heart and thoughts.  The creative process brings me immense peace and healing – it means a lot to me.”

Where Lize Beekman at first engaged the imagination with her music and lyrics, art lovers now have the opportunity to enjoy both her musical talent and her ability to create extraordinary art.

It is the artist’s unique interpretation of this age-old art form (Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century nun, created mandalas as an expression of her faith) that makes her work unique.  The colour palette is often unexpected, and the detailed filigree of the mandalas reminds one of the finest lacework.  In the process of creation, her works become an exquisite journey of healing and peace.

ABOUT LIZE’S MUSIC

BIO SUMMARY

She is acknowledged as one of South Africa’s leading singer-songwriters.  She is well known for her Afrikaans songs and performances that have captured her audiences over the more than 17 years she’s been in the music industry. Some of her songs are well known and loved by her fans.

Her contribution to the music industry in South Africa derives from…

 

  • more than 60 songs from her pen.. of which most are included in her 7 albums.
  • Television theme songs like ‘Soutmanslied’ and the well known TV show ‘Pasella’
  • Movie ‘Die Laaste Tango’ (Deon Meyer) theme song ‘Kom ons dans’
  • Writing songs for many well known South African artist like Laurika Rauch, Theuns Jordaan, Amanda Strydom, Coenie de Villiers, Elzabé Zietsman…

 

Her music have been heard in Afrikaans, English, Xhosa and French and took her to perform in South Africa, Netherlands, Australia, Germany and London.

What other say about her music…

 

Amanda Strydom – KKNK nuus

“Ek en Lize ken mekaar al sedert 1995. Sy het vyf liedjies van my album, Vrou by die Spieël, saam met my gekomponeer, insluitend die bekende titelsnit. Sy was musikale regisseur van my Hennie Aucamp-kabaret, ‘n Vuur gevang in glas, en ook die produsent van die gelyknamige album waarvoor ons ‘n Sama-nominasie ontvang het vir beste klankbaan in ‘n musiekblyspel.

…Ek bewonder haar groei – as mens en kunstenaar. “

Diane de Beer – PRETORIA NEWS
“Beekman is a great find, especially as an artist who doesn’t slot into a specific style.” “This is a performer who knows how to work with simplicity, creating her own atmosphere.”

Peter Feldman – THE STAR TONIGHT
“A talented young South African with a commanding vocal style who writes all her own material.”

Martjie Roos – BEELD
“Beekman is ‘n vars talent waarvan elkeen wat mooi musiek en lirieke kan waardeer, moet kennis neem.”

Ilse Assmann – DE KAT
“volgens alle aanduidings is Lize Beekman ‘n talent om dopgehou te word.”

TEMPO
“Lize is een van daardie jong kunstenaars in wie hope talent opgesluit lê en wat, met die rypheid wat die jare sal meebring, nog tot een van die grotes van die plaaslike musiekbedryf kan groei. Dit is haar talent as liriekskrywer wat deurgans beïndruk.”

Mariana Malan – DIE BURGER
“Lize het verrassings om te ontdek!”