Ydi Coetsee Carstens (b. 1990) received her MA in Fine Arts from the University of Stellenbosch in March 2015. “Studying postmodern art was a daunting experience for me since I grew up with parents in ministry, family members in missions, and myself having a heart for social issues, the poor and the marginalised. During my Master’s studies I did an exchange at Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda) which was a real soul-searching experience. Today many of my paintings speak about the segregated communities in my hometown where my father worked as Dutch Reformed pastor to a ‘coloured’ community.” After studying Ydi spent some time at L’Abri, England, and since then has been freelancing and painting. She had her first solo exhibition titled “Bly” or “Stay” in 2018, reflecting on their family leaving the community after 30 years. She has received a number of South African art awards, being a Sasol New Signatures finalist in 2015 and a Top 40 finalist in the Sanlam Portrait Awards in 2017.

“‘Feet on a cement floor’ reflects on a missions trip I did with my church to our neighbouring country, Mozambique, in 2019. During the three-week trip I was keenly aware of my biases against the trip (having studied humanities in a secular environment, and knowing the postmodern critique against missions and the privileged ‘helping’ those in Africa). I felt confused about my role and felt my critical mind-set hampering my ability to be present. At the same time, the close communion with those around me and the time spent away from my phone helped me to connect to the concreteness of things – textures, smells, dust – sensory realities. I left the experience humbled, aware of how multidimensional a trip like this can be. I made this painting to grapple with the conflicting voices about missions, privilege, faith and aid in Africa.”