Artwork

Where does the past end and the future begin? Hairy Times captures the rhythm of Wind’s life, weaving together overlaid videos that preserve fleeting moments—snippets of memory suspended in time. These fragments come together to form a continuous sequence, a narrative of lived experience.

Wind is fascinated by the interplay of emerging technologies and traditional techniques as a lens to understand the present. 'Hairy Times’ delves into the delicate boundary between technology and nature, emphasising the importance of reconnecting with the natural world while navigating rapid technological evolution.

The title, ‘Hairy Times’, carries a dual meaning: it alludes to hair as a metaphorical measure of time’s passage and serves as a playful nod to the profound transformations we’re undergoing in the face of technological progress.

Consisting of five glass sheets, 'Dense Movement’ explores themes of the human condition. Life sometimes gives us darkness. It can be dense and hard, but it is ever flowing and in constant motion. The wave shape depicts this motion while also standing as a metaphor for the ever-changing nature of life. The work opens up new perspectives and challenges us to develop our understanding of time and our day to day existence. As the glass moves so does the reflections reminding us nothing is linear and life is in constant motion. 

This artwork explores the interplay of fused materials and metallic elements, where photography meets texture on a printed canvas. The reflective surface captures fractured realities, while gilded accents trace abstract forms -echoes of memory and emotion. Each embedded shape suggests a promise, both elusive and eternal, suspended in the tension between distortion and clarity.

The 7-meter-long wall installation made of 160 dowsing rods arranged in a long optical waveform is connected to themes of natural movement and organic form. The use of dowsing rods, typically used for finding underground water sources, can be seen as a metaphor for tapping into the hidden energies and movements that exist in the natural world. ‘Wave Form’ hints to the idea of desiring something that is hidden or difficult to find, like water or minerals. 

The installation invites the viewer to consider the ways in which we can tune into and connect with the natural world, something that is particularly important in an age where we are increasingly disconnected from nature. By bringing together art and the natural world, the installation encourages us to contemplate our relationship with the environment and to consider how we might become more attuned to its rhythms and movements.

The divining rod is said to be almost 15,000 years old. Archaeologists assume that the oldest ore mines in South Africa were discovered about 15,000 years ago with the help of the divining rod. The use of ancient tools such as the divining rod can also be seen as a way of harkening back to the past, reminding us of how humanity has connected with and depended on nature in the past. Overall, Cate Wind's installation contributes to the exhibition's larger message of exploring and celebrating the idea of natural movement and energy.

Wind’s Tracing series originates from her first solo exhibition in New York, Traces of the Invisible (2022). By tracing uneven urban surfaces -walls, sidewalks, architectural details- Wind uncovers latent energy narratives embedded in the cityscape. Her work proposes a vision of urban life that retains its humanity and connection to the earth. In a fast-moving society, she reminds us of the power in pausing to reconnect with the energy that surrounds us.

This body of work captures the physical energy and residual traces of human interaction with the built environment. Wind is drawn to the counter-pressure of these surfaces. Through tactile exploration, she forms a sensory connection to place, feeling each point of resistance as she works. The resulting frottages reflect the human condition: a dynamic interplay of force and fragility, presence and absence.

In Finding Flow, two opposing materials -metal and glass- are brought into a state of suspended tension. Hand-shaped glass forms meet the industrial rigidity of metal, creating a dialogue between fragility and strength, control and surrender.

Through this interplay, the work explores the thresholds of material behavior and emotional resonance. The suspended composition challenges traditional expectations, inviting viewers to consider how balance emerges not from stillness, but from the continuous negotiation of forces.

Rooted in Wind’s ongoing inquiry into material transformation, Finding Flow reflects on the rhythms of life, the subtle push and pull, the vulnerability within resilience, and the pursuit of balance.

Tracing was made in New York over 2022, by mapping uneven surfaces such as walls and sidewalks, Wind casts light upon energy narratives buried deep within the city's fabric. Through tracing, Wind unearths the rhythms of modern life, demonstrating through gestural mark making how a cityscape can retain its connection to earth. Environments contain energy, our fast-moving society has made us unlearn the art of pausing for a second to connect to it

Believing that art can unlock a healing energy, Wind wants to facilitate an understanding of the energy that surrounds us in life and how we can better connect to it. Even in hostile city environments there are traces of nature. You are invited to take part in a collective pause, an embrace of reconnection. 

This body of work created in New York early 2022 began by tracing walls, sidewalks and pavements -the overlooked textures of the city. What gets picked up through the hand are not just impressions, but energy, residue, memory, quiet histories. Map  holds some of that energy.  These movements are not random. They’re responses to the city’s pulse—buried but still beating.

Lucky Packets is a series that explores the notions of surprise and chance. Through playful experimentation and the combination of contrasting materials and media, Wind follows her intuition to create layered, dynamic works. The results are rich in color, texture, shape, and depth, a recurring theme throughout Wind’s practice.

The title Lucky Packets also nods to Wind’s childhood in South Africa, where she treasured the sweet packets filled with surprise elements and games. These random assortments offered endless delight and imagination. This series channels that same spirit of curiosity and wonder, igniting a sense of childlike joy and spontaneity in Wind. In turn, the works aim to awaken the inner child within the viewer, inviting playful engagement and discovery.

The paintings in this collection are characterized by their varying degrees of transparency, layering, and contrasting textures. Cate applies various tools to the surface, scratching away the top layers to reveal underlying colors and textures. Cate attempts to communicate an inner message through a vibration that is brought to the surface of the canvas. Elements of the painting seem to dissolve into each other, while the texture stands out with a thick and pasty texture. 

This technique creates a sense of depth and movement that draws the viewer in and invites them to explore the piece from multiple angles. Depending on the viewing angle and the interplay of light and shadow, the scratched surface reveals different aspects of the painting, almost like a metamorphosis of feelings, situations or thoughts. The scratches evoke a sense of vulnerability and introspection, inviting the viewer to delve deeper into the work and to question their own perceptions.

This work emerged from a moment of personal and collective change. Wind wanted to let the surface speak -to reveal the raw, uncertain states we often conceal. The artwork holds tension, things are boiling in the background of life. Quietly, constantly, until they break through. The title references a classic saying, simple but true: It gets worse before it gets better. This piece lives in that space, inside the storm, but on the edge of something even better.

This piece is a reminder to clear not only the mind, but also the emotional space we inhabit. It emphasizes the connection between mind and body, encouraging a deeper awareness. In moments of uncertainty, difficulty, or decision, the work suggests that intuition holds a truth that the rational mind cannot always reach. When life gives you lemons, it urges: trust your intuition. It already knows the way forward.

This work explores the push and pull of life through material and media. Ideas of energy are explored as certain metals that have weight to them seem to be suspended effortlessly in space. The work is also an experiment to the life span and development of a piece of artwork. How it lives as a piece of art outside of the viewing setting. Through the nature of the material the work overtime changes as the metal sags and moves. Having to be adjusted, or moved into a different space it needs connection and adjustments, creating a personal connection between artwork and viewer/consumer. 

"Out of the box" is a phrase we use to signal innovation, disruption, freedom. But what if the box itself was beautiful? A pink box, delicate yet bold. A purple box, cracked open into shimmering shards. This work invites us to imagine not just breaking free, but creating entirely new forms, beyond rules, beyond limitations. What if it wasn’t just different, but better? What if there's something even better waiting once we let go of the idea of the box entirely? This piece is both an invitation and a suggestion: to move past the expected, not toward chaos, but toward happiness, curiosity, and transformation.