How many of us can put a face to the viral charcoal sketch of a Porsche 911, or name the artist behind the trio of striking race car sculptures created in collaboration with luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer and showcased at last year’s Australian Grand Prix?

Meet artist Werner Bronkhorst, who made his way to Dubai, offering art lovers a rare opportunity to experience both the artist and his work up close. South African by ethnicity, this Sydney-based creator quickly made a name for himself among the popular modern-day artists. Known for two picturesque art styles, the first one incorporates abstract sculptural backdrops with photo-realistic paintings of miniature people and/or items. The second style, drawing on his love for black and white photos, comprises illustrations of cars created with the use of charcoal, followed by coats of dense text atop. 

Bronkhorst resumed his creative passion in 2022 by sculpting three-dimensional figures after working as a furniture designer. As he began sharing the behind-the-scenes details of his artwork, this raw and unfiltered telling and depiction of the experience received a staggering response from viewers on social media. The first of his videos to turn eyes was of the oceanic background with a figurine of a surfer. He went viral and now has over 1.7 million followers on Instagram. 

Bronkhorst continued crafting exquisite collections after people started noting his creative talent, and the demand accelerated. His collections include “The Strokes,” “White Lines,” and “Wet,” among the well-known. Preceding his debut in Dubai, he has had exhibitions in the USA and Australia. The three-day exhibit, from January 16-18, took place in Concrete, at Al-Serkal Avenue, and showcased the Crack Collection, which was a year in the making. Residents of Dubai had a chance to explore his bold, automotive creations firsthand, and step inside the creative mind behind some of the most talked-about motorsport artworks of recent years.

Inspired by the sand dunes of Dubai, this collection was rooted in blending the local culture with traditional influences to create distinguished pieces that resonated with the audience of the city. By associating this collection with the UAE, he utilized the conventional sources such as camels and embodied the traditional outfits on the miniature people. Every detailing of a piece depicted a unique degree of craftsmanship. 

Niyaf Mohammed, a university student based in Dubai, and an attendee of the Crack exhibition explains how enthralled she was after looking at the pieces in real life. What stood out to her most was how beautifully he captures the tiny figurines in his paintings, and how smoothly the colors blend together on the canvas. 

While the collection has sold out, some prominent ones consisted of a thick textured background of a beach, with miniature figures of people, or other beach essentials featured. Starting at $30,000 (Dh110,184), the artworks went as high as $220,000 (Dh808,106). 

If interested in buying pieces from his collection, the Originals are open for auction, and the bids are picking up steadily, open only until 8:00 PM, on the 28th of January. So don’t miss out, hurry, and place your bid on your favorite pieces. For more information, visit https://wernerbronkhorst.com/pages/crack.

(By Shura Kola)