/ PAST Exhibitions

Main gallery

Kobus Rossouw
Hyperbolic Discount (plus or minus 2)

7 September 2018 to 26 September 2018

Hyperbolic discounting is a cognitive bias, an ingrained mental chaos that defies logic and common sense.  It happens when people would rather receive R5 right now than R10 in a month’s time.  Given two similar rewards, people show a preference for one that arrives sooner rather than later.  We are said to discount the value of the later reward by a factor that increases with the length of the delay.  The true objective of the brain is to maximize the rate of reward - it has a built-in mechanism that produces a greater desire for immediate satisfaction.  It is often argued that the number of objects an average human can hold in working memory is 7 plus/or minus 2, or the 'magical number' plus/or minus 2, which may be the difference between experts and novices depending on the chunking of information.
This exhibition of Kobus Rossouw - which consists of toner-powder paintings, woodcuts, etchings and screen prints -  comments on a person’s irrational desire for an immediate reward rather than a higher value, delayed reward and how that is influenced by short term memory.  It also comments on superstitious pigeons and the 'reconditioning' of a superstitious response after extinction; in other words human nature.
The artist has an unorthodox approach to painting and printmaking. The subject matter in his work is mostly superficial, but sometimes explores relationships and how we confront our identity.  A recurring theme is how we burden ourselves by constantly striving for self improvement, rather than just 'being'.
The artist says:  “My work is what it is: marks on canvas and board.  No efforts are made to engineer meaning and influence interpretation. It is, however, capable of adding value to dialogue".
Die gewig van wraak
Ek is hier om piesangs te eet .....
‘n Kwitansie vir alle kwaad
I hope you are also searching for me
Bekende paaie na geskonde bestemmings
12 Drops
Dra my in 'n laken, tot by my koets
Calling all pockets met 'n checkers vol disprins
My kop is in 'n hok
Hyperbolic discount and a superstitious pigeon
A fundamental attribution error
Pacebo Buttons
Everybody gets a trophy
Plus or minus two
Magical thinking
A bunch
Back to past exhibitions