Vivacity - Acrylics on stretched Canvas

Title: Vivacity

Artist: Len van Zyl

Yea r: 2024

Medium: Acrylic and spray paint on stretched canvaS

Materials & Techniques: Multi-layered acrylic paint, stencils on archival canvas; expressive graffiti layering and abstract mark-making.

Location: Now hanging in the Gold Coast, Australia 

In Vivacity, I wanted to capture the raw power of the elephant as a symbol of raw power, resilience and joy. I built it layer by layer, letting graffiti-like colour bursts collide with the animal’s stillness until the surface felt alive with energy. The tension between chaos and precision became the heartbeat of the piece—an explosion of reds, blues, and yellows anchored by form and presence. For me, it’s both a celebration and a defiance: a visual roar that speaks of endurance, creativity, and the will to move beautifully through disorder. Vivacity continues my exploration of layered presence—fusing street immediacy with contemporary expressionism to create something that feels both remembered and in motion.

in fact, Vivacity was the beginning of an exciting year long project. The energy bursting from this painting propelled me into a number of new paintings which has found their home where Vivacity now hangs.