Decades in the making, his love for painting has culminated in this extensive collection, and like his voice, the style is immediately and uniquely Arno Carstens.

Titled Arno Plus, the complete works will be shown to the public for the first time ever in a solo exhibition at the Lovell Gallery in Woodstock. Carstens paints in oils on canvas with themes drawn from his emotions and subconscious. The work is bold and expressive, sometimes playful sometimes sinister, with a hint of the surreal.

Arno Plus refers to unexpected combinations. This is not just an art exhibition, it is an art event: an "art plus music, Arno plus friends and Arno plus audience" experience. On canvas, besides a collection of solo works, Arno has collaborated with local artists Beezy Bailey, Jack Mantis, Barend de Wet and Marinda Swartz; works which will all be on show.

In addition, each week, Carstens will perform a collaborative, eclectic and unique unplugged live show at the gallery in a series labelled ‘The Blind Tiger Sessions’, which will feature him performing alongside Jon Savage and part of the Nomadic Orchestra and over the seven weeks will feature special guests including Mr. Cat and The Jackal, The Jack Mantis Band, The Plastics, Shadowclub, Mike Rutherford, Zolani Mahola, Valiant Swart, The Tornadoes and Taxi Violence on the upstairs floor of the Lovell Gallery.

In addition, NATIVE, South Africa's largest digital agency, has developed a ground-breaking interactive installation which will feature as part of the event.

The “speakeasy”, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, came into prominence in the USA during the Prohibition. The operator of a speakeasy would charge customers to see an attraction (such as an animal) and then serve an alcoholic beverage. The Blind Tiger Sessions are a play on this concept: a place where collectors and appreciators of art and music can experience art, artists, music and musicians, all under one roof.

Carstens has been collaborating musically and artistically for quite some time. Besides his work with Beezy Bailey (the pair began painting together in 2007), he has collaborated with Arno Keiser on the Bhelltower project in 2007, with Mike Rutherford in 2011 on the Mike and The Mechanics album The Road and this year with Israeli psychedelic trance artist, DJ Skazi, on the track, 'Heathen', which will be released internationally in February (South African release date: 27 February).

Carstens began working on an idea for this exhibition in 2010, a two-year journey that saw him return to his first love: fine art. He was drawing and painting before he was singing, and as a child dreamed that he would one day embark on a career as an artist. To that end he studied graphic art, but with the formation and success of the Springbok Nude Girls and then, his solo career, his focus shifted to music.

"I was only aware of him as a great musician, so I was really surprised when I first saw Arno's paintings," says gallery owner Tamzin Lovell Miller. “I had not expected the quality of work I found at his studio, perhaps because he'd been so humble about them when we had first met. I encourage everyone to come and see his visual artworks in the flesh."

The Arno Plus exhibition will run at the Lovell Gallery, 139 Albert Road Woodstock, Cape Town from 1 March to 13 April.

Arno Plus will include the 'Blind Tiger Sessions' that will run upstairs at the Lovell Gallery.

2 March – Mr. Cat and The Jackal
9 March – The Jack Mantis Band and The Plastics
16 March – Shadowclub and Mike Rutherford
20 March – Zolani Mahola and Valiant Swart
30 March – The Tornadoes
5 April – Taxi Violence

Entry into the lower level of the gallery is free, every day during gallery hours (Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturday, 10:00 to 14:00) and during special extended hours on Friday evenings until 20:30.

Tickets for the unplugged 'Blind Tiger Sessions' on the upper level of the gallery are R150 each, seating is very limited, and booking through the gallery on 021 820 5505 or [email protected] is strongly advised to avoid disappointment.