Wim Botha solo gallery exhibition
What more can we do BUT nag you to support local (young) artists? Besides give you everything you need get there? Just stop saying ‘one day’ and GO GO GO – you’ve got until the 13th December to catch Wim Botha’s first solo Gallery exhibition in Johannesburg…. for this debut, Wim Botha will present a new sculptural installation, large and small individual drawings and recent large-scale prints. The works are primarily concerned with the passage of time from a relativistic perspective. It makes reference to both inverted and non-chronological time and the resultant relativity of a personal point of view…The installation makes use of visual elements that have their origin in the languages of art history and historical visual culture and are presented in a semi-structured constellation that seems to suggest a non-linear timeline. Using as original source motif the standard illustrated depiction of time as a sequence of events consecutively arranged in a linear model, the work adapts and perverts this format in three-dimensional space – turning back on itself, this sequence with its various elements suggests a type of system, a volatile organism with high entropic possibility. The main structure of this constellation is formed by hexagonal mirror-sided vitrines, that, as a variation of the typical display cabinet, seems to be turned inside out, putting the surrounding elements as well as its larger surroundings on display. In the two-dimensional works, skeletal studies of human and animal figures in animated poses subjects the assumed finality of death as end of time to a longer time-frame. However, in ignorance of possible spiritual dimensions, these works remain in the material realm, hinting at another form of continuity. Brodie/Stevenson is located on the ground floor, 373 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall, Johannesburg. Hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10.30am to 5.30pm, and Saturday from 9.30am to 3pm. Email info@brodiestevenson.com. Telephone +27 (0)11 326 0034. Fax +27 (0)11 326 0041. Image: Gyps africanus, 2008, Pencil on paper, 40 x 50...
Connor Cullinan at Obert Contemporary
We do our best to post cultural, entertainment and artistic events that bring vibrancy and value to your free time. Quality. So believe us when we say, lovers of art, get to the Obert Contemporary in the next two weeks for…..: connor cullinan: carne vale. 14-30 august 2008. obert contemporary is pleased to present ‘carne vale’ by connor cullinan from 14-30 august 2008. michael smith, the managing editor of artthrob, has written the following review of cullinan’s latest exhibition: ‘making a painting is usually less like building up a whole from a series of base units as much as it is about throwing everything you know and everything you’ve seen at a surface: layering, praying, falling apart and then layering some more. connor cullinan’s works quietly challenge this impulse. their evolution seems almost sculptural, in that the final image is achieved exactly through a process of unit-based construction, with lines, diamond shapes, rectangles and elements of pattern. the systematic process the works require for their production engenders a contemplative reading of their aesthetics and ideas. they ask the viewer for time and consideration rather than a gut response. in fact, the trope of ‘system’ underscores all of cullinan’s images: their grids, matrices and repetitions reverberate with a sense of some sort of metaphysical pattern or design. yet frequently the images rendered within these systems pull against them, and in a cautionary tone seem to speculate about how far from this order humanity has strayed. cullinan frequently works from media images, newspaper and magazine pictures. these operate as starting points for his exploration of ideas that fit into his conceptual framework. this is true of all ten of the paintings in the show ‘Carne Vale’. the show’s content addresses this notion of ‘carne vale’, an italian phrase for ‘farewell to flesh’. in contemporary english the phrase has morphed into ‘carnival’, but cullinan’s works refer to its designation as a pre-lenten festival during which indulgence is tolerated in preparation for lent’s asceticism. he works with the idea that the current social climate of excess and self-indulgence is a signal of future limitations on these things, as if humanity is playing out an ancient cycle of feast and famine on a grand scale. his formal approach thus seems entirely appropriate for this conceptual terrain, eschewing as it does painterly excess and surplus gestures. possession is a case in point: the picture of a man with arms raised, crying out, is composed of a series of jagged striations which recall a disturbed bridget riley canvas. yet even in this, the show’s most immediately emotive image, violence is muted by methodical construction. in ‘host’,...
…of bugchasers and watussi faghags
mhhh, this looks deep, disturbing and definitely for those seeking out alternative mind-expanding art exhibitions… which is what art is supposed to do, move you and make you think! Go on, go and explore the many layers and narratives ingrained in Athi-Patra Ruga’s body of new work at ArtExtra. And by the way, if you’ve been wondering what the hell the word DYSTOPIA means, think the opposite of Utopia, as explained by Dictionary.com: an (imagined) society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding. …of bugchasers and watussi faghags A solo exhibition by Athi-Patra Ruga 20 August – 20 September 2008 373 jan smuts avenue craighall johannesburg gallery hours: tuesday to friday 1030 – 1730 saturday 930 – 1500 t011.326.0034 f011.326.0041 info@artextra.co.za Please join us for the opening on Wednesday 20 August 2008 at 6pm …of bugchasers and watussi faghags is the first solo exhibition of Athi-Patra Ruga’s to be held in Johannesburg. The exhibition revolves around the principal character of the “bugchaser”, Beiruth, and his ‘tales of counter-penetration’, realized through craft-mediations and performances undertaken in various urban centers around South Africa and abroad. “This body of work is an interrogation of my interest in the history of image-making, and of displacement – both of people and images. The title of the show is double-edged: it refers to the sexual practice of ‘bug-chasing’ [the act of contracting the H.I. virus intentionally] – with it’s seemingly altruistic motivation; while also referring to the history of the ‘Watussi’, a colonial mis-pronouncement of the Tutsi people of the Burundi-Ruanda nation. The Watussi myth is further explored in the Pixilated Arcadia series of tapestries, referencing paintings done by Irma Stern during her 1943 and 1946 expeditions to central Africa depicting the “Watussi”. Stern’s works are re-narrated through irreverent subversion, with the aim of focusing attention on the implicit ethnographic and propagandistic undertones of the work. The “Watussi women” meditations find their retort in the … watussi moneyshot [2008] tapestry – a parody on the historical and the contemporary hoochie-mamma… Beiruth’s name is derived from a pun around the middle-eastern city of Beirut – a play on the theme of Orientalism; but more importantly he is the illusive figure that qualifies the autonomous body against that of the sovereign state. In my new video: …after he left [2008] , Beiruth is documented undertaking various journeys: catching a taxi to the Cape Town township of Atlantis, a place that is a far cry from its legendary namesake; Beiruth seeking a sensual ideal in the form of the increasingly-popular evangelical churches. The video is accompanied by a series of performative stills … the naivety...
Creatives take note: Behance Network
Behance is a superb new beta platform/community for showcasing your work as a creative designer, photographer etc online, but even better, it’s a place for you to soak up your peers talent around the world, get inspired by outstanding creativity and observe the global trends in design and visual art in real time. Behance Network calls itself a place for “creative portfolios, projects and collaborations” to be displayed stylishly and in a user-centric way, artists, get your work on there! They put it best: Showcase Your Work Build a dynamic, multimedia portfolio of your latest projects, open to all or shared selectively. Gain Exposure Many thousands of visitors come to Behance every day to view your work. In addition, projects are streamed through other sites across the web. Discover Job Opportunities Behance’s JobList features great work opportunities. Creative industry leaders use the Network to find, track and hire top talent. Connect and Collaborate Form groups (“circles”) gathered around interests, share content, get feedback. Share tips and access resources Behance’s Tip Exchange provides insights for creative professionals, and throughout Behance one can access knowledge, services and products for the creative...
Afronova Winter Show
It’s started already and lasts until September, make sure to take a drive downtown to Newtown and pop into Afronova gallery, opposite the Market Theatre. The Winter Show features a rare selection of works by some of the finest artists from South Africa and the continent like Dominique Zinkpe (Benin), Samson Mnisi (South Africa), Mouna Karray (Tunisia) and Mohamadou Ndoye Douts (Senegal). A unique selection of dozens of books and catalogues on African contemporary art is available. Exhibition runs until Saturday 6...
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