Frances Goodman @ the Goodman
Catch one of our finest young artists Frances Goodman at one of our finest galleries, the Goodman in Rosebank. We have to ask… is she related? Or is that a dumb question? Frances Goodman Wishful Thinking 23rd June to 14th July 2007 Goodman Gallery In her new solo exhibition, titled “Wishful Thinking”, Frances Goodman continues her exploration into character-construction through language and narrative. She examines how people present themselves to the outside world and how words manage to ‘perform’ and expose people’s anxieties and vulnerabilities. How people use words and language can as easily reveal personal fictions and desires, as they can divulge tastes, biases and predilections. The exhibition comprises three new sound installations and two sculptural series. “Young Guns” is a large-scale video/sound installation that accompanies two young bodybuilders on their quest for perfection, success and ideal beauty. As the narrative unfolds, the viewer becomes aware of a blurring of boundaries between scrupulous preparation and raw narcissism. This slip between definition of self and judgment by others raises questions around contemporary versions of ideal beauty and the limits to achieving them. “I know what you’re thinking…” is a sound installation that examines the very act of judging others. From the endless comments and quips on any number of topics, to the anonymous protagonists in the work, all expose society’s dual fascination and revulsion with others. When people are not constrained by expected politeness and sensitivity, we are all, potentially, the subject of someone else’s prejudice. Goodman’s new sculptures are an extension of her interest in language, and focus on how we ‘read’ objects. There is a play between text and texture, surface and content, sincerity and irony. The obsessively worked and highly decorative sequined surfaces declare a gaudy shallowness, which seems at odds with the sincerity of the bodybuilder’s life affirmations. This exhibition will open on Saturday 23rd June from 18:00 – 20:00, and closes on the 14th July...
Represent Recommends: Africa Remix
We couldn’t believe the number of SUV’s lining up in a long wait to enter the grounds of the JAG in Joubert Park yesterday arvie – the number of people streaming into the gallery gave us a glimpse into an ideal world where art is as popular as sport. See our pics here. Have you spotted the numerous street posters featuring a colourful African pirate advertising the Africa Remix art exhibition? The marketing of this wonderful collection of 85 African artists from 25 African countries and the diaspora could not be more thorough – it is a MUST SEE and if you miss it, you miss out. The exhibition has been showcased to the world and now finds itself (appropriately) for the first time ever on African soil – however this is the last chance to catch it. It was quite overwhelming to step into a courtyard seething with people all listening to the speeches at the official opening of Africa Remix and we found ourselves preferring to wander around the enormous gallery poking our noses into all the installations, nooks, crannies and spaces… It is ongoing, unending, mind-blowing, fantastic… eventually, just before we hit sensory overload we decided to stop while we were ahead and come back another time for more. There is no way you can take it all in in one go. So make sure you pencil in a number of visits to the Joburg Art Gallery over the next few months to celebrate the wealth of some of the finest artist’s Africa has to offer – it’s on till September. See our pictures of the traffic, some of the art, the patrons and the speeches by clicking here. Africa Remix – which will be held at the Johannesburg Art Gallery from June 24 to September 30 – features the work of more than 85 artists from 25 countries on the African continent and the Diaspora. This is the first time it has been seen in Africa. Never before in the history of the continent has an exhibition of such magnitude focusing exclusively on Africa been shown to African audiences. Arriving to celebrate this unique occasion is the Cameroon-born, Paris-based curator and critic Simon Njami as well as number of artists including Goddy Leye, Samuel Fosso, Barthélémy Toguo, Bili Bidjocka and Pascale Marthine Tayou, Aimé Ntakiyica, Ingrid Mwangi, Antonio Ole, Benyounès Semtati, Mohamed El Baz, Mounir Fatmi, Dilomprizulike, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Myriam Mihindou, Cheick Diallo, Amal Kenawy, Moataz Nasr, Patrice Felix Tchicaya and Loulou Cherinet. South African artists included in the exhibition are Jane Alexander; Willie Bester; Wim Botha; Andries Botha; Tracey Derrick; Marlene Dumas; David Goldblatt; Jackson Hlungwani; William...
Catch “The Winter Show” at Afronova
We know we’re on an arty tip but we’re loving all the galleries and exhibits about at the moment. We hope our enthusiasm is infectious and that you’re making a plan to catch some art soon! Get on down to Newtown to one of our favourite downtown galleries, Afronova, for their next installation aptly titled “The Winter Show” (from 22 June). Diarise! The Winter Show features a rare selection of works by some of the finest artists from South Africa and the continent. Artists showcased include Chéri Samba, Chicken Man, Esther Mahlangu, Solly Cissé, Durant Sihlalhi and Willem Boshoff to name a few. Exhibition runs until Friday 13 July Gallery Hours Tuesday to Friday : 13 :00 to 19 :00 Saturday 13 :00 to 17 :00 Contacts e: afronova@tiscali.co.za w: http://www.afronova.com/ c: +27 (0) 83 726 59 06 The gallery is just across the Market Theatre entrance Safe parking corner Miriam Makeba and Gwigwi Mrwebi St – Newtown Po box 3205 – Parklands 2121 – Johannesburg – South Africa...
6 Fine Artistes at the Alliance.F this week
We’re always raving about the EXCELLENT cultural projects put on by both the Alliance Francaise and IFAS (French Institute). Rest assured if you need a quality arty or musical experience that you can count on, head on over to a French gig with confidence. BRAVO! There’s a new art exhibition opening at the Alliance from Wed 6 June featuring 6 female artistes – it’s only on till Friday so do your best to get there as soon as you can! For those who of us who like to hang around pouting and eating fromage with French flowing all round, click on the flyer image for more info on opening night. Read about the artists below and for more info and directions visit the Alliance website here . VALERIE SAVARY – Valérie Savary, Portrait de femmeacrylic, 60 x 50 cm Valerie Savary started painting at the age of eight and, for the following 10 years, took drawing lessons which taught her the techniques of mastering subjects such as the ocean, trees and portraiture. She then completed her basic training by drawing nudes for another two years. Acrylics are her preferred medium, which she finds more modern and practical than oils or watercolours. KIRA OWEN – Kira Owen, Ngwene womanacrylic on canvas, 76 x 61 cm Since childhood, Kira Owen has lived in many different countries and has always had a keen interest in art and design, often influenced by her immediate surroundings. She studied decorative painting, specialising in faux finishes and trompe l’oeil, at the Hampstead Decorative Art School in London and undertook a number of commissions for private clients. In the late 90’s she spent four years in New York City working for a graphic design agency where she was exposed to many different creative techniques. AUDE FACQUET – Aude Facquet, Femme Zuluacrylic, 26 x 21 cm Aude Facquet paints primarily with oils, preferably with a palette knife. For the past year, she has been trying to use other mediums such as acrylics, pencil or Indian ink and paint different subjects such as portraits or perspective. She says that, for her, painting is not only a matter of serious study and relaxation but also a way of analysing her own sensibility. CATHERINE BEILLARD-DIJKHOF – Catherine Beillard, Afriqueoil, 40 x 40 cm Catherine was born in 1945 in Gray, France. Her father was a doctor (GP). Her mother, a teacher of classics, was also a painter who exhibited with the Salon des Independants from 1965 to 1969. In 2000, after 34 years as a medical practitioner in different parts of France and overseas, as well as raising four children, she retired from professional life and moved with her...
DURBS: Represent Recommends – Off the Wall2
Durbanites! Anyone into graf, comics, hiphop, art and performance art make sure to get down to Off the Wall 2 opening at the tres trendy artSpace on Monday – it looks brilliant – wish we were there. We’ll try and interview some of the guys for ya, interesting to see blogging and real life merge through sketching! Durbs we expect nothing less than the most progressive of movements from you. When you bringing it to Jozi? Beautiful artwork “Cosmic Love” from Jeff Rankin. DON’T FORGET TO PULL IN FOR OFF THE WALL 2 A visual arts performance exhibition featuring The Sketchbook Project Opening Monday, May 7 at 6:30pm continuing on through Saturday, May 26, 2007 COME AND ENJOY: *exciting new visual art hybrids that combine comix, graph-X, hip hop & blogging.. *a retina-searing onslaught on the neo-bourgeois sensibilities of the postcolonial mainstream… *a melting pot spiced with slam, hip hop and live comix jamming… *paintings & drawings, original comix & prints, artists’ books & micro-zines, original sketchbooks & editioned facsimiles, animated blogs, anti-brand caps & tees, graffiti workshops, comic jams & slam performances. OFF THE WALL 2 features more than 20 artists, both established and up-&-coming, including (at last count): Zapiro, Rico, Themba Siwela, Wesley van Eeden, Jason Bronkhorst, Ewok, Alastair Findlay, Ben Hodson, Tyron Love , N.D.Mazin, Jeff Rankin, Andrew Mogridge, Mogorosi Motshumi, Jeremy Nel, Mike Scott, Wild Beast, Luke Molver, Leonora van Staden, Senyol, Scott Siveright, Ross Turpin, Adelle O’Connell, Thabani Gumede, Andrew Schnetler, Alastair Laird, and Unknown Graf Writers… The show will also include a CHEAP STUFF WALL with works priced to sell at R300 or less. A POP GOES YOUR WALLET CHEAP STUFF AUCTION with a maximum wallet of R300 will also be held on the opening night. SKETCHBOOK VIEWINGS: The artists’ original sketchbooks will be displayed behind glass at the opening event. But for those who wish to browse through these original works of art, the artists will be showing their sketchbooks at the gallery during the day on Monday 7 May, before the exhibition opening. Thereafter, the sketchbooks may be viewed at the gallery on request and under supervision for the duration of the exhibition. RESPONSIBLE GRAFFITI PROJECT: Cape Town street art guru Senyol and Durban graf-X ranter Ewok will be running a “Responsible Grafitti” workshop in the gallery on Sunday, 6 May. The mural art produced on that day will be on exhibition for the duration of the show. THE SKETCHBOOK PROJECT: For a sampling of what’s been going on in the Sketchbook Project, go to http://www.sketchbookproject.blogspot.com/. Most of the work on exhibition will relate back to the sketchbook pages the participating artists have...
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