The Bag Factory and APS to launch a catalogue of 20 prints from fine artists
TWENTY FINE YEARSThe Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts and Culture is supporting a joint project between Gauteng’s two leading visual arts nonprofit organizations, namely The Bag Factory Artists’ Studios and The Artist Proof Studio. The Bag Factory offers artists the opportunity to pioneer unmapped territories and test their limits in the spirit of exchange and global connectedness by focusing on a programme that stands for inclusion and diversity. Artist Proof Studio (APS) is an art education centre that specialises in quality printmaking through a variety of diverse partnerships. By providing state of the art equipment and materials they facilitate print collaborations between trained print technicians and professional artists. ‘Twenty’ is the number that rings loudly throughout this project. Both the Bag Factory and APS are celebrating their 20th anniversary of operation this year. To mark this they are producing a catalogue of 20 prints by a selection from the numerous fine artists who have been involved with their projects over the period. Twenty artists have agreed to participate in this project by creating a print each for the portfolio. Artists such as David Koloane, Patrick Mautloa, Colbert Mashile, Helen Sebidi, Richard Penn, Velile Soha, Senzo Shabangu, Senzeni Maraselle, Dumisani Mabaso , Charles Nkosi, Vincent Baloyi, Gorodn Gabashane, Kim Berman, Jacob Molefe, Pontso Sikhosana, Philemon Hlungwane, Motsamai Thabane, Lehlogonolo Mashaba, Nelson Makamo and Paul Molete will be featured in the portfolio. The Bag Factory and Artist Proof Studio will be presenting the results of this project at the Art Fair in September this year where orders for the portfolios will be taken. Bag Factory Artists’ Studios Facebook Fanpage 10 Mahlatini Street, Fordsburg, Johannesburg,...
MOMO Gallery: Gary Stephens BRAID opens Thursday
Gary Stephens BRAID, opens Thursday 2nd June 2011, 6.00 pm at Gallery MOMO, 52 7th Avenue, Parktown North Johannesburg. Gallery Momo on Facebook Gallery Momo...
Group Exhibition at the Momo Gallery
Don’t miss this exceptional Group Exhibition at the wonderful Momo Gallery running till the year runs out! 08.11.2010 – 31.12.2010 Theresa-Anne Mackintosh, Rodney Place, Lyndi Sales, Mary Sibande, Ransome Stanley (UK) Momo Gallery 52 7th Avenue Parktown North Johannesburg Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm Sat:...
5 mins with Balkanology – 12th June, 44 Stanley- Milpark
Up your crazy factor – dance to a brass band and fling your hard-earned cash at a miniature mongolian double humped camel at Balkanoloy next weekend the 12th of June at 44 Stanley. Tempting? Just do it. What is Balkanology all about? We asked Ma’or, one of the organisers to break it down: Balkanology has been running for four years. The events have grown from 600 people in the first to 2500 people in the seventh. To date there have been seven parties in CT and two in JHB. In short, Balkanology is a massive themed party. We choose our venues very carefully and put emphasis on decor and music. Music is mostly Balkan remixed. So traditional music that has a driving bass and full of electronic and modern touches making it more palatable to the western ear. Through the decor we try and create a gypsy village gone carnival, so, hay bales, wagon wheels, live stock (for real goats, chicken, sheep…) carnival lighting, food stalls etc. We also incorporate many actors. Often the punters don’t know that they are actors simply because most of the guests come in costume as well. The actors however carry a story with them. For example, the one party was Balkanology The Great Balkan wedding where two fictitious characters Milovan & Biljana got married. The flyer to the party looked like an invite to a wedding. the whole marketing campaign was based on a real wedding, interviews on the radio claimed that it was real etc. On the night a real wedding took place with actors. A Russian orthodox style ceremony down to the T. After that we had ‘War & Peace’ with similar art instillations and actors being widows, soldiers, suicide bombers etc. Then came ‘The Gypsy Wake’ where the guests were welcomed at the entrance by the grieving family. Crying on your shoulder or simply shaking your hand thanking you for coming. Sad music played while the open coffin was on display. At around 22:30 the father of the deceased gave a speech on what a special person Milovan was and how he would have loved us all to party for him and then the party kicks off. Then there was ‘The Resurrection’ then ‘Metamorphosis’ etc. What nations make up the Balkans and what do they offer the world? The nations that make up the Balkans are: * Albania * Bosnia and Herzegovina * Bulgaria * Croatia * Greece * Kosovo (partially recognized) * Macedonia * Montenegro * Serbia Other countries sometimes included are: * Moldova * Romania * Slovenia * Turkey They offer amazing music and a true glimpse into...
Unlikely Johannesburg – Part One
The other day I got a call from New York – a friend’s Uncle on his way to the World Cup in South Africa called me to get some advice. His faraway voice calmly explained that bien sûr, he was excited to be visiting South Africa, but after reading a couple of recent scathing media reports citing violence, violence, violence, he was beginning to question the wisdom of choosing to stay in Johannesburg for their entire visit. Ironically enough, I was on a train out of Brussels and nowhere near the city of my birth, I have been away from Jozi for over two years now, so despite my heart & head being firmly rooted there, I couldn’t say I’m a local right now. This recent absence, coupled with the fact that talking rather loudly on a cellphone in downtime traintime in this part of the world incites targeted headrest incineration, meant that I had to think fast. And so, I took the path of least resistance, I told him to relax and enjoy himself, that yes, Johannesburg had a dangerous side, but that everything was going to be just fine. The police are on diet and the security companies on high alert, I told him, big brother is awake; ‘people are living there and life goes on’ I drawled- conscience of my slow accent I fell on old ways of explaining things away. Let me explain, when I read the email preceding the call and saw that he and his family were staying in Johannesburg only, for nearly two weeks i.e. for their entire visit…I felt a thrilled kind of fluttering in my chest. At last, I thought, our soulful neglected city, most often treated as a trampoline for tourists to bounce off to some other fabulous beached or bushed corner of our country, was being taken seriously as a tourism destination. By a New Yorker nogal! Let’s face it, when have I, or you for that matter, ever met tourists who have come to South Africa with only one destination on their list: the scary city of Johannesburg? I could feel the swelling pride in my voice as I described to him the place he was lucky to be visiting and the place that I can never quite shake off, that always pulls me back no matter how much of my oyster I believe the world to be. I was flattered, appeased and willing to please. And so, I started to tell him the inside story that any (and only) good Johannesburg-loving citizen can and probably will tell you. We’ll all agree Johannesburg is a bit of...
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