The new year is here, and ArtThrob continues to deliver fresh reads for your inevitably bloodshot eyes.

News Editor Matthew Blackman has been busy, turning in a slew of items that summarise the major points of the year that was. He looks at the honours garnered by various SA artists, and also considers the conscientious objections by David Goldblatt and Zwelethu Mthethwa to various political issues.

Blackman also reports on the failure of the Deputy President, despite assurances to the contrary, to respond to questions about the process surrounding SA’s participation in the 2011 Venice Biennale.

Artist and freelance contributor to ArtThrob Greg Streak sums up the visual contributions to December 2011’s COP17 conference held in Durban. Streak considers the politics of making work against a backdrop of political insincerity and a window-dressing mindset.

Also, I spoke to Robyn Penn about her recent show 'Pretty World' at David Krut Projects at ArtsOnMain.

In case you missed them in your orgy of festive excess, a reminder about some articles from the end of 2011: ‘Sound affects: what three contemporary artists are listening to’ sees me speaking to James Webb, Sanell Aggenbach and Paul Edmunds about what’s on their playlists at the moment; in ‘Fresh face, fresh perspective’ Sara Hallatt, new Director of Johannesburg’s Bag factory Studios speaks about bringing her event coordinator’s mindset to the visual art industry; and Editions Manager Natasha Norman speaks to artist Chris Swift about his quest to understand white identity.

MICHAEL SMITH

MANAGING EDITOR