The 10th Dak’Art Biennale takes place this month, opening on 11 May, with work by numerous South African artists featuring in various exhibitions.

Work by Bridget Baker, Paul Emmanuel, Gabrielle Goliath, Mohau Modisakeng and Lerato Shadi appears amongst the wealth of young African talent represented at this event, the only one of its kind on African soil. Peter Clarke and Berni Searle also appear under the rubric of Guest Artists, along with work by the late Cameroonian artist and activist Goddy Leye. Furthermore, Iziko SANG Senior Curator Riason Naidoo is co-curator of the Dakar Biennale 2012, along with Christine Eyene and Nadira Laggoune.

Amongst the exciting works on show by South Africans are Modisakeng’s Okapi, an oversized replica of the pocket knife equally popular amongst hunters and gangsters in SA; Shadi’s Thlogo, a performance in which the artist stitches herself into a crocheted sheath, only to emerge a while later; and Baker’s Stieglitz House, a multi-media installation in which the artist explores architecture and history.

On ArtThrob, read News Editor and general man-about-town M Blackman’s review of recent shows by Lisa Brice, Georgina Gratrix and Carla Busuttil.  Related is my review of Carla Busuttil’s recent exhibition ‘Exit Mode’ at the Goodman Gallery Johannesburg. Also, new contributor Athi Mongezeleli Joja reviews ‘In Living Colour’, a two-person exhibition of paintings by Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi and Lonwabo Kilani shown recently at the Barnard Gallery in Cape Town.

Cape Editor Clare Butcher reviews the multi-venue event/project ‘Very Real Time 3’ curated by Gregg Smith, and also Chad Rossouw’s ‘A History of Failure’ at Brundyn + Gonsalves. Assistant Professor from the University of North Carolina Elizabeth Perrill reviews the long-term exhibition of ceramics titled ‘Fired’ at the Iziko Good Hope Gallery.

Up now is my ArtBio on SA star Candice Breitz, whose 'Extra!' recently relocated to the Iziko SANG in Cape Town after its opening run at the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg.

MICHAEL SMITH

MANAGING EDITOR