Archetypal Ancestor

Bruce Arnott
Archetypal Ancestor 1977, bronze,




Editorial

The first month of 2012 has seen its fair share of controversy in the art world. ArtThrob recently reported on the dire situation at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, in which the Contemporary and Eastern collections' storerooms are being threatened by an overflow of water and sewerage from the gallery's poorly-maintained waste water system.

Since our article, and the Mail & Guardian's report on the same situation that appeared on Friday 27 January 2012, we have learned that the staff members of the JAG have been instructed not to speak to the media on this matter.

What is puzzling is that neither the City Manager's office, nor the office of Arts, Culture and Heritage: Community Development seems at pains to release an official statement on a situation which is surely of interest to Gauteng tax payers, of whom many are art lovers.

Keep an eye on ArtThrob for further developments and reports on the JAG.

In other NEWS, Matthew Blackman reports on the blow delivered to VANSA Western Cape by the DA local government in that region. The Western Cape branch of the VANSA network announced recently that key funding from DEDAT would not be renewed in 2012 and, as a result, the branch is being forced to restructure and cut jobs.

In REVIEWS, I look at William Kentridge's recent Goodman Gallery show 'Other Faces'. In the Cape, Sean O'Toole reviews the two-part survey show at the AVA, 'Unnatural History' and 'Natural Selection'.

Also, we publish our much-anticipated Best Of 2011 feature, in which our various editors get to mouth off on last year's highs and lows. Expect sarcasm, righteous anger and shameless subjectivity.

The new year brings with it changes, and as such we bid a fond farewell to two staff members. Chantal Louw, our behind-the-scenes administrative person, is moving on. We wish her well, and assure her that she will be missed.

Also, we say goodbye to our Cape Editor, the incomparable Sean O'Toole, who is hunkering down in 2012 to concentrate on his studies. Sean is well known and respected in the SA art community, and his writing has been a vital source of critical edge for us.

At this time we also welcome Clare Butcher, curator, writer and previous freelance contributor to ArtThrob. Clare takes on the Cape Editorship, and we are happy to have her skills added to ours!

MICHAEL SMITH

MANAGING EDITOR


Steglitz House (film still)

Bridget Baker
Steglitz House (film still) 2009-2010, Black and white film; DVD, audio, 9 minutes
Image courtesy of the artist

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Beer, Braaivleis, Battle, The Battle of Cape Agulhas, 1792

Frohawk Two Feathers
Beer, Braaivleis, Battle, The Battle of Cape Agulhas, 1792 2011, Acrylic, ink and tea on paper, 112 x 164cm

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Calling

Stuart Bird
Calling 2011, Video Still,

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Land of Black Gold II (detail)

Siemon Allen
Land of Black Gold II (detail) 2004, Paper and correction fluid mounted on foamcore, 248.9 x 510.5 x 1 cm
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Courtesy of Guggenheim Museum and Goodman Gallery, South Africa; Photo by Siemon Allen

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Pieter and Maryna Vermeulen with Timana Phosiwa

Pieter Hugo
Pieter and Maryna Vermeulen with Timana Phosiwa 2006, C-Print, 121.5 x 102.5cm
Image courtesy Stevenson
As seen on Figures & Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography

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Jenny and Johnny... the Hipstamatic was in effect


Jenny and Johnny... the Hipstamatic was in effect , ,

Busy Tortoise assemblage

Heath Nash and collaborators
Busy Tortoise assemblage 2011, mixed media, Dimensions variable

news highlights

artbio of the month

Wilhelm Saayman

A new ArtBio on Wilhelm Saayman

Sue Williamson's Diary


Thursday, January 26, 2012

As January hits the third week of the month, the city’s art galleries take down the group shows directed at the summer visitors, and get serious again. Or, relatively serious.

Read the rest of this post here

See Older posts here

The sports field at Hondeklipbaai. 14 September 2003.

David Goldblatt
The sports field at Hondeklipbaai. 14 September 2003. 2003, Digital print on cotton paper, 420 x 515 mm

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Editions for ArtThrob print proves investment value on auction

Last month at the Stephen Weltz auction, David Goldblatt's Editions for ArtThrob print sold for a record R16 000.00. At the close of the edition the prints were selling for only R6 000.00 making the sale a 166% return on investment.

Editions for ArtThrob was initiated as a fundraising venture for the website but has proved time and again to be an invaluable opportunity for collectors to invest in prints by top South African artists with real return on that investment. Currently the print program has available works by Zwelethu Methethwa, Candice Breitz, Willem Boshoff, Sam Nhlengethwa, Penny Siopis, Mikhael Subotzky, James Webb, Cameron Platter, Dineo Bopape, Athi Patra-Ruga and Georgina Gratrix. Our Portfolio editions includes prints by William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins and Jane Alexander.

Visit the Editions website for more information on available prints and purchasing.