Archive: Issue No. 72, August 2003

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ARTTHROB
MONTHLY ISSUE #72 AUG 2003
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LBs

A swish new art space opens on Cape Town's Long Street - l/b's Lounge

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Thando Mama

Thando Mama
Still from We are afraid, 2003
DVD

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Mark Hipper

Mark Hipper
Invitation image

SEE CAPE LISTINGS

Impact

International printmakers head for Cape Town in August

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Kathryn Smith

Kathryn Smith Jack in Johannesburg, 2003 Performance still of live projection

SEE NEWS

Kagiso Pat Mautloa

Artist with his work 'Untitled'
2003
Mixed media on canvas
140 x 190 cm

SEE GAUTENG LISTINGS

Robert Hodgins

Artist Robert Hodgins in his London�studio, on Brick Lane
July 31 2003

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Tracey Rose

Tracey Rose
Half A

Photograph by Andrew Meintjes

SEE EDITIONS for ArtThrob


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SELECTED LISTINGS

STANDBY

THIS WEEK:

I remember with great fondness Hazel Friedman's Mail & Guardian reviews from the mid to late 1990s. What particularly engaged me was her willingness to say exactly what she thought in response to what she had seen, an easy enough trick that not many reviewers always respect. One aspect of her writing that proved particularly appealing was her willingness to walk roughshod over the pretensions of Johannesburg's emerging young artists, then mostly centred around the hub of Troyeville. Her opinions reminded me of those of Robert Hughes, the respected Australian critic who went on to conquer New York. I still regard his comments on Jean-Michel Basquiat, in 'Requiem for a Featherweight', to be a faultless piece of criticism - one with great relevance to South Africa today. But more to the point: Who are the bona fide art critics in South Africa? Artists? Journalists? Academics? With the declining fortune of sustained reporting on the visual arts in mainstream newspapers and magazines the answer might very well be zealots, those last of the true believers. But things aren't necessarily that grim. There is a lot of writing on art happening in South Africa. This in turn has led to both private and (some) public debate on who is best vested to do the writing, which Andrew Lamprecht capably summarises in his contribution. Adding their voices to the debate are: Sue Williamson, Virginia MacKenny and the two Paul's (Wessels and Edmunds). "It is important to reflect on what the artist was trying to achieve, and to engage with that," is Sue Williamson's sage bit of advice. But will critics and detractors agree?

Sean O'Toole

Next Update: September 1, 2003



CAPE

The 3rd International Impact Printmaking Conference takes place this year at Michaelis School of Fine Art. We list some of the many exhibitions, including print works from the Fine Art Department in Stellenbosch, prints from the Artists' Press Archive and a show titled 'Degrees of Three Dimensionality'. Also: 'Exitus' is the name Mark Hipper has given to his new body of work, at João Ferreira; Josie Borain's photographs are up at Bell-Roberts; Lundi Mduba shows at Greatmore Studios; and Alan Alborough's cryptically entitled show 'work[ing/ in] pro[cess/ gress]', at the Sasol Art Museum, has been extended to October 31.

Mukondeni Fine Arts Gallery, the winner of a Sanlam Mogale City Business Achievers of the Year Award, presents new work by a host of artists; Kagiso Pat Mautloa opens at the Goodman Gallery; 'Shortcuts', a collaborative exhibition by Eddie Rafferty and Kay Hassan, opens at Outlet; 'Journey' is an exhibition of prints and artist's books, at Art on Paper; Jill Trappler presents non-figurative adventures in pure colour, form, surface and texture, at the Bag Factory; Warren Siebrits bears witness; Angus Taylor is at Mind's I Art Space; Diane Johnstone's collection of Pretoria area township art from the 1970s is on at the Pretoria Art Museum alongside a show titled 'Celebrating Women'.

Usha Seejarim, intrigued by the banality - and implied history - of daily commuting, takes over much of the NSA for 'Forms in Transit'. This is followed by two shows exploring traditional indigenous beliefs later in the month, 'Ts�a Ka Mafuri' (Lurking Behind) presents new work by Colbert Mashile,�and 'Spiritual Journey' is an exhibition of paintings by Njabulo Hlongwane. Michael Croeser is at the Cupboard Gallery.

'On the road again' offers German audiences an opportunity to view the output of artists Christian Nerf, Abrie Fourie and Mathew Hindley. Also in Germany, South African curator Nicole Krams, in conjunction with the Berlin-based Galerie Peter Herrmann, presents a retrospective collection of beadwork of Ndebele, Zulu und Tsonga origin. If you feel up to the muggy warmth of Venice, Moshekwa Langa, Clifford Charles and Chris Ledochowski are still on view, at the 50th Venice Biennale.

REVIEWS

Paul Edmunds reviews shows by Sandile Zulu and Jeremy Wafer, and finds rich aesthetic and conceptual experience in their similar but distinct approaches. The new Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel is the sole hotel in the country to boast a collection of museum-quality South African art; Lloyd Pollak paid the esteemed hotel a visit. Sue Williamson, talking at the Michaelis lunchtime lecture recently, focused on her most recent art project, a study of recent immigrants to South Africa. Kim Gurney reviews. 'Console', a show recently curated by Dina Zoë Belluigi and Zach Taljaard, asked artists to use a simple departure point as the basis for artworks, a Consol glass jar. Michael Herbst reviews. Virginia MacKenny interrogates Usha Seejarim's intrigue with the banality - and implied history - of daily commuting.
NEWS

Artist Kathryn Smith had her left upper arm tattooed recently in a public performance at the Johannesburg Art Gallery; Durban video artist Thando Mama has been awarded the 2003 MTN New Contemporaries Award; Robert Hodgins is one of South Africa's best-known artists - Sean O'Toole recently paid him a visit at his temporary studio in London; eight of South Africa's leading photographers have been nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the field of arts and culture locally, the annual DaimlerChrysler Arts Award; a recent announcement that the bust of Paul Kruger is to be removed from its current location at the entrance to the Kruger National Park has sparked heated public debate; and Taryn Cohn, competition co-ordinator of the Sasol Wax in Art competition, offers her response to a recent article by Veronique Tadjo.

News Feature - Art Criticism in SA: Andrew Lamprecht kicks off our look at the state of South African art criticism with a compassionate overview of the key reasons for its (supposedly) dubious condition; Paul Wessels contemplates three recent examples of local art criticism; Sean O'Toole asks: "Who writes about art in South Africa? Can you count this community on one hand?"; ArtThrob's Cape Town editor (and practicing artist) Paul Edmunds writes about being a critic as well as an artist; Virginia MacKenny ponders many pointed questions: What constitutes an art critic? How do you get to be one?; and Sue Williamson offers sage advice to all critics: "It is important to reflect on what the artist was trying to achieve, and to engage with that".

GALLERY CHOICE

What motivates curators and art buyers to purchase artworks? This simple question is the premise for Gallery Choice, a monthly feature that aims to reveal who (public museums/corporate collections) is buying what (artist), and why.

This month's choice is Colbert Mashile

SUE WILLIAMSON'S DIARY

Sue Williamson's diary notes. Essential reading.
ART BIO

Andrew Lamprecht writes on the complex and highly respected artist, theorist, teacher and curator Colin Richards.
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

Virginia MacKenny describes Garth Walker of Orange Juice Design as Durban's internationally renowned African culture and design guru. Garth simply prefers the self-effacing title, "official supplier of design to the rainbow nation".
PROJECT OF THE MONTH

Violence is a disturbing social phenomenon. It is also the name of an art project, the Violence online festival. The project collects over 300 artistic meditations on violence, representing views from 42 countries.
EXCHANGE

There are details on a vacancy with the influential Italian art magazine Flash Art, as well as an opportunity for an artworks curator in Gauteng. The One-Minute Film Festival has put out a call for submissions; there is an invitation to submit work to an international art project using the tile as medium; and also a call for old photographs of you dressed in ethnic garb of another culture.
FEEDBACK

After his return from a short absence, ArtThrob's editor Sean O'Toole takes time to respond to Julie McGee's recent letter of criticism.
Send us your commentary on this issue.
EDITIONS FOR ARTTHROB

Tracey Rose is one of South Africa's hottest young artists. She is also the sites most recent addition to the Editions for ArtThrob portfolio. Her working proof is an "exploration into paranoia". ArtThrob is honoured to include this unique hand-drawn print as the latest in the Editions for ArtThrob series. More information regarding availability will be posted shortly. Available now: outstanding prints by William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins and Zwelethu Mthethwa.
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EDITIONS FOR ARTTHROB

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Association for Visual Arts

Joao Ferreira Fine Art

Urban Art

Standard Bank Gallery

Bell-Roberts Contemporary

Goodman Gallery

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