Archive: Issue No. 76, December 2003

20.12.03 Ezequiel Mabote at Blue Caterpillar
01.12.03 Red Eye @rt at DAG
15.11.03 Berni Searle's 'Float' at DAG
15.11.03 Buzzart at NSA
01.11.03 Tea with Buddha at Re-store

After returning recently from his second trip to the US, Ezequiel Mabote found himself facing the artworld filled with confidence and strengthened by what he has seen and lived through. Now planning to make the US his home, 'An Artists Journey' offers a glimpse of his new style.

Ezequiel has not changed but his technique has. This rising young artist from Southern Africa is eager to try new ideas and grow as an artist but keeping constant in style. Moving away from woodcut and linocut printing, Ezequiel still maintains to produce images reflecting his childhood memories, traditional folk tales and stories past on by previous generations.

'An Artists Journey' will feature a variety of work brought directly from his exhibition in Chicago as well as exciting new works. Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to view and purchase his original woodcut template.

For further information on attending the opening evening, please contact Amanda 033-3871356 or email art@butterflies.co.za

Opens: December 12, 2003
Closes: January 13, 2004

The final Red Eye Art event of 2003 is just around the corner to kick off the festive season with a bang.

Red Eye has joined forces with the iTrump urban renewal project and will be painting the town red this Christmas with another awesome party which begins in the gallery before taking to the streets and parks of central Durban. Artists and performers will showcase spectacular light sculptures and multi-media displays specially commissioned for the event and curated by Storm van Rensburg, of the NSA gallery. Among those taking part will be Milijana Babic, Thando Mama, Jan-Henri Booyens, Dean Henning, Rike Sitas, Andrew Verster, Marklyn Govender, Clint Singh and Clive van den Berg.

True to tradition, Red Eye will start at the Durban Art Gallery where the audience can expect a fantastic line-up before moving on to the streets. The various galleries will play host to Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre and other companies curated by Jay Pather, Standard Bank Young Artist for 2003 Berni Searle, the I-TRUMP City Renewal exhibition, a video screening of Peet Pienaar's controversial Circumcision performance earlier this year, fabulously funky fashion from Linea Academy,.DJ's and lots more including a Red Eye Retrospective photo exhibition covering the past 5 years of Red Eye's colourful history.

From the gallery the party moves round to West street and Medwood Gardens which used to be the central city oasis with its swimming pool and fountain. Now it gets a new life after dark when Red Eye promises to ignite the area with a spectacular line-up of art, music and entertainment for everyone.

Cover charge is R20, and R15 for students with valid student cards.

Opens: December 12 at 6.30pm

Berni Searle, this year's winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist Visual Award, will be showing her work at DAG. Comprising video and photographic work based on her body, the show was seen at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival earlier this year.

Searle has consistently engaged with her own identity as the ground for her work, utilising her own body as the site of production. Well known for her Colour Me series, she has focused on issues of race and gender.

Here in Float, the images she uses are more ambiguous - a female figure dressed in flowing material gently floats in undulating waters far from land, while another is seen from underneath attempting to walk on a pane of glass covered with oil. The tension is palpable.

An extensive 72-page full colour catalogue accompanies the travelling exhibition.

Opens: November 19
Closes: January 18, 2004

The silly season is on us again but for a moment of sanity in an array of shopping opportunities the NSA is the place to go for choice for festive season shopping. For 2003 the gallery plans to expand the annual 'Buzzart' exhibition into an annual showcase of a wide variety of quality goods - something for everyone. This year, the emphasis will be placed on life-style associations and quality craftwork, as well as individual artworks at affordable prices. Each year the gallery's interior is remodelled to support the new products it is selling.

Opens: November 23
Closes: January 10, 2004

During November, Durban artist Carey May presents, 'Tea with Buddha' a mini exhibition at Re-store in Overport Drive. Honouring the culture of Chinese tea ceremonies, Carey May has found her reference in top South African ceramists, such as Nesta Nala, Anthony Shapiro, Paul de Jongh and Andrew Walford.