In retrospect this has been one of those very strange years that seem to have been both brilliant and terrible. Most people I have asked say something like "yes, it's been great but I never want to live through another!" In keeping with this spirit it seemed like ArtThrob was about to take something of an early vacation this issue but most, if not all of it has been roped back into place to enable you to keep (more or less) up to date with what's what in the art scene. December and January are always quiet times in the local art world and I hope these more gentle months offer you an opportunity to relax and to focus on the beauty (whether artistic, natural, personal, or whatever) that surrounds you. For those that celebrate holidays this season, may I and the rest of the ArtThrob team wish you happy ones.
CAPE
Bell-Roberts locally launch their major overview of the current state South African art, 10 Years, 100 Artists, with a large accompanying exhibition in their new extended space. Rose Korber's 'Art Salon', an annual feature on the calendar that gives an overview of what is worth collecting, has its Bar Mitzvah this year. Katherine Bull presents an innovative new body of work at João Ferreira.
GAUTENG
Carol-Anne Gainer is making waves at Franchise. Capetonian Judy Woodborne is to be seen at Melville's Art on Paper. Zuva hosts a show of Artists' Proof Studio's top graduates. In Pretoria MTN celebrates ten years of democracy at the PAM.
KWAZULU-NATAL
'Tangenya' takes over the city with various interventions all over Durban while 'The Affordable Art Fair' provides shopping opportunities at artSPACE Durban.
INTERNATIONAL
Kentridge has a solo show at New York's Met and James Webb blinds them with science in Japan.
Michelle Matthews returns to ArtThrob after an overly-long break with a review
of Pieter Hugo's recent solo show at MSC. Dutch researcher Joost O. Bosland
provides a challenging and very direct response to the 'Decade of Democracy'
show at Iziko SANG. Kim Gurney looks at 'Voice-Overs', a selection of treasures
from Wits University's collection of African art and at Jacki McInnes's show
at Bell-Roberts. Robyn Sassen presents a reading of a single image in Tracey
Rose's latest show with unexpected results.
The Standard Bank Young Artist Award for 2005 is Wim Botha, a sculptor and printmaker with a witty take on identity politics. Pallo Jordan is demanding action from the NAC Board. KZN school kids will have their work exhibited at the Tate Modern. A group of three researchers, including South African Dave Southwood, are awarded a prestigious prize by the Bauhaus Foundation in Germany. Ed Young gives his account of doing nothing at a recent project in Belgium.
Sue Williamson tries to get artwork out of customs and goes to an auction.
Durban-based creative artist Jay Pather features this month. Storm Janse van Rensburg gives an overview of his exceptional achievement.
Regrets and self-congratulations: in response to the US presidential elections Carine Zaayman looks at a site that gathers together apologies from Americans to rest of the world for re-electing Bush; and for balance, a site that takes the opposite view.
Is it possible to equate being a "new media practitioner" with being single? Check out Carine Zaayman's personal year-end project to get an idea.
Entries for the fringe at next year's Grahamstown Festival are nearing due date.
After a hopeful murmur in the last couple of issues, things have returned to
the worrisome silence of before; that is to say, no feedback this month.
Send us your feedback.
In time for Christmas, Editions for ArtThrob offers a new print which takes the form of a set of ten exquisitely designed cut and printed ivory cards entitled The Story of Thulani Nganga by artist Peet Pienaar, creator of the brilliant Afro magazine. Everyone who has seen the set wants one.
Available now: outstanding prints by William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Hentie van der Merwe, Penny Siopis and Tracey Rose.
Browse through past editions of ArtThrob.
Who writes for ArtThrob and other bits of relevant information.
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