Peter Machen's first solo exhibition, aptly called 'Corduroy Man', opened at the KZNSA Gallery on May 15. The title comes from the physical nature of corduroy fabric, referring to the spaces in-between, the niches, ridges and texture of the fabric. Machen's exploration highlights spaces such as grocery stores, signs and statues that are sometimes overlooked as part of everyday existence. These he presents with a fresh and interesting perspective, the exhibition a manifestation of a self-published book of words and images.

Machen is well-known to the Durban public as author and an arts writer, but here takes on a different role as visual interpreter/artist. This new persona is convincingly presented and explored in the interesting combination of poetry, text and photography that sit side by side throughout the exhibition.

The exhibition explores a fragmented and sometimes disjointed whole that makes up Machen's personal experience and exploration over the past 10 years. A quick glance at the exhibition reveals familiar places and imagery that acts as Machen's love letter to Durban. The inclusion of poetry alongside imagery engages the audience in another mode; the text is not absolute in deciphering the somewhat blurred images, but provides another means of interpretation alongside the photographs. The different media are integrated by the use of identical frames throughout.

Gravestone sculptures, for example, are given otherworldliness through the use of different exposure techniques, cropping and juxtaposition with other completely unrelated images. It is too the repetitiveness of similar images that have been altered in a small way that is visually intriguing.

There is at times a randomness and arbitrary feeling that punctuates the exhibition, but it all seems to be contained and ordered by the clean-cut frames. This type of documentary exhibition is not something other or far-removed from artist/writer, but instead reflects a personal history and lived experience, without any over-bearing sentimentality.

The photographs were taken almost at random, the portraits were rarely posed, and the poetry too originated as bits of text scribbled on bus tickets, napkins and scrap paper. Despite this apparently haphazardous origin, Machen's 'Corduroy Man' journal is a fascinating one.

Opened: May 15
Closes: June 4

The KZNSA Gallery
166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban
Tel: (031) 202 3686
fax: (031) 201 8051
Email: curator@kznsagallery.co.za
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