Many will be heaving a sigh of relief that the initial shock of the postponement of TRANS CAPE is beginning to wear off, and the hope is that the organisers will use the time they have bought by making the event truly live up to its initial promise - with taxi routes, maps and great art. Overseas reactions to the news varied - from surprise at the lateness of the announcement and intense annoyance at having to cancel travel plans to the dismay of editors at two international art journals (that we know of) who had gone ahead and publicised the event 'fulsomely' and will now have to retract. Both of these editors expressed a sincere wish that the postponement will not lead to further delays, as the plans did indeed sound extremely interesting. To which we can only add, so do we.
In OPINION, Andrew Lamprecht reflects on this and other issues.
Meanwhile, ArtThrob has received an email calling for proposals for an African exhibition at the next Venice Biennale (see NEWS) - and here again, time is of the essence, with extensive requirements regarding artists, funding, etc. needed in Venice by the end of October. It would require a medium-sized miracle for any aspiring curator to secure artists and funding in 60 days - but let's see what happens. We'll keep you updated.
The Editions for ArtThrob programme, which supports the website financially, has languished somewhat in recent months, as artists who have promised prints have requested extensions of time, but we are absolutely thrilled this month to offer a print from the Johannesburg series by award winning photographer Guy Tillim. Thank you, Guy.
Sue Williamson
Founding Editor
Next month: A full preview of 'TRANS CAPE'
Next update: Friday, September 1
CAPE
'TRANS CAPE' might be postponed but there is no shortage of art events to compensate. A mid-year Tyrone Appollis retrospective at the Sanlam Gallery promises to be a highlight, while Berni Searle shows a new series of works at Michael Stevenson Contemporary. A glitzy gallery opens at Glen Carlou Vineyard in Paarl where Swiss businessman Donald Hess shows work from his famed private collection. The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock hosts its first exhibition and what if the world... , who now have a gallery there, hold their first weekly market. At Michaelis Galleries, William Scarbrough's multimedia presentation, Reclamation, focusing on the Atlanta child murders of the 1980s, opens.
GAUTENG
A number of great shows open this month, with quite a few longer exhibitions continuing from last month. The Sasol New Signatures Competition announces its winners. Ranjith Kally, Senzeni Marasela and Ruth Motau exhibit at the Goodman Gallery and Dorothee Kreutzfeldt shows at the Parking Garage, while 'Waste at Work' gets its first showing at Hollard House.
KWAZULU-NATAL
The month's highlights include shows by photographer Paul Weinberg, and Capetonians Bridget Baker and Tom Cullberg at the KZNSA Gallery; 'Red Eye: Transform!' takes place at the Durban Art Gallery, and the third installment of 'Jabulisa: The Art and Craft of KwaZulu-Natal' opens at the Tatham Art Gallery.
INTERNATIONAL
September looks to be a good month for South Africa's younger generation with Cameron Platter, Bridget Baker, and Pieter Hugo on a show in Vienna; Julia Rosa Clark and Mandy Lee Jandrell exhibit in London, and Tracey Rose holds a solo show in Chicago. Khwezi Ghule will be speaking at the South Project's impressive gathering in Santiago.
CAPE
Ralph Borland brings a spirit of popular rebellion into the gallery, writes Tavish McIntosh in her review of 'Promised Land' at Blank Projects.
GAUTENG
Michael Smith reviews concurrent but unconnected photography shows by Ranjith Kally, Senzeni Marasela and Ruth Motau at the Goodman Gallery. Despite the lack of any curatorial direction, the individual strengths of all three participants do result in a loose and productive cohesion. 'New Painting: A Selection of Contemporary South African Painting' highlights the empowering potential painting still holds for South Africa, claims Michael Smith in his review of the exhibition's presentation at the Johannesburg Art Gallery.
KWAZULU NATAL
The Ceramics Southern Africa 2006 KZN Regional Exhibition was recently held. Juror and PHD candidate Elizabeth Perrill reflects on the competition, its means of publicising itself and the works which were awarded prizes. Francesca Verga reviews Luan Nel's 'Smallville SA' where she is impressed with his skill and attention to detail in the show's watercolours but feels that his trademark dioramas made from model trainset figures lack such finesse.
OPINION
Andrew Lamprecht discusses the issue of the postponement of TRANS CAPE and its wider implications.
LOCAL
After two years the National Arts Council finally appoints a new board. Sasol New Signatures winners are announced, and Johann van der Schijff wins the fourth GK Gross Trust Public Sculpture commission, while Jeremy Wafer wins the Sasol Wax Art Award. Gavin Younge and Wilma Cruise are selected for the 2008 Olympic Landscape Sculpture Design Contest in Beijing. Heath Nash competes for the British Council's 2006 International Young Designer Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The Phansi Museum opens its doors in Durban, and popular artist Vladimir Tretchikoff dies in Cape Town at the age of 92.
INTERNATIONAL
A surprising email calls for proposals for an African show at the next Venice Biennale.
The editor catches up on Cape Town shows, and remembers a time when Tretchi, who died this month, announced that his work would be better judged by children, than art critics.
Julia Charlton profiles Bronwen Findlay who is currently showing at the Standard Bank Gallery.
A mixed bag from Carine Zaayman this month features Saatchi Gallery site 'Your Gallery', Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries, and Velvet-Strike.
Carine Zaayman explores two resource-rich websites - The New Museum's and Paula Goldman's.
Vuleka Art Competition and FestiVAL call for submissions, while Durban's 'Red Eye: Transform!' invites contributions from artists. The Arts and Culture Trust calls for nominations for 2006 awards.
An empty mailbag once again.
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ArtThrob is proud to offer a print from the remarkable Jo'burg series by one of the country's most distinguished photographers, the award-winning Guy Tillim. The series focuses on the teeming hotspot of Hillbrow, where overcrowded apartments are filled to capacity, and evictions a way of life. See Editions.
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