Archive: Issue No. 109, September 2006

1.09.06 Peter Bendheim at the Durban Art Gallery
1.09.06 Garrett Artists at artSPACE durban
1.09.06 'Major Minors II' at artSPACE durban
1.09.06 Paul Weinberg at the KZNSA Gallery
1.09.06 Helen Verwey at the KZNSA Gallery
1.09.06 'NIVEA Achievers' at the KZNSA Gallery
1.09.06 'Jabulisa: The Art and Craft of KwaZulu-Natal' at the Tatham Art Gallery
1.09.06 Lee Scott Hempson at artSPACE durban
1.09.06 Makiwa Mutomba at artSPACE durban
1.09.06 Bridget Baker at the KZNSA Gallery
1.09.06 Tom Cullberg at the KZNSA Gallery
1.09.06 James Hall at the Durban Art Gallery
1.09.06 Corina Lemmer at the Tatham Art Gallery
1.09.06 'Red Eye:Transform!' at the Durban Art Gallery
1.09.06 Thupelo Workshop exhibition at the African Art Centre
1.09.06 Isaac Sithole at Tatham Art Gallery

4.08.06 Luan Nel at the KZNSA
4.08.06 Ilana Seati Erasmus at the KZNSA
4.08.06 'Threading together' at the African Art Centre

7.07.06 A Retrospective by Omar Badsha at the Durban Art Gallery

2.06.06 'Portrait of a Pioneer: Joseph Forsyth-Ingram' at the Tatham Art Gallery
 

'Snap' is an exhibition of photographs by Peter Bendheim who is well known in Durban as the editor of Metro Beat magazine. The photographs on this exhibition were first shown on Bendheim's first solo exhibition at artSPACE durban in October 2005. The photos reveal images of Durban and other places that go beyond the conventional representation of Durban as depicted in tourist brochures and postcards.

Bendheim states: 'To me, the city is full of vibrancy, noise, colours and movement. There are moments of humour and moments that are sad and touching. Life here is a rapidly passing parade, and I wanted to capture some of its fleeting nature, some of its intimacy and some of its hot and tropical brashness.'

Opens: The exhibition is on view during September

The Garrett Artists will be showcasing drawings in the main gallery at artSPACE durban in an exhibition entitled 'Follow Your Bliss'. Intentionally unframed and 'unfinished', these drawings visually track some of the thought processes involved in drawing and making artworks.

Opens: September 4
Closes: September 16

'Major Minors II' is an exhibition of miniature fibre and textile artworks, which have been shown in various venues in South Africa as well as Australia. Artists featured on the show include Sue Physick, Jeanette Gilks, Celia de Villiers, Fiona Kirkwood and Odette Tolksdorf. A catalogue of works will be available.

Opens: September 4
Closes: September 16

Paul Weinberg's exhibition 'The Moving Spirit' coincides with a book launch of the same title. This body of work brings together a personal spiritual journey undertaken by the photographer exploring religious and spiritual practice around the country. On this journey, he documented aspects of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Islamic faiths as well as practices linked to ancestral veneration and aspects of the New Age movement.

Weinberg spends most time documenting traditional African and Hindu spiritual practices, but also looks at rituals of the African Independent Christian Movements such as the Zion Christian Church and the Shembe church, which incorporate African traditions. The work exposes rituals and pilgrimages that bring members together in visible and symbolic acts of devotion. Traditional practices such as circumcision, coming of age ceremonies, weddings and funerals are shared by many religions and spiritual practices in Africa.

By following a diversity of events and rituals that in someway that reflect 'The Moving Spirit', Weinberg allows his camera to narrate the journey of spirituality. He states that this is not an attempt to be an A - Z on religions, but rather a personal journey documenting the spiritual practices with which he has chosen to connect.

Opens: September 5
Closes: September 24

Heleen Verwey is amongst Holland's most celebrated artists. Her latest show, 'Letters from Africa', engages issues associated with location, be they geographical or spiritual. Her work is a continuous process engaging ideas associated with the place called home. This body of work explores her experiences as a foreign person living in Africa and South Africa, where she has resided for the last seven years. It is a direct and philosophical reflection which connects her to this environment.

Her media, including scraps of metal, postcards and embroidery, speak in different ways about the past and the present of the country and continent. She considers these to be little vignettes that personalise her relationship to this environment and, like letters, they communicate and narrate in their own way, her experiences and her story.

The show will later travel to Holland.

Opens: September 5
Closes: September 24

'NIVEA Achievers' is a group exhibition celebrating selected artists who participated in both 'START: The NIVEA Awards 2005' and '2006'. 'START' is an annual competition that seeks to create a platform for up-and-coming artists in the province of KwaZulu Natal. The competition was intiated by the Nivea brand under Beiersdorf South Africa, with guidance from judges Storm Janse van Rensburg, Julia Meintjes, Gabi Nkosi, Anthea Martin, S'fiso ka Mkame and Nathi Gumede.

The 'NIVEA Achievers' exhibition showcases the work of Zama Dunywa, David Buchler, Witty Nyide, Sicelo Ziqubu, Adrienne D'aeth, Lalelani Mbhele and Welcome Danca. This event serves as a launch pad for a space to be known as the NIVEA Gallery within the KZNSA complex. The initiative seeks to promote up-and-coming artists by providing a gallery space dedicated to showcasing their work.

Opens: September 5
Closes: September 24

'Jabulisa 2006: The Art and Craft of KwaZulu-Natal' showcases 185 works by 134 artists and crafters that provide a visually exciting and intellectually challenging perspective of what is currently being produced in the province. Works range from traditional Zulu ceramics and basketry through to embroideries, tapestries, paintings, sculpture, prints, installations and new media works.

'Jabulisa 2006' has been co-curated by Jill Addleson (former Curator of Collections at Durban Art Gallery) and Brendan Bell, Director of the Tatham Art Gallery and is the third major exhibition to be organised by the Natal Arts Trust.

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue and will tour the regional art museums of KwaZulu-Natal before embarking on a national tour.

Opens: September 7
Closes: November 12

The works on Lee Scott Hempson's 'Daily Narratives' cover a number of themes ranging from the artist's childhood memories to thoughts on family, love, relationships, spirituality and fears. Hempson uses autobiographical as well as everyday common and iconic symbols and images that convey particular meanings and have certain associations for the viewer.

Opens: September 18
Closes: October 7

The Art Room and artSPACE durban jointly host this exhibition of paintings by Makiwa Mutomba. Mutomba is a young Zimbabwean with no formal training. Says the artist, 'I strive to show beauty where there is no beauty, and to show colour where there is only black and white.'

Opens: September 18
Closes: October 7

In 'Sensible Woman', Capetonian Bridget Baker presents photographic stills from projects developed on location in Cape Town, Ghent, Maputo, Delhi and Durban between 2003 and 2006. According to the Baker, she is involved in what she calls risky 'take-overs'. The role of the 'Sensible Woman' is currently being explored: 'I entice her into leading a double-life of invisibility. You may say that this type of life is characteristic of a "sensible woman" anyway� but wait, those invisible tasks she undertakes could make her invincible.' (Bridget Baker, 2005)

The Blue Collar Girl series is an ongoing performative installation project that takes place in different cities throughout the world, and culminates in triptych - photographic installation pieces. The project involves the placement of the character in locations that reflect her dual iconic status. Finally her modus operandi is revealed in the traces she leaves behind to prove her campaign message: 'Only you can �'. This is as much a mark of her existence, as it is encouraging of a liberated ethos.

The show was first mounted in Cape Town, and for its Durban showing Baker has produced another photographic piece in the series The Blue Collar Girl. She has worked alongside Durban-based creatives and workers, including photographer Angela Buckland, actress Kajal Bagwandeen (Bombay Crush and Chalo Cinema), The Durban City Orchestra and the blue-collar workers at Davinscot Manufacturers, in Tongaat. The characters in the 'Sensible Woman' show include 'The Blue Collar Girl', 'The Sunday Morning Wonder Woman' and 'The Maiden'. This developing body of work affirms Baker's fascination with creating urban myths through staging and documenting public gesture.

Baker is based in Cape Town where she also works as a clothes stylist in the film and advertising industry. She has exhibited extensively nationally and internationally.

Opens: September 26
Closes: October 15

Tom Cullberg is showing a new series of works entitled 'House'. In this body of work the artist looks at the house as a container of concealed narrative. The paintings in the exhibition separately depict seemingly empty buildings, juxtaposed with small groups of people and a few belongings.

This is Cullberg's sixth solo exhibition. He has previously shown at João Ferreira Gallery, Cape Town and Gallery Svenska Bilder, Stockholm and has also taken part in numerous group exhibitions. He was recently seen in Durban on the 'New Painting' show which is currently showing at the Johannesburg Art Gallery.

Opens: September 26
Closes: October 15

The Durban Art Gallery will be exhibiting works In Memoriam of important ceramicist James Hall (1916-2006).

Hall was born in New Zealand in 1916 and studied art at the Dunedin School of Art (1938-39) and from 1946-49 at the Slade School, London under Randolph Schwabe and F.E. McWilliam. He then specialised in ceramic art at the Camberwell School of Art, studying under Jacob Drew and R. Kendall. He taught at the Camberwell and Harrow Schools of Art from 1949 to 1955.

He settled in Durban in 1956 and took over the Ceramics Department at the Durban Technical College (now the DUT) on a full time basis and taught there for 11 years. From 1967 to 1980 he was a part-time lecturer in that department. He showed his work extensively in South Africa and abroad. He was a finalist in the African Life Sculpture competition held in 1960 in Cape Town; in 1961 he submitted work to the exhibition of the Society of Portrait Sculptors held at the Royal Academy, London, and from 1961 he held a number of exhibitions of his sculpture and pottery in Durban. He also carried out numerous public commissions in South Africa.

His work is to be found in the permanent collections of the Durban Art Gallery and the Hanley Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, U K.

Opens: September 27
Closes: November 26

Corina Lemmer's work on this exhibition focuses on themes of cattle and crockery, hence its title 'Cattle and Cups'. For Lemmer, her 'cattlescapes' of densely massed cattle act as a metaphor for humans being herded helplessly along through circumstances. Her interest in teacups and tablescapes is based on her experiences as a farmer's wife and a mother. Teacups are used to depict a culture of feminine values associated with serving, which is slipping away with constantly changing cultural and social values.

Lemmer was raised on a farm in KwaZulu-Natal and studied Design and History of Art at the University of Pretoria. She has participated in a number of group exhibitions throughout the country and has her work represented in a number of private and public collections in the province. The artist will be in residence during her exhibition.

Opens: September 28
Closes: November 12

'Red Eye' will form part of the Celebrate Durban festival this September. The theme is 'Transform!' which is intended to be a different take on all the talk of transformation around the country.

What does it mean to transform? Artists will comment on the theme and the city centre itself will become part of the process. The Durban Art Gallery spaces will be changed from their usual functionality to create surprising environments, which will encourage a re-looking and re-visiting of these spaces. Red Eye-goers can expect to see contemporary dance (courtesy of Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre among others), sound and light installations, visual art and a changed Smith Street as well as new and exciting fashion.

Parking at the Albany and Royal Hotel will be well controlled by 'Lollipop men' escorting attendees from their cars to ensure optimum safety. Red Eye is now taking place less frequently and this the last of the year, so don't miss out!

For more info call Francesca (031) 311 2268.

Opens: Friday September 29

The Thupelo International Artists' Workshop was established in Johannesburg in 1985 after Bill Ainslie and David Koloane had participated in a Triangle Workshop in New York during 1984 and 1985.

The Thupelo workshops are intended to encourage full and part-time artists to work in a creative environment and to interact and exchange ideas with one another. Artists participating in the Durban workshop are Kirsten Borchert (Germany), Retsipile Moholi (Lesotho) Anthony Cawood, Velile Soha, Madi Phala and Garth Erasmus (all of Cape Town), Simmi Dullay, Yvette Dunn, Rosalind Lurie, Mandla Gaza, Thami Jali, Zamani Makhanya , Liezel Prins, Clive Sithole, Paul Sibisi and Terry-Anne Stevenson (all from Durban).

Works that have been produced during the workshop will be on exhibition from August 25 at the African Art Centre. embers of the public are also encouraged to visit the workshop space at the Durban Documentation Centre in Derby Road.

For more information please contact Yvette Dunn on 083 944 4620.

Opens: August 25
Closes: September 1

Isaac Sithole is inspired by daily and cultural events in the lives of village people, and is sensitive to cultural and historical events such as the floods in Mozambique. His works are populated by animals and people in vibrant colours and flowing motions.

For 'Beauty of Africa' Sithole has produced colour reduction woodcuts, a technique which he discovered while working as a professional woodcarver producing sculpture. He makes small editions and uses glowing colour combinations to depict the message and mood of the print.

Sithole was born in 1974 in Maputo, Mozambique.

Opens: August 10
Closes: September 24

The work on Luan Nel's 'Smallville, SA' is inspired by museum-type diorama installations. Here, the artist has created miniature worlds using model train set figurines. According to Nel, the works deal with issues of control, escape, obsession and secrecy, in relation to the construction of male identity. This is done largely by removing the figurines from their original context and placing them in new, often personal narratives.

Nel obtained his BAFA from the University of Witswatersrand in 1993. From 1998 - 1999 he undertook a residency at the Rijksakdemie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and a research residency at the Dutch Institute in Rome.

The exhibition runs until September 3.

Opens: August 15
Closes: September 3

Artist Ilana Seati Erasmus' exhibition, 'The Other Side of the Equator' deals with questions of identity. Using form, colour and content, she questions notions of truth and fantasy. In doing so, she considers her personal history by giving form to its cultural and social motifs.

Erasmus is a graduate of the Shenkar Institute in Israel. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Textile Chemistry) in 1974 and practiced at the Johannesburg Art Foundation from 1980 - 1982.

Opens: August 15
Closes: September 3

In celebration of Women's Day, the African Art Centre is showcasing an exhibition of embroidered textiles. Participating artists include Khulemalaphi Hlambisa, Agnes Mbatha, Isipethu Embroidery Group, Kaross Embroidery Group, Mapula Project, Zimeleni Embroidery Project, Ntokozi Project, Witty Nyide, Leone Malherbe, Odette Tolksdorf, Rosalie Dace, Hlengiwe Dube, Anthea Martin and Yvette Dunn.

The Durban Art Gallery is hosting the first major retrospective exhibition of the work of Durban-born artist and photographer Omar Basha. The show will include drawings and photographs that span his artistic career over a period of 41 years. Badsha is one of the first group of artists who not only overtly challenged the apartheid regime but who is credited, along with Dumile Feni, for creating a new visual vocabulary that questioned the one dimensional representation of black life in South Africa.

'From the Margins to the Centre' covers examples of work from all of Badsha's publications from his first book A letter to Farzanah through to Imijondolo life in Inanda, Imperial Ghetto and Road to Tadkeshwar.

Badsha has received a number of awards for painting and photography including the Sir Basil Shornland Award, Arts South Africa Today 1965, The Sir Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Award, Natal Society Of Arts - Annual award 1968. In 1995 he was commissioned by the Danish Government to document life in that country and in 1996 he travelled to India as a guest of the Indian Government to document life in his grandparents' ancestral village in Gujarat.

Badsha and his family moved to Cape Town in 1987 where he established the Centre of Documentary Photography at the University of Cape Town. Aside from numerous group shows worldwide, Badsha has held several solo shows in South Africa. His paintings and photographs are to be found in all the major public collections in South Africa and leading galleries and institutions abroad. He is also the founder and director of 'South African History Online', one of the largest websites on South Africa history and culture.

Opens: July 26
Closes: September 3

The Tatham Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of works by Joseph Forsyth Ingram (1862 - 1923). The exhibition comprises five paintings by Ingram completed between 1910 and 1923. Also included in the exhibition will be examples of Ingram's poetry, books, decorated letters and envelopes and Christmas albums.

Forsyth-Ingram was a Magistrate in Dundee, Howick and Pietermaritzburg while remaining a prolific artist and writer. This exhibition features a number of his paintings as well as archival and biographical material that would be of great interest to the residents of Pietermaritzburg. A number of the works on exhibition are being donated by Forsyth-Ingram's descendants to the Tatham Art Gallery.

Opens: May 4
Closes: This exhibition has been extended until the renovations for the new Gallery Craft Shop commence