Goodbye TransCape, Hello Cape �07
In order to get a clear picture of what is happening about the event which up to now has been now known as TransCape, founding editor Sue Williamson interviewed the new coordinating team at Cape Africa Platform: Gabi Ngcobo and Jonathan Garnham. The interview took place on Friday, March 2.
SW: I understand that now that Gavin Jantjes has withdrawn as artistic director of TransCape, elements of Jantje�s original concept are going forwards, but under a new name. What is this name?
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JG: Cape Africa Platform has decided to call the exhibition CAPE �07.
SW: What is the difference between TransCape and CAPE �07?
JG: Well, TransCape was Gavin�s concept and we respect that, and now that he is no longer directly involved and the concept has changed somewhat, a different name has become appropriate. We are no longer moving in a lot of art works from the rest of the world, showing them in Cape Town and shipping them back again. Simply, funding has prevented us from doing that and has also allowed us to explore a different model of working within this situation.
SW: So the new concept is to keep it more local?
GN: The aim is definitely not to keep it local. We are still committed to connecting Cape Town and South Africa to the rest of Africa. The exhibition still features about 40 artists whose work can be seen in Cape Town. It is our aim to sustain the relationships we have built over the last months
SW: Who is on the Cape Africa team?
GN: The Board of Directors are making the key strategic decisions about CAPE 07, Mirjam Asmal-Dik is the new CEO, a position that was held by Susan Glanville-Zini until her resignation from the organization late last year. Lebo Tlali is a Producer and Deborah Weber is Head of Communications. Our Education Programmes Coordinator is Cindy Poole who is working together with Kevin McCauley and Thandi Sihlali is our Administrator. Stacy Hardy is the Project Writer. Jonathan Garnham is Project Coordinator.
My role as a Curator for TransCape obviously ended with the end of that version of the exhibition. As someone who has been involved with Trans Cape I am aware of the amount of work that the curatorial team had done and the relationships we had built with the artists. It seemed proper for me to stay on the ground in order to communicate the new changes to the artists and make sure they understand our situation as curators of TransCape.
SW: Jonathan, when did you come on board?
JG: CAPE approached me at the end of last year about taking up the role of project manager for the event. Because of the changes around TransCape I have moved into a role as the Project Coordinator working with Gabi Ngcobo to create CAPE 07.
SW: I understand that Cape �07 is facing very serious budget problems but what can visitors still expect to see when they come?
GN: Let me give you a breakdown of the venues we are definitely keeping.
At Iziko South African National Gallery there will be a new media and video lounge with a dedicated programme of video work from 15 artists. The artists include Dineo Seshee Bopape (SA), Susan Hefuna (Egypt/Germany), Sammy Baloji (DRC) and Patrick Mukabi (Kenya). Brett Murray�s (SA) What Would Oprah Say? text piece will also be shown in the video lounge. Three rooms will be used, and there will be a curated programme which will change over the five weeks. This will include a public discussion that will act as a forum where the future of new media work in Africa will be discussed. Screenings of video work will also be shown at television and electronic equipment stalls around the Cape Town station. There�s always an audience at those stalls,
JG: Also running during CAPE 07 will be Churchill Madikida�s Standard Bank Young Artist Award show Like Father Like Son and Invoice ,a survey exhibition of Santu Mofokeng at the Iziko SANG.
SW: What other venues will still be happening?
JG: Lookout Hill Gallery in Khayelitsha. There we�ll have Nicholas Hlobo�s Umthubi 2006, his kraal piece, in the middle of the circular gallery. Titus Moteyane from Gauteng has a seven metre aerial view painting of Cape Town which will be shown for the first time. Mambakwedza Mutasa (Zimbabwe), Zanele Muholi, Nontsikelelo �Lolo� Veleko and Brett Murray will also be some of the artists featured.
GN: Other artists featured will include Godfried Donkor (Ghana/UK) and David Goldblatt The official opening of Cape �07 will be at Lookout Hill, at lunchtime on Saturday the 24th.
SW: Can you say some more about Lookout Hill? It�s a new venue for Cape Town.
GN: Lookout Hill Gallery is a great space with a lot of potential as an exhibition venue. It has been underutilized and we would like to draw attention to the space and leave it in a user-friendly state.
SW: Other venues?
GN: At the Spier Gallery near Stellenbosch Anawana Haloba from Zambia will be showing her video work Lamentations and Nontsikelelo �Lolo� Veleko with be showing her Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder< series, her street fashion images. Senzeni Marasela is showing Theodora comes to Johannesburg 2006-7, an installation of seven embroidered panels.
JG : At the University of Stellenbosch Gallery, Robin Rhode will show Color Chart, a video installation and Willem Boshoff will be making a site-specific installation.
JG: At the Iziko South African Museum Images of Likasi a 50 metre photographic installation by Sammy Baloji (DRC) will be shown. Likasi is a town situated in the Katanga region of DRC, and experiencing this installation would be like walking down the Likasi main streets.
GN: There are two artists at the Center for the Book, Senam Okudzeto (Ghana/US/UK) is installing Capitalism and Schizophrenia a combination of get rich quick books, 419 scam emails. And Peter Clarke�s Fan Fare mixed media works.
JG: Marlene Dumas will be exhibiting her prints in a B&B in Khatyelitsha.
GN: In the Castle, Penny Siopis will be putting up her Pinky Pinky installation. Anawana Haloba is doing a sound installation called Can you See, Can you Hear? As far other artists are concerned, Willie Bester, Wim Botha, Billie Zangewa �we are still finalizing venues in consultation with them.
JG: We don�t see this as a static show where the work goes up and stays there for five weeks but rather as a dynamic process. Artists will be coming during the run of CAPE �07 and making interventions � we think it is important that it is alive, that things keep happening during the event. Sokari Douglas Camp for example has offered to come here and make a piece during the event.
SW: There were artists who were originally commissioned to make work for TransCape. What happened about that?
GN: The commissioned artists were Kevin Brand, Willie Bester and David Adjaye (UK). We see these large-scale interventions as on-going projects that require dedicated fund-raising drives
SW: So Cape �07 is not the end of the story of Cape Africa?
JG: Not at all. We are looking to the future. We have inherited a difficult situation, but we are going to continue working on building a sustainable model for the future. Sessions eKapa 07 is coming up at the end of this year in which we will reflect on what happened now. We plan to gather a small group of key people who will contribute in discussing the way forward.
SW: What happened to the catalogue that I believe was on its way to the printer last September?
JG: With the postponement we had more time to expand the catalogue. It was stopped after learning that TransCape would not happen as planned and we are looking at a CAPE 07 publication that will build on the work that has been done and reflect on what has transpired. We would like to have the publication ready at the Sessions eKapa later this year.
SW: What sort of a publications will there be now?
GN: For the CAPE 07 visitor an academic reader in a PDF format will be available to download from our website. A supplement in SA Art Times will also be available from the beginning of the exhibition. And we will bring out a guide-book.
SW: Will any of the foreign artists still be coming?
GN: At this point we are only sure of a few artists whose attendence has been confirmed. Amongst these are Anawana Haloba (Zambia), Godfried Donkor (Ghana/UK), Robin Rhode (SA based in Germany) and Senam Okudzeto (Ghana/US). There are rooms at the Ritz Hotel in Seapoint booked for artists and art world people. On the opening night, there will be a party in the old 70�s ballroom downstairs.
SW: So what didn�t happen with non-materialisation of the funding?
JG: As mentioned earlier, due to funding constraints much of the previously planned work has not been shipped to Cape Town. Transporting the work here and back would have taken up about half the projected budget which is possibly inappropriate in our African context. There are good things that have come out of this situation, in a way CAPE has come a full circle and is now definitely putting on �not another biennale.�
SW: What sort of a response have you had from artists who thought their work was coming and it has to be cancelled?
GN: Well, the news was met with disappointment, but with that came encouragement and support. Most artists have come up with other ideas and creative and exciting solutions � so what has come out has been really positive and has assured us that people want to see this happen. Some artists were really pissed off and angry. I�m not happy about the situation but these responses were a wake up call that can be used constructively.
JG: The support has not only come from the artists but also from the artistic community; stakeholders, galleries and venue partners.
GN: This is a learning curve for all of us as well. Next time, we will find different ways of working and see what we can bring and how artists can bring it without necessarily shipping in work. So this is why this becomes a very exciting creative moment.
JG: We feel confident that we can put on a very good event without all this money.
SW: Also, of course, the Goodman Gallery Cape is opening with its launch show �Lift Off� and all the other galleries will have their best work out on show, and there is an enormous fringe, X-Cape, with more than 100 shows.
JG: Yes, the response from the local art community has been incredible and X CAPE will add to the density and quality of the event as a whole.
