Interview with David Brodie from Art Extra and now Brodie/Stevenson
by Cara Snyman
David Brodie opened Art Extra in late 2007 after leaving a position as curator at the Goodman Gallery earlier that year. While Art Extra has worked closely with Michael Stevenson, exhibiting artists from Stevenson's stable, not many anticipated the official partnership between the Cape Town giant and the young Johannesburg-based space, which will culminate in the launch of Brodie/Stevenson. ArtThrob caught up with Brodie to get more details on the new gallery.
Cara Snyman: What motivated the partnership with Michael Stevenson?
David Brodie: Brodie/Stevenson came about as a result of two galleries who have a strong synergy and a closely shared vision of the contemporary art world, as well as a shared understanding about the role of the gallery within this world. There was a mutual interest in looking at possible partnerships that could benefit the artists with whom the galleries work. Michael Stevenson is the preeminent contemporary gallery on the African continent, with a significant international presence, so it is very exciting for a young gallery such as Art Extra to be given the opportunity to work closely with an organisation of such focused vision. On the other hand, I think that Art Extra will allow Michael Stevenson to significantly extend their already established programme of identifying and working with emerging talent.
CS: To what extent is Brodie/Stevenson an independent venture?
DB: Brodie/Stevenson is a new gallery. While it will show artists from Michael Stevenson and Art Extra respectively, the gallery is not a sub-component of either. It is an entirely new entity, that will develop its own stable, separate from either Michael Stevenson or Art Extra.
CS: What will the relationship mean for artists already in the Art Extra and Michael Stevenson stables?
DB: It will allow for artists to have an increased visibility and presence, both locally and internationally, as well as offering an increased pool of intellectual and logistical resources on which they may draw.
CS: What are the immediate and future plans for Brodie/Stevenson?
DB: Brodie/Stevenson will be launching officially with Wim Botha's solo show, opening on November 6. Our 2009 programme includes several curated group shows, as well as solo exhibitions from Simon Gush, Nandipha Mntambo, Avant Car Guard, Mary Wafer and Zanele Muholi, amongst others. Brodie/Stevenson will also be exhibiting on the Joburg Art Fair in April 2009.
Opens: November 6
Closes: December 13
Brodie/Stevenson
373 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall, Johannesburg
Tel: (011) 326 0034
Email: info@artextra.co.za
www.artextra.co.za
Hours: Tue - Fri 10.30am - 5.30pm, Sat 9.30am - 3pm
