Psychogeographies: Dennis Nilsen: Sad Sketches 3 Muswell Hill Road,1983

Psychogeographies: Dennis Nilsen: Sad Sketches 3 Muswell Hill Road,1983 2007, Invisible UV ink over pigment print on cotton paper, 40 x 58.5 cm

Kathryn Smith

Current Review(s)

Black: the antithesis of the fraudulent sensuality of culture's façade. An experiment in voluntary asceticism.

Liza Grobler, Mary Wafer, Hentie van der Merwe, Zander Blom, Kathryn Smith and Nomthunzi Mashalaba at blank projects

For blank’s last show in their Buitengracht Street space, the walls have been painted black.  Ditto the floors and ceiling, and what with the blistering spotlights burning down from above, it’s a rather uncomfortable space to find oneself in. Standing on the floor in one corner a doll-sized figure captures the mood: she’s wreathed in layers of black and brown tights, unable to see out, yet seems to be gazing up at a sickle moon through a little jail window, drawn on the black wall with white chalk. This playful chalk drawing effectively turns the whole gallery into a jail; a touch of magical realism not unlike that of Robin Rhode.

For the show, curators Jonathan Garnham and Pierre Fouché challenged artists to undertake a vow of ‘voluntary asceticism’, producing work in black only. Being contrary by nature however, several of the artists took this as something of a challenge and Liza Grobler's Little White Lies is not the only work which shows signs of mutiny.


05 August 2009 - 25 August 2009

Listings(s)

Black: the antithesis of the fraudulent sensuality of culture's façade. An experiment in voluntary asceticism.

Liza Grobler, Mary Wafer, Hentie van der Merwe, Zander Blom, Kathryn Smith and Nomthunzi Mashalaba at blank projects

Inspired by the eternal-, yet sensual darkness of Adorno's observations on aesthetics & Anaïs Nin's multiplicative expansionist core, blank has decided to invite artists to engage in an experiment of voluntary asceticism, to produce an intimate work in which, formally, colour is reduced to black. Zander Blom,  Liza Grobler, Nomthunzi Mashalaba, Kathryn Smith, Michael Taylor, Hentie van der Merwe and Mary Wafer are participating in this black-cube group exhibition.


05 August 2009 - 25 August 2009

James Webb, Kathryn Smith & Nontsikelelo Veleko on 3rd Arts In Marrakech Biennale

James Webb, Kathryn Smith and Nontsikelelo Veleko at AiM International Biennale

James Webb, Kathryn Smith & Nontsikelelo Veleko will be showing on the 3rd Arts In Marrakech biennale. The exhibition is curated by Abdellah Karroum and participating artists include Isaac Julien, Adel Abdessemed, Francis Alÿs, Ninar Esber, Naoko Takahashi and Otobong Nkanga.


19 November 2009 - 20 January 2010

'Artistic Practice and Social Imaginaries' - 11th Havana Biennial

Doreen Southwood, Steven Cohen, Kathryn Smith, Trinity Sessions and Nontsikelelo Veleko at Various venues around Havana

The 2012 Havana Biennial explores the relationship between visual productions and the social imaginary, referring to the way people imagine their social space and express themselves through cultural and historical references. Besides fine arts exhibitions, the Havana Biennial will include lectures, workshops and master classes, documentaries, performances and video screenings in sites across the city.


11 May 2012 - 11 June 2012