SA Art Times: Business Art Times Sept 2009

SOUTH AFRICAN

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Local scam artist dupes the Queen’s Royal Art Collection Steve Kretzmann If you want to make money off art and don’t have the patience to invest in promising up-and-coming artists and then possibly waiting decades for them to make a name for themselves, you could just buy an unknown dead artist’s work.

With photographs of work in hand (and any diaries, clippings or other documents gleaned from the bargain lot you’ve bought) you can then fabricate a biography which explains why the artist was so great, yet reclusive (hints of mental, emotional or sexual abuse explain a lot).

Drop several names of calibre and high profile collections which are difficult to check up on and, voila!

You can now make thousands of Pounds buy putting a limited number of the works on auction through a reputable auction house.

It’s easier than forgery or theft, and it is what a local entrepreneur known as Glenn Strutt is accused of having done with the works of unknown and recently deceased artist Helen Anne Petrie.

The TimesOnline in London reported that he recently coined £15,000 when the Queen’s art collection bought four of Petrie’s works on a Bonham’s of London auction.

The subsequent discovery that Petrie’s work is mediocre and her biography inflated has put a lot of noses out of joint, although some have been delighted by the escapade, pointing out it out as proof of the fallibility of art speculators who put references above artistic talent.

Biographies to be found on the internet say she was born in 1933 and died in 2006, and all appear to stem from the same source, outlining a modest character of substantial independent means who was

HELEN ANNE PETRIE Friday, 27 June 2008 ANNE (HELEN) PETRIE 1933 – 2006 Introduction Biographical Overview Her parents kept their rather comfortable “Summer House” in Fish Hoek (The “Hamptons” equivalent in USA) and were Johannesburg socialites of the day, regular guests at Admiralty House when in the Cape or attending luncheons with Count Labia. Simonstown, the neighbouring village was the Naval Headquarters for the British Navy and at that time South Africa was a jewel Colony of The Empire.

In 1938 a relative, who noted the great potential Anne had shown already at a tender age of 5, cut out an article from the Huisgenoot, a local magazine, dated 18 August, entitled” Hoekom ek skilder” (”Why I Paint”) by now renowned artist Maggie Loubser, on a particularly hot summers day while on holiday from Boarding School this article was translated from Afrikaans into English for Anne by her multilingual nanny. A diary entry records Anne was truly mesmerised at the contents and thus her eventual admiration for Maggie and passion to paint was unknowingly (or unwittingly) set.

Anne had a privileged education and completed High School with excellent results, merits and awards; she went on to study further.

During this tertiary period Anne made 2 trips to Europe touring the leading galleries of Europe, taking down some 2300 pages of handwritten notes. Florence was her favourite, then Rome. Returning to South Africa she began painting oils on her own, and with tuition soon began to

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most upset at the activities of the apartheid government.

There are numerous factual errors though.

She was supposed to have met the artist Jan Vermeiren in Antwerp in 1954 ‘who assisted her in mastering her least favourite mediums, acrylics and pastels’.

But Vermeiren said he would have been six years old at the time.

He said Petrie’s work was sold on auction in Fish Hoek “for nothing” - which is where Strutt could have picked it up – and was “amateurish”.

“As far as I know I never met that woman,” he said. The biographies cite her works as being housed in numerous galleries, as well as in the private collections of celebrities such as Madonna, the Beckhams, Mike Myers, and in the estates of Frank Sinatra, John F Kennedy, Dr Christiaan Barnard amongst others, and in various European Royal Houses.

Terry Flynn, assistant curator at the Anne Bryant art gallery, says he can state “categorically” that the gallery has none of her works.

“I don’t even know her,” said Flynn.

And in 1961 Petrie apparently ‘spent a few weeks in private tuition with Gillian Ayres at the Bath Academy of Art’.

But Ayres was quoted by TimesOnline as saying: “I never gave private tuition to any pupil and I don’t know her.”

It appears Strutt, who has been fingered as the man behind the scam, may have hit upon a clever way of manipulating the arts business.

And the best thing is, while it may be unethical, the jury seems to be out on whether it’s illegal or not.

The opening of Harold Voigt and Reshada Crouse Exhibition, at the impressive White River Gallery, Mpumalanga Staff writer: The begining of hi tech art fraud has started feuled by the fast rising prices in SA art.

Although Helen Anne Patrie did exist as a small time Fish Hoek artist, those who don’t know their art history, and rely on lax art and history website editors for their information, - for them things can go horribly wrong, when ficticious seed profiling of artists gets scattered throughout web pages, facebook and professional profile

websites. In this regard most art dealers locally are careful in taking on unfamiliar artists and art pieces.

Strauss and Co are the first Auction house to stand by their guarantee for a full year on all their sales (see page 7 Auction Page) But what about the poor dead artist, the real Helen Anne Petrie, perhaps she may be the biggest victim, an artist who enjoyed making paintings, only to live into eternity associated with a scam.

Websites containing The Helen Anne Patrie profile include: South African Websites: www.southafricanartists.com www.sahistory.org.za www.arcyart.com International Websites: Incredible Art News, www.askart. com, wikibin.org, www.the-artworld.com, ilovesouthafrica.org www.scribd.com, www.hubpages. com, www.the-art-world.com

Photo: Gavin Smithdorp

Scam in a nutshell: 1. Purchase a deceased artist estate, with paintings and documents for next to nothing.

2. Together with a semi literate art writer create highly inflated profile that includes associations with long dead important artists, as well as claim work in important collections.

3. For over two years, upload in flated profile/s and associations onto

numerous lax, public edited artist and history profile websites

5. Get inflated prices published on auction results sites

4. Get work onto an auction, push up the price on auction - maybe pay this hefty price yourself (or better still in this case dupe The Queen’s art collection into accepting paintings from an unknown South African, giving the artist the credibility to fetch up to £15,000 at auction say Richard Brooks and Georgia Warren from the Times of London.) in order to push up the overall value of your stock.

6. Sell remaining work quickly for a fortune, before scam breaks

For further reading see www.paarlpost.com entertainment.timesonline.co.uk Further careful searching Google: Helen Anne Petrie

The Big Dupe, written by a certain: Sebastian L.S Schwagele – Fan Moniz

Good Morning from Genève, Switzerland, I have just completed 3 years of research on a leading philanthropist and Anti Apartheid female South African artist.

How do I submit a biography for you to review and consider adding to your website? Please see the attached biography Many Thanks Sebastian L.S Schwagele – Fan Moniz lay the foundation of what was to mature distinctive into her own style.

Anne felt that at the time the taste of small art-public was extremely backward and that there were too few discerning collectors and buyers, especially in South Africa, at that point still an Empire Colony.

In 1954 she spent a short period of time sitting in on lectures at the Kunsakedemie van Mechelen, Sint Niklaas and Antwerp, where she met artist Jan Vermeiren who assisted her in mastering her least favourite mediums, acrylic and pastels.

During her many foreign travels especially during the early years of her life after finishing school many important people of the day sat for portraits for which she was well paid… funding further visits to galleries and the odd art class at the Byam Shaw Goldsmith’s School of Art in London and under Sickert’s (Royal Academy School) own school in Camden Town.

Here she struck up a friendship with Cecil Higgs.

At the same time Anne met Mary (May) Ellen Hillhouse, who like Anne had Scottish Heritage (and acquaintance to her parents), together they consulted on what they both declared was “soul destroying commercial work” also resulting in Anne becoming (like May) an illustrator for various local and foreign companies, excelling in her graphic design for pottery, pattern design for Garlicks and Greatermans and Butterick Dress patterns, to name just a few.

At the same time she made, thanks to her Fathers intervention, occasional visits to the “Platteland” farm of Maggie Loubser father in at Klipheuwel near Malmesbury.

Anne spent many hours brooding over the vision Maggie had acquired during

her trip to London, so, just Like Maggie, Anne spent some time in Germany where she experienced the works of Marc and Nolde. The bud of interest, observing and consulting had slowly germinated and soon blossomed spectacularly.

In 1955 upon meeting Marjorie Wallace and husband Jan Rabie they ended up in a heated debate on politics and thus was cemented her lifelong interest in humanitarian causes in South Africa.

Anne could be very opinionated and outspoken.

In 1960 Anne was infuriated by the countrywide protests, demonstrations and strikes against the Pass Laws and Police brutality in response to the anti-Pass Laws campaign that she wished to return to Scotland, her Ancestral home indefinitely.

This fase passed.

In 1961 Anne spent a few weeks in private tuition with Gillian Ayres at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham and again at St. Martin’s School of art in London.

In the few surviving works by Anne of this period one can clearly note that she did not look to the raw expressionism of the New York School but to the school of Paris with its painterly cuisine and basic figuration.

A year later Anne wrote to Gillian indicating that in her opinion there was still a continent left to explore in the direction of colour when it came to painting and that although proportion and balance are essential aspects to remember, both artist and viewer have to experience it.

For Anne it appeared that in general amongst her British contemporaries the size of their canvass was increasing, the paint was fattening and forms were becoming more and more abstract.

Though in many of Anne’s work of this period one notes disciplined serene, contenmplative work in hard-edge idioms. Her work in this faze of artistic

experimentation is very much concerned with balance, harmony, tension, pleasure, movement, beauty and mental fragility.

In 1965 during a brief encounter at Stellenbosch University while attending a lesson on graphic design at the department of Creative Art she briefly met Jogen Bergen and took hand written notes… describing him in her diary as a man with” limited talents”.

In 1967 Mr. Albert Wert (Then Curator of the Pretoria Art Museum) together with Matthys Bokhorst (Director of the S.A.National Gallery) enquired to Anne Petrie being willing to participate in the SANLAM Art Collection Exhibition, which at that point contained in excess of 166 works of art, she declined to participate as the collection did not possess that degree of inner unity it would have had if the collection had from the beginning been built up for the purpose of exhibition, and that the initial intention of the SANLAM collection was merely to build up a collection of attractive South African paintings and sketches to hang in the offices of the Directors and staff and to let the public only share in the collection by means of printing the paintings (Including hers) on SANLAM’S CALENDARS. Diary entries indicate that she also declined an offer from Rembrandt Van Rijn Art Foundation to purchase her works privately.

Anne did however exhibit in South Africa twice in 1967, the most important exhibition being from 30th October till 11th November at the South African Association of Artists Annual Exhibition at 63 Burg Street, Cape Town, where leading art Critic of the day, Johan van Rooyen stated her 3 works titled – Indian Girl, Bantu Boy and Late Afternoon, Kommetjie

should be hailed as proving the standard that is expected at an exhibition of this calibre, which included works by fellow artists I.Roworth, S.Butler, V.Volschenk and L. Mears.

In 1971 Anne declined an invitation from Gunther van der Reis to participate in the “1971 Republic Festival Exhibition” which was organised by the S.A.Association of Artists, however decided to exhibit in Tel Aviv that year instead.

Anne’s works were exhibited in the late 60’s early 70’s at various galleries in RSA where she obtained critical acclaim (often relenting and allowing a portrait or landscape to be exhibited without a credit being published on the Program), however, shy and disillusioned at the politics involved in favouritism towards Afrikaans artists, predominantly males she stopped exhibiting at most major galleries of the day, and rudely declined many invitations to sell her art to Insurance or Banking related Institutions on many occasions.

Anne noted in her personal diary in 1972 that 2 major schools of thought were apparent in the South African art world amongst contemporary artists. One, where they identified themselves with various aspects of their Social and Geographical environmental conditions. The other identify in itself with International trends which could often be related to Colonialism and the Empire environment.

Both trends appeared at that time to be the natural result of a “Nation” maturing and divorcing itself from its old rural and Colonial character.

Anne felt that Nations were becoming more and more involved, inter-active and demanded greater effort from the viewer.

During the 1970’s 80’s and 1990’s Anne never tried to idealise her subjects. S he always strove for the accurate representation of everyday, apparently casual or overlooked subjects.

Her devotion to her art, especially during her latter years was so great that she also infected her fellow artists, resulting in anti - art people being able to view art with greater respect and admiration and she mentally and emotionally lived in many worlds. By this time Anne was mentally very fragile to the point of institutionalisation.

She never managed to deal mentally with the death of her Parents.

In the Transvaal and in the Western Cape she discovered the destruction caused by the introduction of the Group Areas Act that stimulated her imagination. In In Europe; mainly Italy and Scotland she sought the dream world for which she deeply yearned.

Finally, there was her own private inner world, to which very few were ever admitted, but, from which she derived her wonderful creative and inspired powers.

Of these worlds for Anne Cape Town was certainly not the most important. Anne’s works already belong to the Art history of South Africa, Royal Courts of Europe and Asia , Private Collectors and various Museums globally.

Even so it meant much to her, not only because she found relief there for her bodily ills, but in the autumns and winters there she re-discovered her homeland and thus her identity. Amongst her friends, fellow artists and local Inhabitants especially the Cape Coloured and Cape Malay people Anne felt she could be who she truly felt she was, a woman who seldom made preparatory cause of her impulsive nature.

The South African Print Gallery is proud to present in collaboration with:

Artthrob Editions

Until 28 September 2009. prints by the following important South African artists: Jane Alexander | Willem Boshoff | Lisa Brice | Nontsikelelo ‘Lolo’ Veleko | Guy Tillim | Mikhael Subotzky | Peet Pienaar | Penny Siopis | David Goldblatt | Hentie vd Merwe | Tracey Rose | William Kentridge | Robert Hodgins | Zwelethu Mthethwa. In addition, we will be launching a brand new print by Robert Hodgins. Hot off the presses at Mark Attwood’s studio For more info see Artthrob: www.artthrob.co.za Or The South African Print Gallery: www.printgallery.co.za

This was Anne Petrie, the woman, the benefactor, the pacifist, the friend… The TRUE Matriarch of South African Female Artists Anne’s works exhibited in the following Solo and Group Exhibitions · Anne Bryant Gallery, East London (1958) · Lidchi Gallery, Durban (1962) · Martin Melck Gallery, Cape Town (1963) · Belgium, Paris and Scotland (1965) · Gallery 21, Johannesburg, (1966) · Belgium and Paris(1969) · Israel (1971) · Athens (1974) · London and Paris (1976) · Frenchmen, West Germany (1978) · Seoul (1984) · Athens (1987) · Norway (1989) · New York (1994) Private Collectors / Patrons include (d) · Estate Wallace Simpson · Estate P.W. Botha · Estate John F. Kennedy · Estate David Botha · Estate Frank Sinatra · Estate Dr.Christiaan Barnard · Estate Maria Callas · Bill Clinton · Madonna · Mike Myers · David & Victoria Beckham · Mariah Carey · Carmen Elektra · James Brown · Vanessa Redgrave… to name just a few.

Various European Royal Courts owning works by Anne in their Private Collections · Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II & H.R.H. Phillip, the Prince Consort of The

United Kingdom · H.M. King Juan Carlos I & Queen Sofia of Spain · H.M. Kong Harald & H.M. Dronning Sonja of Norway · H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf & H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden · Her Majesty Queen Anne-Marie & H.R.H. Henrik, the Prince Consort of Denmark · Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan · Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands · H.R.H King Constantine & H.M. Queen Anne-Marie of Greece · H.R.H Charles, Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall Represented in the following Public National / International Collections · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo · TATE Modern, London · National Gallery, Denmark · National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo · The Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC · Singapore Art Museum, Singapore · National Gallery, Finland · The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam · The Guggenheim, Bilbao · The Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna · National Portrait Gallery, London · Dr. Shirley Sherwood Collection Posted by The Mayfair Colletion (Suisse) SA at 08:27 0 comments

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Evelyn Cohen’s letter to Iziko’s Bredekamp

Ross Douglas respnds to Mary Corrigall’s August letter It is time once again to respond to Corrigall.

Corrigall’s writings on the art fair are naïve, vindictive and often factually incorrect to our detriment. In the absence of editors she has been able to continue unchecked. Corrigall consistently slates the fair in her writings for the Sunday Independent.

Only when you understand the state of the paper does it make sense why no alternative views or opinions have been sought. As media analyst Prof.

Anton Harber explains, “O’Reilly’s local newspapers are mostly thinner than Michael Jackson in his last days.

Most tragic is the flagship Sunday Independent, which has not even had a full-time editor for years, and is down to a staff of about two people. O’Reilly has wreaked havoc and destruction on South African journalism”.

The local SA Art Times has taken to re-publishing her pieces from the Independent in addition to commissioning new work. Corrigall’s response to my letter and subsequent article is once again confused and I would like to use this opportunity to clear up what has become a boring debate.

1. Joburg Art Fair verse Cape Africa Platform Corrigall is correct when she states that we denied Mirjam Asmal-Dik of C.A.P. a stand at the art fair. While Artlogic is supportive of the idea of a biennale in this country, our art fair, as with every other in the world has stands for galleries and curated special projects - not for booths for the promotion of other art events. Did Corrigall see a booth for a biennale during her recent visit to Frieze?

2. The Art Fair as a commercial enterprise Corrigall claims that I attempt to hide the commercial nature of the fair and that the fair has no educational value as it is commercial. We openly sell branding rights to sponsors, space to

galleries and tickets at R100.00 per visitors (not R200.00 as stated by Corrigall in The Sunday Independent).

In addition I publish the annual sales figures of the galleries and openly state that the fair has to give galleries and sponsors a commercial return to survive.

I believe the fair, in the absence of a biennale or contemporary museum in this country plays a major educational and development role. The BMW art talks are free to visitors, we raised R100 000.00 for Soweto based art school FUNDA to participate, gave Artist’s Proof Studios and Artthrob free spaces and the Gordon Schachat Collection shipped out Jane Alexander’s biennale piece, “Security” at major expense for no direct commercial return.

My sense is that Corrigall’s opinion “art fairs do not make ideal environments for viewing or appraising art. Nor are they, as Douglas proposes opportunities for the South African public to be educated about contemporary art”, applies only to our fair.

3. Commercial Viability or Sustainability Corrigall seems to battle with my claim that Art Fairs are more commercially viable than biennales as they require less capital and have more sources of income. Biennales require upward of R25 million to get out the starting blocks – mainly from government making them difficult events to sustain.

Her confused response that “ the Joburg Art Fair has proved not to be the economically viable model that Douglas proposed… because “if Artlogic’s model is so sustainable why is it that their survival depends on FNB’S sponsorship” misses the point. What makes art fairs viable is sponsorship, gallery rentals and ticket sales. Frieze is sponsored by Deutsche Bank and Basel by UBS, without sponsors, they too would not survive.

But what is it about Mary that really irritates me?

It is the fact that she is exactly the type of person that keeps this country stuck in the twilight zone by telling the world how bad things from here are and telling those of us that are here how good it is over there.

When writing for a South African audience in the Sunday Independent about her recent visit to London’s Frieze art fair she clearly does not believe her statement “art fairs do not make ideal environments for viewing or appraising art”. The article reminds me of Alice in Wonderland; “devotees queued”, “the buzz” “the frisson of excitement”.

It goes on to describe a bunch of art happenings including a bobby doing yoga moves and finishes with “the most notable moment was when Kris Martin affected his intangible artwork, dubbed One Minute Silence (2007) which demanded that everyone in the fair remain quite for one minute”.

We were not so lucky in that same article. Jane Alexander’s Security received this cynical copy; “Even Jane Alexander’s Installation, Security (2006) with its barbed wire borders that hemmed in a rectangle of artificial grass, seemed to conform to the controlled spatial dynamics of the art fair.

Nevertheless it was commissioned for the 27th Sao Paulo Biennale, but perhaps its neat boxlike configuration appealed to the organizers”.

When writing for a foreign audience in the important Art Review owned

by London based ex South African Dennis Hotz , Corrigall uses stereotypes of Africa to paint a picture of crooked fair organizers trying to pull a fast one on the crowd. “With the failure of the Joburg Biennale still fresh in everyone’s minds, the organizers didn’t’ want to fiddle with a template that has supposedly been successful at promoting African art. The Joburg Art Fair cashing in on exotic notions about the continent by employing the “African” rubric didn’t faze organizers… Of Course it didn’t take long for visitors to the Joburg Art Fair to realize

they had been hoodwinked”. She then came up with her own facts to give her angle credibility “by the close of the art extravaganza all sales at the fair totaled a meager R13 million (our press release which she received stated R27 million for that year)”. And finished with the punishing line “perhaps the Africa brand isn’t as sellable as everyone thought”. This was the very same Joburg Art Fair that Karel Ankerman, of the Financial Times, Holland gave a great revue having reported on15 fairs and biennales that year alone.

Why would Corrigall purposely trash this country’s only fair to its most important world market? It is clear from her reporting of Frieze, that Corrigall is not necessarily anti art fairs. She is also smart enough to understand that fairs take time to grow, London’s Frieze has the luxury of the world’s biggest art economy behind it and the Joburg Art Fair is not obstructing a biennale or any less commercial art enterprise from happening here.

When it comes to the Joburg Art Fair why does she think “the money would be put to better use for an exhibition which contributes to art historical discourses, is more inclusive of artists who are not represented by galleries and audiences who are at a loss in a giant supermarket”. Imagine Corrigall suggesting that Frieze, Basel or Shanghai Art Fairs be replaced by such events? It would never happen.

The contemporary arts in South Africa will always be difficult. It is highly unlikely that we will get a contemporary museum, a biennale or a decent arts education programme. We will have to keep working on ways of growing the audience. The art fair has its challenges and limitations but it is one of the components that grows the audience as demonstrated by visitors increasing from 6500 to 10 000 in the second year. Constructive criticism is welcome. Corrigall’s writing to date has been anything but that.

From the JAF disscussion held at the Narina Trogon resturant in July 09

Joburg Art Fair, presented by FNB, - a sponsors view

By Robert Keip The sponsorship of the Joburg Art fair was not entered into as an act of charity. FirstRand annually donates 1% of its after tax profits to Corporate Social Investments.

For the 2009 financial year this amounted to R87.9 million with major allocations from the FNB Fund being made to Early Childhood Development (R4.9m); Community Care ( R6.6m); FNB’s Bursary Programme (R 8,1m) and HIV Aids/Hospice programme (R6.8m) and The Secondary School Outreach Programmes (R1,7m).

Through the RMB Fund there was also a R6,3million donation to Arts, Culture and Heritage, and focuses mainly support on development and training in the key sectors of music, dance and heritage supporting and celebrating South Africa’s diversity .

You will note, however, that there was no category for allocations to Atlantic Seaboard Galleries or internationally acclaimed local artists. Sponsorships are business investments and not acts of charity.

The reason companies get into sponsorships is for three main reasons:

1) 2) 3)

Association with the event Marketing opportunities Entertainment opportunities

1) Associate with the event Companies want to be associated with events that they believe their customers also like associating with. They want to be seen to be “hanging” with the “in crowd”. A lot of our competitors like to be seen “hanging” with specific sport events. FNB currently “hangs” out with 2010 World Cup TM. ..

But FNB recognises that not all our customers are sports mad and we also want to be seen to be “hanging” with people who like art.

2) Marketing opportunities Sponsorships give an opportunity for you to leverage your brand. It is for this reason that sponsors have very visible signage at the events Just consider the giant logos spray painted onto sports fields; the attachment of names to events; changing names of stadiums; and billboards at the venues. Some even go as far as to prevent competitors products even being sold at the events or handing out free products.

The actual sponsorship amount is usually only a small part of the expense.

The sponsors need to advertise their

sponsorship and this can easily double the cost of their involvement.

Media coverage is very important for sponsors – we look to the media to include our name in the articles they write about the event. Although the coverage of the Joburg ArtFair, presented by FNB, has been great, as a sponsor it was disappointing to find articles when we were not even mentioned, not even in the name of the event. In one magazine they ran a seven page article and didn’t credit FNB once.

3) Entertainment opportunity Sponsorships usually also have events or opening nights to which sponsors can invite guests. FNB hosted 600 clients at the last ArtFair, which cost hundreds of thousands of Rands for access to the Art Fair, food and drinks, and catalogues.

In addition, over the past two years FNB has as part of their allocation of tickets invited 150 non-customer guests, “Mavens and Connectors” who we hoped would either be early adopters who would buy art or speak to people who would buy art and help develop the concept

Economics of sponsorships Marketing budgets in most businesses are currently very tight because the economic crisis. Ultimately the effectiveness of sponsorships are measured by the acquisition of new business. At some events it is possible to measure accurate sales/acquisition. (E.g. exhibitors at the ArtFair can measure sales form the event). With more general sponsorships it is much more difficult to know if any gallery or artist or buyer changed banks because of our sponsorship. But we hope to build an affinity with the visitors who may one day think FNB when they get annoyed with their current bank.

Dear Sir/Madam, It is time that Iziko Museums of Cape Town and its sister museum organisation, the Northern Flagship Institution in Gauteng, were reviewed by the Government. As a person familiar with the National Gallery over some 33 years, I wish to express concern about its future under the management of Iziko. Letters have already appeared in the Press from Count Labia and Clr. Owen Kinahan on the blatant ingratitude of Iziko in handling its benefactors. The closure of the Natale Labia Museum and the loss of its collection stands in a long line of official blunders that have diminished our Gallery. This caps the refusal of the National Party government to purchase the entire Labia Collection for the nation in the 1960s.

Another loss in 1991 was Dr Anton Rupert’s patronage of the Cape Town Triennale. It made the Gallery a national focal point for our contemporary art. Its loss relegated the Gallery to provincial status and with it Cape Town’s cultural standing. Why benefactions to the Gallery fall foul of poor diplomacy, political expedience or lack of vision needs attention. Such cases (and these are but two) indicate the way in which petty politics override

artistic excellence and retard our aspirations for a world-class national art museum. The concept of a ‘national’ gallery has never been a serious consideration with any South African government. We find billions for 2010, but our artistic heritage and growth are grudgingly funded.

The purpose of amalgamating the Gallery into Iziko was to save money by eliminating the duplication of functions and centralising administration.

That, we were told, would rectify the Gallery’s long-standing problems, such as its limited space, its lack of storage and its pitiful acquisitions fund. Eight years after the fantastic scenarios envisaged by Iziko’s first CEO, that master-of-spin Jack Lohman, these never materialised. Hired at vast expense, he never completed his contract. That of his successor Henry Bredekamp has been marked by non-delivery on a promised revision of the San diorama (once a major tourist drawcard at the SA Museum), a loss of qualified staff, increased expenditure on management, low morale and little realisation of funding from non-State sources. The knowledge-base of Iziko’s functionaries is in steep decline.

My recent call for advice on obtaining a copy of the Iziko Annual Report baffled several librarians there.

The most recent Annual Report (published on Iziko’s website as I discovered) shows that conflict is rife at the top, with one director being paid out R196,677 of taxpayer’s money in a CCMA settlement of a botched appointment procedure.That could have been better spent on purchases for the Gallery’s collection. Shorn of former independence, the Gallery’s director has diminished prestige. He now functions as a compliant, lower-tier manager in an overpaid, bureaucratic and, by all accounts, inefficient top management.

Appointments at this level show that ‘transformation’ is pursued for its own sake, with little or no weight given to qualifications and museum experience.

Shackled to Iziko, the Gallery has no chance of being ‘turned around’, for the whole conglomerate would have to be dragged with it. This is Mbeki-style centralisation of administration at its worst. The ‘Iziko’ concept was only, it appears, a good excuse not to fund the Gallery – or any of our museumsproperly. The name ‘Iziko’, translated as ‘a hearth’, turns out be a very cold place indeed. Iziko does present a picture of fiscal rectitude compared to the disasters on Robben Island.

However, its compliance with financial regulations and employment equity

The former Board of Trustees of the National Gallery with its collective and specialist art expertise has gone. It has been replaced by the Iziko Council, none of whose present members are qualified to make an informed contribution on the visual arts. Greater public participation, accountability and transparency on governance was the motivation for establishing Iziko in the first place, yet with the National Gallery there is now virtually zero public participation. There is little passion about these issues in parochial Cape Town, and this city deserves what it gets. Henry Bredekamp may feel flattered that he has been asked by the Minister to rescue Robben Island, but he has too much unfinished work to do at Iziko.

E. COHEN

Iziko’s HC Bredekamp’s reply to Evelyn Cohen LETTER TO THE EDITOR We welcome the opportunity to respond to Ms Cohen’s letter.

It should be noted that Ms Cohen’s letter to the SA Art Times is in fact an extended version of a letter that appeared in the Business Day on 10 August 2009 under the heading ‘Philistines Rule at Iziko’ and raises similar allegations to those made by her in a series of letters recently published in the Cape Times. One has to question what drives such a sustained onslaught and why at this time?

Ms Cohen has argued that the amalgamation of heritage institutions in 1999, as result of the Cultural Institutions Act (No. 119 of 1998), with a view to streamlining management, centralizing certain functions, reducing costs and driving a transformation agenda was ill-conceived and has failed to deliver. Moreover, she alleges that far from resolving long-standing problems of limited space, lack of storage and inadequate funds for acquisitions at Iziko South African National Gallery things have deteriorated further.

However, in essence Ms Cohen offers little evidence to substantiate her views. Her allegations are best refuted by hard facts.

Iziko’s visitor figures in 2008/9 increased to 493 559 from 456 079 for 2007/8, an increase of 8.2%, and the South African National Gallery in fact shows an increase of 19% for the same period. In 2007/2008 some 20 exhibitions were hosted at the National Gallery, including the acclaimed Marlene Dumas exhibition.

Similarly in 2008/9 some 18 exhibition where delivered. The highlights of last year included I am me, the horse is not mine, the multi-channel projection of 8 films by William Kentridge, Voices of the Ancestors, a unique and interactive exhibition of African musical instruments from Iziko’s collections, and a review of more than 25 years’ work of the architect Pancho Guedes.

Significantly, Iziko’s Social History Collections Department worked in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture to deliver to South African audiences in Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Pretoria a unique exhibition of 40 rare manuscripts from the Ahmed Baba Institute in Timbuktu, creating an awareness of the history of the written word in sub-Saharan Africa.

These achievements are made more impressive when viewed against the backdrop of the challenge of operating

12 museums on a limited subsidy from the Department of Art and Culture.

Iziko supplemented this by generating an additional 29% of its total budget in 2008/9 from alternative revenue streams (an increase from 24.4% in 2007/8) of which 13.9% came from donor funding (an increase from 9.8% in the previous year).

Cohen’s ill-informed references to Iziko’s relationship with the Natale Labia Museum and illogical comment on the demise of the Cape Town Triennale in 1991 to substantiate her claim of poor handling of benefactors reveal her nostalgia for a bygone era and are best ignored. Iziko does, however, acknowledge the need for increased funding to build a truly representative national art collection and we are working proactively on a medium-term strategy to secure increased donor funding for acquisitions and to attract the support of new benefactors.

The process of transformation at Iziko is not without its challenges. We have come a long way since amalgamation and we are fully aware of the long road ahead. Iziko is committed to becoming a heritage institution that serves all sectors of the South African public, and to building a national art collection that reflects the artistic production of

Events like the Jo burg ArtFair, presented by FNB, help make Johannesburg a more interesting city. The Directors of ArtLogic need to be congratulated on their vision, courage and conviction to get the event up and running. FNB has been delighted to part of the journey over the past four years and to have worked with ArtLogic on the development of the concept 28 July 2009

the nation.

Our 2007/8 annual report is available on our website www.iziko.org.za and our 2008/9 report will be delivered to the Minister of Art and Culture on the 31 August 2009 and available online shortly thereafter. Both reports reveal the untenability of Ms Cohen’s allegations of decline and mismanagement.

What is the sub-text of Ms Cohen’s campaign? This is best left to the intelligent reader to discern. Change will always have its detractors but for those willing to embrace the new, it can hold exciting possibilities. We encourage Ms Cohen to engage with us directly, participate in future events and experience the many positive aspects of Iziko.

Professor HC Bredekamp CEO Iziko Museums of Cape Town Pamela Court Media Officer Institutional Advancement Iziko Museums of Cape Town

I wish to submit my objection in the strongest possible terms the publication of the Battiss orgy 3 screenprint!!!

I am fully aware that these days “anything goes....” as so called “art”in the perception of freethinkers,anti conservative Calvinists etc. I am a professional artist and the fact of the matter is this: How must I explain this orgy print to my grand children (teenagers) as “art” when they find your magazine on my coffee table?!

I am fedup and sickened by arrogant,self righteous ,self appointed art critics who feels obviously very sofisticated to present “art” as creation of “something new!” by digging up all objects of horror, filth,evil etc. We have enough of this via the media.I don’t have to “claim and frame” it on my wall! Ironically,you state ito your”news paper rights?” to reject ANY material that COULD be found offensive by its readers? Well....? Manie Weber.

Orgy 3, screenprint. Walter Battiss

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ART LEADER | PEOPLE IN THE SPOTLIGHT | ART BUSINESS

SEPTEMBER 09 | BUSINESS ART

03

Art Leader : Christopher Till Research on that topic took him to the then Rhodesia, where he was offered the directorship of the National Gallery in Salisbury. That he describes as a “baptism of fire in political transition.

It was a society under siege which was then reintegrated into the world.”

Photo: www.nelsonmandela.org

By Michael Coulson Running just one museum would be demanding enough for most people; running two would seem to be a superhuman task. To make matters worse, the Apartheid Museum at Gold Reef City and Gold of Africa Museum in Cape Town are 1 500 km apart; but Christopher Till seems to take it all in his stride. Complicating matters yet further, ask him where he lives, and the answer is neither Cape Town nor Jo’burg, but Nottingham Road, in the KZN Midlands.

I decide not to go there, but to concentrate on his working arrangements.

“It’s not as difficult as you might think. I have full support systems at both sites.

With the telephone and e-mail, whichever I’m at, I’m continually in touch with what’s going on at the other. But I do spend more time in Jo’burg, as the Apartheid Museum is much the larger and more complex organisation.”

Like most people in the art world, Till’s interest started in childhood and was fostered at school, at Hilton College, where the art master was ex-Royal Army and also in charge of shooting, obviating the common schoolboy scorn that art is for cissies. He went on to a BA (Fine Arts) at Rhodes, majoring in painting, and wrote a master’s thesis on African art and mythology.

After eight years, he was offered a post in Perth, Western Australia, and was about to go over there to have a look when then Jo’burg Art Gallery director Pat Senior was killed in a road accident. “We had some talks, but I didn’t want to go through that transition process again. I went back to Harare [as Salisbury had then become] undecided, only to find that the Jo’burg City Council had already announced my appointment at JAG! So I decided to stick with it.”

Till, then 32, was and remains by a short head the youngest person appointed to head JAG. “It was an amazing time. JAG had completely abrogated responsibility for setting trends in the art world, or scholarship. It published few catalogues, and most of its exhibitions were simply borrowed from other institutions. I set out to surround myself with capable people. Alan Crump was on our committee, and that gave me the entrée to hire bright young people from Wits as curators.

“One of our first exhibitions was The Neglected Tradition, which signaled our intention to explore and document African art. I was appalled by the Eurocentricity of the historic collection. The SA art may have been contemporary, but was hardly representative, with few black artists.

“In Zimbabwe I’d repositioned the generically misnamed ‘Shona’ sculpture to credit the individual artists, and also built up a collection of ethnographic art, but JAG had nothing of that.”

After Till’s responsibility was extended to all the city’s museums, he was able to fill these gaps. When the city, then under sway of the arch-conservative councillor J F “Obie” Oberholzer, refused to finance such acquisitions, he persuaded Harry Oppenheimer to buy what became known as the Brenthurst Collection, and lend it to JAG. Later, Till persuaded Anglo American to set up its eponymous fund, now virtually JAG’s only source of finance for acquisitions, to mark Jo’burg’s centenary. Further promotion saw him named Jo’burg’s Cultural Director, in which capacity he promoted the two Jo’burg Biennales and Arts Alive. He also got permission from the Council to launch Ubuntu 2000 and allied projects to promote African art, but in his words “By then the city administration was in chaos and nothing happened.”

Frustrated, he approached the Krok brothers, whose licence to develop Gold Reef City required them to set up an apartheid museum, with a proposal, and sent another to AngloGold (now AngloGold Ashanti) for a gold museum in Cape Town. No doubt somewhat to his surprise, both were accepted, and the two opened within seven days of each other in 2001 – which even Till admits was a bit hectic.

Apart from both being museums, they’re very different kinds of institution. The Apartheid Museum is in a custom-built modern building, and attracts about 100 000 visitors a year, half of them schoolchildren. Though it’s supported by Gold Reef City, it’s governed by an independent trust.

Gold of Africa, in effect part of AngloGold Ashanti’s marketing programme, is in the restored 17th-century Martin Melck house, right in the CBD, and attracts barely half as many visitors, most of them foreign tourists.

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And the winner is... 2009 Tierney Fellowship results The winners of the 2009 Tierney Fellowship are out, and this year it is Monique Pelser (Wits), Ariane Questiaux (UCT) and Simangele Kalisa (Market Photo Workshop) who will take home the R40 000 grant. Cape audiences may remember Pelser’s work from her 2007 ‘Roles’ exhibition at, in which she swapped places with various South African blue collar workers, posing in their clothes, make-up and jewellery. “[T]here is a degree of theatricality in nearly all portrait photography,” says Pelser in her MFA thesis, which she completed at Rhodes in 2006.

Pelser currently lectures at Wits, and continues to use performance and quotation in her photographs, something she sees as a means to grapple with the troubled history of the medium.

Theatricality is also present in the work of UCT recipient, Ariane Questiaux, who exhibited a series of photographs re-enacting old family photos taken in the Belgian Congo, for her graduate exhibition last December. “It didn’t even cross my mind that I would win”, said Questiaux, who is considering using her grant to head off to the DRC to continue her work.

Johannesburg audiences meanwhile will be more familiar with Market Photo Workshop winner, Simangele Kalisa, who participated in the 2007 ‘Face Her’, exhibition at the Workshop. Kalisa’s latest body of work includes a series of portraits.

The Tierney Fellowship is designed to help emerging South African photographers produce

a substantial body of work, and translates to around R40 000, part of which covers printing and framing costs for an exhibition in a year’s time. In addition to the monetary support, the fellowship offers mentorship, through a series of group ‘crits’, with notable South African photographers.

An exhibition of 2008 Tierney fellowship winners, Rob Watermeyer (UCT), Tracey Edser and Francki Burger, was held in June at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town earlier this year.

Image: from Questiaux’s student show, which dealt with her family’s connections to what was then the Belgian Congo, colonisation and photography.

See more at: www.tierneyfellowship.org

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Customs woes for International exhibition organisers

By Janine Stephen Bringing valuable international exhibitions into South Africa has become that little bit more difficult for beleaguered art lovers and institutions.

The South African Revenue Service has cracked down on a loophole that helped sponsors like Standard Bank bring top-notch shows like 2006’s Picasso in Africa or the Marlene Dumas show Intimate Relations to povertystricken institutions like the South African National Gallery.

Gallery directors and sponsors are concerned that tightening of customs requirements could have negative implications for holding future international shows.

SARS assistant to customs operational support, Gideon Lourens, told Business Day Art that embassies could no longer bring in work for temporary exhibition purposes using a customs clearance ‘Certificate A’, as was the case in the past. This certificate exempted the work from any customs charges. The Department of Foreign Affairs notified embassies of the change last year.

Mandie van der Spuy of Standard Bank says a ‘Certificate A’ was used to bring in work for the Picasso and Dumas shows, as well as the Jean Miro and Marc Chagall exhibitions.

“All were organised in conjunction with the respective embassies through documentation that exempts the payment of import duty or VAT. We did not need to make a provisional payment,” she said.

“This gap has now closed,” Lourens clarified. Instead, exhibition organizers would have to go the route of applying for temporary import under item 480.10 of the Customs and Excise Act of 1964, which refers to “goods for display or use in exhibitions, fairs, meetings or similar events”.

The problem is these temporary imports require money. As Lourens, a shipping agent and a customs clearing agent explained, a provisional payment must be made upfront as surety.

Normally, this payment is calculated by taking the import value, adding 10%, and then calculating 14% of that total.

For an exhibition with a value of countless millions, such as the Picasso show, this is not peanuts.

The payment is returned once the

work is re-exported, but it takes at least six months – and no interest is payable. So if a show is in the country for six months, it could take at least a year for any organisation or sponsor to get its money back.

An alternative route can be even more expensive: an ATA carnet requires the bond or surety to be paid to the home country; percentages vary, but it can be as much as 50% of the value of the consignment. Again, the money is returned once the goods are back safely.

Lourens does however point out that SARS and customs are flexible, and the laws “allow for discretion” in terms of the provisional payment. Organisations can approach SARS to bring down, or even waive, the amount.

“People must not be scared,” he says.

“Each case is assessed on merit. The secret is communication.”

Embassies can also help by agreeing that they will be responsible for any duties and taxes if the work isn’t reexported within a reasonable period, but this is a serious commitment.

Alex Leite-Pinheiro of Elliott International agrees better payment rates can be negotiated; for one consignment where the surety could have been many millions, he managed to bring it down to R100,000.

But the change has sent shivers through sectors of the art world. Clive Kellner, previous director of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, questions why South Africa requires any upfront payment for cultural heritage items entering the country for exhibition purposes only. ‘Customs applies commercial rules to work that is entering the country for educational or cultural heritage purposes,’ he says. ‘If JAG had to put up a bond [of even R100,000] for an exhibition, it’s very simple: it can’t.

There is just no money… It’s critical to the development of the cultural sector in South Africa that policies [that exempt customs requirements on cultural heritage shows] are put in place. ” Kellner says that the Africa Remix show at JAG was valued at around R200-million. In that case, neither the gallery, nor the first shipping agent they approached could raise the payment, but a second shipping agent managed to help (it was worth it to them for the business). ‘It’s mystifying that there is not one single clear policy

or rule to exempt exhibitions like this,” Kellner says.

JAG did not use the certificate A loophole to bring work into the country, but Kellner said it was sad that others could no longer utilise it.

Riason Naidoo, director of the SANG, says if the reason for the change was simply to make sure the loophole wasn’t being abused, and if it didn’t “get in the way of artistic exchange” by preventing museums from being granted waivers, then it could simply mean more paperwork.

However, he noted that considering South Africa’s years of isolation under Apartheid, “the country needed to be more open to cultural production beyond our borders. We should be assisting the exchange of artistic practices rather than creating more barriers.”

Marilyn Martin, previous director of the SANG says the change would be a “disaster” if it made it more difficult for museums to host major exhibitions.

“It will be a deterrent, she said. “It’s a shame to cut the cord of such wonderful international co-operation between institutions and embassies.” She understands that it’s possible to apply for waivers, but also calls for a clear policy of exemption for museums.

“Otherwise you’re at the mercy of a particular SARS officer to make the decision.”

Van der Spuy also believes that when an exhibition travels to South Africa “as a cultural exchange between institutions”, a payment should not have to be made – and large sums of money tied up for months would be impossible for corporate entities, never mind public institutions, to afford.

“If a payment had been necessary for the Picasso show, the bank would have had to think twice about the sponsorship,” she said.

Antoinette Murdoch, now chief curator at JAG, was also sorry to hear about any tightening up of requirements.

Provisional payments would not be affordable for JAG, Murdoch said.

“Cash flow is not a luxury that art and government institutions have.”

This article first appeared in The Weekender

Marijke van Velden on winning the Sasol New Signatures 09 Katharine Jacobs ‘I like making things that excite me and that aren’t necessarily only accessible to visual literate people’.

On hearing the news that she had been selected in the top 10 finalists of the Sasol New Signatures competition, this years winner Marijke van Velden was overwhelmed. ‘I was very proud that I was nominated as I’ve never really seen myself as a serious artist’.

Currently she is enrolled for an MPhil in illustration at the University of Stellenbosch where she completed a degree in Fine Arts.

Reflecting on the process of making her winning piece ‘Pierneef goes Dulux’, the Maties graduate says that she has a strong leaning towards participatory art making processes that actively involves the viewer.

Started some two years ago, her winning entry embodies this interactive philosophy of making art. ‘I want people to take out the pieces and to make their own landscape’. This process of play is very important to van Velden and can be seen in the way she developed the work.

Putting a colour by numbers version of the image together with a list of colours up in the residency where she lives in Stellenbosch, van Velden says that random people were encouraged to choose the final outcome of the painting.

Yet the final product was to be a mystery. ‘I didn’t want the hills to be green and the sky blue, that’s boring’. Here the significance of ‘Dulux’ in the title comes into conceptual play. ‘I wanted to move away from peoples normative ideas about landscape, so I deliberately chose colours whose names where absolutely arbitrary’.

The result is a technicolour take on a landscape by the acclaimed painter J.H.Pierneef, thereby destabilising the ‘conventional high-art notion of landscape painting’. With the final sections cut out of 12mm

supawood the viewer is then free to engage with the work and ‘construct their own landscapes’.

Firmly entrenched in the canon Pierneef has recently come to be the subject of much renewed criticial examination. Van Velden remarks that her interpretation ‘speaks about the way we have come to reconsider landscape painting’ and the ‘owning the right to appropriate’ such traditions.

Images: Top to bottem: Marijke van Velden recieving her award, Cement artwork by Peter Campbell, Pierneef goes Dulux

by Marijke van Velden, Follow up prize; My Mother by Amita Makan, Still 1 by Abri de Swardt

Marijke van Velden

SOUTH AFRICAN ART GALERY SHOW LISTINGS SEPTEMBER 2009 Eastern Cape

East London

Ann Bryant Art Gallery

27 Aug-12 Sep, Santam Child Exhibition, paintings and sculptures.

17 Sep-4 Oct, paintings by Stella Wills 9 St Marks Road, Southernwood, East London T. 043 722 4044 Annbryant@intekom.co.za

Port Elizabeth Alliance Francaise Port Elizabeth For Sep, sound, video, stop-motion animation and public interventions by Nina Barnett 17 MacKay Street, Richmond Hill, T. 041 585 7889 www.alliance.org.za Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum 30 Jul-20 Sep, sculpture by 2009 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner, Nicholas Hlobo. 15 Aug-25 Nov, Poking Fun, works from the Art Museum’s permanent collection exploring humour, biting commentary and satire. 1 Park Drive, Port Elizabeth, T. 041 506 2000 www.artmuseum.co.za

Free State

Bloemfontein Oliewenhuis Art Museum 29 Sep-18 Oct, Freshford House Museum, Photographic Competition Exhibition 16 Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein T. 051 447 9609 Johan Smith Art Gallery From 26 Sep, 15th Annual Exhibition, with invited artists, Alain Nortje, Elga Rabe, Hennie Meyer, Llewellyn Davies, Elbe van Rooyen Windmill Centre Main Street Clarens T. 058 256 1620 www.johansmith.co.za Blou Donki Art Gallery Contemporary Art, Steel Sculptures, Functional Art, Photography, Ceramics.

Windmill Centre Main Street Clarens T. 058 256 1757 www.bloudonki.co.za

Gauteng

Johannesburg Alliance Française of Johannesburg, Gallery Gerard Sekoto 7-12 Sep, Together. Ensemble, by Véronique Tadjo 17 Lower Park Drive corner Kerry Road, Parkview – opp. Zoo Lake T. 011 646 1169 culture.jhb@alliance.org.za Artist’s Proof Studio From 25 Aug, Fragments, prints and drawings by Belmiro Jemusse Bus Factory (c/o Henry Nxumalo, 3 President Street, P.O. BOX 664, Newtown) T. 011 492 1278 f. 011 833 1882 apsgallery@mweb.co.za www.artistproofstudio.org.za Arts on Main 20 Sep-6 Oct, ‘Us’, curated by Simon Njami and Bettina Malcolmess, examines notions of nation, culture, class, gender, sexuality and race.

Fox St, Johannesburg www.artsonmain.co.za artsonmain@gmail.com Art on Paper 15 Aug-12 Sep, prints and watercolours

by Fiona Pole 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf (Milpark), T. 011 726 2234 www.artonpaper.co.za Artspace – JHB 27 Aug-16 Sep, In Arms by Dylan Graham, paintings dealing with the ambiguities of people and phenomena.

Chester Court, 142 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg.

T. 011 880 8802 www.artspace-jhb.co.za The Bag Factory Artists’ Studios 9-16 Sep, Axis Mundi, works by Laurence Bonvin (Switzerland), Alejandro Contreras Moiraghi (Argentina), Myer Taub (Cape Town) and guests 10 Mahlatini St, Fordsburg, Johannesburg T. 011 834 9181 info@bagfactoryart.org.za www.bagfactoryart.org.za The Bus Factory From 23 Sep, ‘Urban Eyes’ Children’s Art Project, mural design competition for schoolchildren.

3 President St, Newtown, Johannesburg. T. 011 688 7851 info@jda.org.za Brodie/Stevenson 13 Aug–5 Sep, solo shows by Conrad Botes and Lauren van Gogh. 10 Sep-10 Oct, sculpture by Nandipha Mntambo 373 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg T. 011 326 0034, http://www.brodiestevenson.com David Brown Fine Art Until 19 Sep, Ephemera, mixed media, photo montages and found objects and collage, by Aidon Westcott 39 Keyes Ave,off Jellicoe, Rosebank, Johannesburg. T. 011 788 4435 www.davidbrownfineart.co.za David Krut Projects 5-29 Sep, dry points, lithographs and sculpture, by Diane Victor, Jacki McInnes & Dorothee Kreutzfeldt

142 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg T. 011 447 0627 www.davidkrutpublishing.com Gallery MOMO 3-28 Sep, Group Exhibition 52 7th Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg T.011 327 3247 www.gallerymomo.com Gallery on the Square For Sep, contemporary South African artists, including: Paul Blomkamp, Wilma Cruise, John Kramer, Colbert Mashile, Hermann Niebuhr, Carl Roberts, Jenny Stadler among others 32 Maude Street, Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton City, Sandton, Johanesburg. T. 011 784 2847 www.galleryonthesquare.co.za Gold of Africa Museum Gallery 30 Jun-30 Sep, Headgear, drawings by Jeannette Unite.

Turbine Hall, Jeppe Street, Johannesburg T. 07829251834 www.goldofafrica.com Goodman Gallery 27 Aug-3 Oct, Sue Williamson 163 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg, T. 011 788 1113 www.goodman-gallery.com Everard Read Gallery Jhb Until 3 Sep, Umuzi photograps, Uva Mira Magnums Auction. 11-25 Sep, sculptures by Dylan Lewis 6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg T. 011 788 4805 http://www.everard-read.co.za Grahams Fine Art Gallery 16 Jul-16 Sep, Imaging and Imagining: South African Art circa 1896-2008 Shop 31, Broadacres Lifestyle Centre, Cnr. Valley & Cedar Roads Fourways, Johannesburg. T.011 465 9192 www.grahamsgallery.co.za GordArt Gallery 5-26 Sep, Main space: John Moore, Last Rites, etchings and drawings.

Upstairs: paintings and ceramics by Afrobot. From 3 Oct, Main space: Treasure! Sculptures and painting by Colin Payne. Upstairs: paintings by Craig Smith Shop 1 Parkwood Mansions, 144 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, T 011 880 5928 www.gordartgallery.com gordon@gordartgallery.com Manor Gallery 10-15 Sep, Desperate Housewives, a group show, in mixed media Norscot Manor Centre, Penguin Drive T. 011 465 7934 Email: gallery@wssa.org.za www.wssa.org.za Johannesburg Art Gallery 30 Jun-27 Sep, Musha Neluheni: Vantage, in the artist’s project room #5. 26 Jul-1 Nov, Vik Muniz, Stephen Shore and Janaina Tschape. From 20 Sep, ‘Us’, curated by Simon Njami and Bettina Malcolmess King George Street, Joubert Park, Johannesburg T. 011 725 3180 www.joburg.org.za Market Photo Workshop 12 Aug-11 Sep, Residues, photography

by Juan Orrantia 2 President Street, Newtown, Johannesburg, 2000 T. 011 834 1444 www.marketphotoworkshop.co.za Museum Africa 25 May-24 Dec 2010, l’Afrique: A Tribute to Maria Stein-Lessing and Leopold Spiegel; co-curated by Nessa Leibhammer and Natalie Knight.

121 Bree Street, Newtown, Johannesburg, T. 011 833 5624 www.knightgalleries.net Origins Centre 5 Aug-10 Oct, From Abidjan to Joburg, Veronique Tadjo Cnr Yale and Enoch Santonga Str. University of the Witwatersrand T. 011 717 4700 www.origins.org.za Resolution Gallery For Sep, The Wealth of No Nations, works by Pat Mautloa and Godfried Donkor.

142 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg T. 011 880 4054 www.resolutiongallery.com Sandton Civic Art Gallery 15 Sep-5 Oct, Indian ‘Shared Histories’: painted narratives from India.

Nelson Mandela Square, corner Maude and Fifth Streets, Sandton T. 011 881 6430/32 Sally Thompson Gallery 2 Sep-10 Oct, Jo’burg Gini, photography by Sally Gaule 78 Third Avenue, Melville, T. 011 482 9719 www.thompsongallery.co.za Standard Bank Gallery 4 Aug-19 Sep, SBYA 25th Anniversary exhibition.

Cnr. Simmonds & Frederick Streets, Johannesburg, 2001 Tel: 011 631 1889 www.standardbankgallery.co.za The Art Place, Gallery & Art Centre 12 Sep-3 Oct, Enchantment, fine porcelain by Dale Lambert and paintings by Maureen Rugani. 10 Oct-31 Oct, Introducing TAG, quilts and wall hangings.

144 Milner Ave, Roosevelt Park, T 011 888 9120 University of Johannesburg Arts Centre Gallery 2 Sep-14 Oct, Retrospective of oil paintings by Braam Kruger University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park Kingsway campus cnr. Kingsway and Universiteits Rd, Auckland Park T. 011 559 2099/2556 www.uj.ac.za/artsacademy

Pretoria

Alette Wessels Kunskamer Exhibition of Old Masters and selected leading contemporary artists.

Maroelana Centre, Maroelana.

GPS : S25º 46.748 EO28º 15.615 T. 012 346 0728 C. 084 589 0711 www.artwessels.co.za Cameo Framers and Gallery 2-22 Sep, works by Noria Mabasa, Jackson Hlungwani, Johannes Maswanganyi, Dr Seoka Phutuma and Fanoni ‘Chickenman’ Mkhize.

198 Long Street, Waterkloof, Pretoria T. 082 923 2551 trent.art@gmail.com Fried Contemporary Art Gallery 8 Aug-26 Sep, Recent work by Johann Moolman, Diane Victor and Rossouw van der Walt 430 Charles Str, Brooklyn, Pretoria T. 012 346 0158 www.friedcontemporary. com Kraal Studio 29 Aug-10 Oct, Solitude and Things Collected.

364 Milner Road, Waterkloof, Pretoria T. 082 464 6767 hanlieandclive@kraalstudio.co.za Magpie Gallery 8 Aug-17 Sep, If I were a girl it is, works by male artists, curated by Debbie Cloete. 29 Aug-24 Sep, Candy Coated, works by Thelma van Rensburg, Adelle van Zyl, Marisa Mare, Cecily Pohl, Debbie Cloete, Annelie le Hannie, Anita Booyens-bodenstein, Griet van der Meulen, Megan Mackway-Wilson, Karen Liechti, AnnaLynne Marais, Rozan Cochrane, Masa Milovanovic and Julie Rochford.

Shop 21B, Southdowns Shopping Centre, Centurion T. 012 665 1832 www.magpie.co.za Michael Heyns Gallery 19-26 Sep, 800below, Studio clearance sale by Pretoria artists, including Mimi van der Merwe, Michael Heyns, Cecily Pohl and Jennifer Snyman.

116 Kate Ave Rietondale Pretoria T. 082 451 5584

KwaZulu-Natal

Durban

Artisan Contemporary 10 Aug-20 Sep, Vista, a collection of fibre art by Fibreworks, and beaded sculpture by Ceasar Mkize and Thase Dlamini 344 Florida Rd, Morningside, T. 031 312 4364 Email: sue@artisan.co.za ArtSpace - DBN 24 Aug–12 Sep, mixed media works

by Martin Burnett and Life Journey by Di van Wik. In the front room: Vega Student Logos for the relaunch of the Stable Thearte 3 Millar Road, Durban.

T.031 312 0793 www.artspace-durban.co.za Durban Art Gallery 12 Aug- end Oct, PAST/PRESENT, works by Andrew Verster. Until Dec 2009, Pic(k) Of The DAG, South African works from the gallery’s Permanent Collection.

Second Floor, City Hall, Anton Lembede Street, Durban T. 031 311 2268 strettonj@durban.gov.za www.durban.gov.za/durban/discover/ museums/dag Elizabeth Gordon Gallery A variety of new South African artworks, including paintings by Hugh Mbayiwa, Scott Bredin and Ezequeil Mabote.

120 Florida Road, Durban T. 031 303 8133 eqqart@iafrica.com Imbizo 13 Aug-23 Sep, Black and White, a show including black and white works in all media.

Shop 7A, Ballito Lifestyle Centre, Ballito 4418 T. 032 946 1937 info@imbizogallery.co.za

35 Church Street, Cape Town T. 021 424 7436 www.ava.co.za Atlantic Art Gallery A permanent display showcasing leading contemporary South African artists.

25 Wale Street Cape Town, T. 021 423 5775 Cape Gallery 16 Aug-26 Sep, Annual Wildlife exhibition, including painting, sculptures and mixed media 60 Church Street, Cape Town, T. 021 423 5309 www.capegallery.co.za Carmel Art Dealers in Fine art, exclusive distributers of Pieter van der Westhuizen etchings 66 Vineyard Road, corner Cavendish St, Clarement T.021 671 6601 Constantia Village Shopping Centre, Main Road, Constantia T. 021 794 6262 Christopher MǾller Art Dealers in South African contemporary art and South African masters.

82 Church Street, Cape Town, T. 021 439 3517 www.christophermollerart.co.za David Porter Antiques Buyers and sellers of South African art T. 021 683 0580/083 452 5862 david@davidporterantiques.com Erdmann Contemporary / Photographers Gallery 9-26 Sep, The Hero Within, photography by Melanie Cleary 63 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town T. 021 422 2762 www.erdmanncontemporary.co.za Exposure Gallery 27 Aug-24 Sep, The Spirit of Ubuntu, photography by Angie Joseph, Clare Louise Thomas, Dave Robertson, Duane Howard, Gideon Van Der Watt, Michael Prochnik, Steve Wilson & Theo Klompje.

Platform on 18th 20 Aug-5 Sep, Narrative Video art, paintings and sculpture by 22 Open Windows students. 10 Sep-3 Oct, Sketchboek Spaza, works by Heleen Schroder, Nicolene Louw, John Murray and Leonora van Staden, www.platform18th.co.za 232 18th Street, Rietondale, Pretoria T. 084 764 4258 Pretoria Art Museum 27 Aug-20 Sep, Sasol New Signatures Art Competition, Until 1 Dec, A selection of artworks tells a brief story of South African art from the time of the first San artists, includes early 20th century painters, Resistance artists and artists of the 21st century. Also on show until Dec, the Corobrik Collection, showcasing the development of ceramics in South Africa in the past thirty years.

T.012 344 1807/8 www.pretoriaartmuseum.co.za Pretoria Association of Arts 14 Aug- 2 Sep, etchings, monoprints and mixed media works by Gerda Scholtemeijer. 6-23 Sep, mixed media works by Lottie Mischa, Ella van Vuuren. 4-22 Sep, mixed media works by Jahni Wasserfall. 13 Sep-1 Oct, mixed media works by Willie van Rensburg.

27 Sep-15 Oct, Marinus Wiechers, Monica Zaayman, Riette Vorster 173 Mackie Street, New Muckleneuk, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0181, T. 012 346 3100 www.artsassociationpta.co.za Tessa Teixeira’s Fine Art Studio From 10 Oct, Should I go or should I stay: reflecting on the South African Diaspora. Paintings and installation

by Tessa Teixeira 2 Escombe Avenue, Parktown West, Johannesburg, (cnr Westcliff drive) T.082 339 4848 Email: info@tessateixeira.com St Lorient Fashion & Art Gallery 30 Aug-26 Sep, Rooftop, outdoor sculpture exhibition curated by Gordon Froud 492 Fehrsen Str, Brooklyn Circle, Pretoria. T. 012 460 0284 www.stlorient.com UNISA Art Gallery 15 Aug-11 Sep, New Acquisitions exhibition. 24 Sep-16 Oct, Amasiko eSintu Craft Exhibition Theo van Wijk Building, Goldfields entrance, 5th floor. Unisa Campus, Pretoria. T.012 429 6823 www.unisa.ac.za/gallery University of Pretoria, Van Wouw Museum 3 Aug-30 Sep, Arts Unlimited Exhibition 299 cnr Clark and Rupert St

João Ferreira Gallery 2 Sep-3 Oct, ‘Before Life’, photography by Araminta de Clermont 70 Loop Street,Cape Town, T. 021 423 5403 www.joaoferreiragallery.com Johans Borman Fine Art Gallery 15 Aug-12 Sep, 10-20 Anniversary Exhibition: Art That Inspires In-Fin-Art Building, Upper Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, T. 021 423 6075/082 5664631 www.johansborman.co.za

Kalk Bay Modern Winter Showcase: art works on paper

by Cecil Skotnes, Penny Siopis, Colbert Mashile, Michele Tabor, Jane Eppel, Lyn Smuts, Rory Botha, Nat Mokgosi.

1st Floor, Olympia Buildings, 136 Main Road Kalk Bay. T.021 788 6571 kbmodern@iafrica.com Kunst House 24 Sep-17 Oct, Thelma van Rensburg, Seductress in Distress 62 Kloof Street, Gardens, T. 021 422 1255 www.kunsthouse.co.za Lindy van Niekerk Art Gallery Exhibition of SA’s leading artists.

31 Kommandeur Road, Welgemoed, Belville T. 021 913 7204/5 www.artpro.co.za Michael Stevenson Contemporary 6 Aug-26 Sep, Wim Botha, ‘Sidestep’

by Simon Gush and ‘Middlesea’, a video work by Zineb Sedira.

1 Oct-21 Nov, ‘The Street’, sculpture

by Meschac Gaba and ‘Subtropicalia’, video, sculpture and a short story by Paul Edmonds Ground Floor, Buchanan Building, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Cape Town, T. 021 462 1500 www.michaelstevenson.com

Naude Modern 5-26 Sep, Tête-à-Tête, Pasqual Terrazona and Andre Naude in conversation, mixed media works 254a St Patrick’s Road, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, T. 012 440 2201 www.art.co.za/andrenaude Northern Flagship Institution, National Cultural History Museum 1-30 Sep, Mphophole, paintings by Lefifi Tladi 149 Visagie street (between Bosman and Schubart), Pretoria T. 012 324 6082 Fax: 012 328 5173 tebogo@nfi.museum/ mantshadi@vodamail.co.za

Extraordinary, three decades of architectural design by Jo Noero.

9 Jun-25 Oct, Cross-Pollination, South African artists working from 1930-50.

Includes work by Laubser, Stern, Kibel, Pierneef, Sekoto and Lipshitz.

30 Jun-25 Oct, Choices 2008, showcasing new artworks acquired in 2008 by the Acquisitions Committee.

From 14 Jul, The Art of Relief Printing, an exhibition demystifying print processes. Includes woodcuts, wood, engravings and linocuts.

Government Avenue, Company’s Garden T. The 021 467 4660, www.iziko.org.za

Light, virtual reality, the atom and chakra, series no 4, Nicholas Hales, UCA Gallery, Cape Town KZNSA Gallery 11 Aug-5 Sep, Structures: Avenues and Barriers of Power in the work of Jeremy Wafer 8-27 Sep, sculpture, prints and films, Panoply: a joint exhibition

by Walter Oltmann & Hentie van der Merwe, Durban Revisited: an exhibition of paintings by Jenny Parsons, Intersections: exhibition of works from the KZNSA Young Artist Project.

166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, T. 031 2023686, www.kznsagallery.co.za Tatham Art Gallery 25 Jun-6 Sep, Into the Light, work by KZN women artists of the early part of the 20th Century. 9 Jul-13 Sep, Heath Family Retrospective, paintings by Jack, Jane and Jinny Heath.

Cnr. Of Chief Albert Luthuli (Commercial) Rd. and Church Street (Opposite City Hall) Pietermaritzburg.

T. 033 342 1804 www.tatham.org.za

Northern Cape Kimberley William Humphreys Art Gallery From 30 Jul, David Walters and Friends, an exhibition of top South African ceramicists.

Civic Centre, Cullinan Crescent, Kimberley, T. 053 831 1724, www.museumsnc.co.za

Mpumalanga The Loop Art Foundry & Sculpture Gallery Casterbridge Complex Corner R40 and Numbi Roads White River T. 013 751 2435 www.tlafoundry.co.za

Western Cape

Cape Town

3RD i Gallery 19 Aug-25 Sep, paintings, drawings and sculptures by Liliyane Mendel 95 Waterkant Street, De Waterkant. T. 021 425 2266 Alliance Française From 3 Sep, Overbrim the East, paintings by four contemporary artists from China 155 Loop Street, Cape Town.

T. 021 4235699 www.alliance.org.za Art B Gallery 9-30 Sep, Vuleka Collected Library Centre, Carel van Aswegen Street, Bellville T. 021 918 2301, www.artb.co.za Association for Visual Arts (AVA) 17 Aug-4 Sep, Flatlands, photography

by Marc Shoul. 7-25 Sep, Word! Curated by Kirsty Cockerill and Ashleigh McLean and works by Mandla Vanyaza and Shakes Tembani.

The Old Biscuit Mill, 373 Albert Road, Woodstock. T. 021 447 4124 www.exposuregallery.co.za Focus Contemporary, Fine Young Art 24 Jul-4 Sep, Works by Christiaan Diedericks, Chad Barber, Ian Cattanach, Mark Stanes, Glen Green, Philip Marinig, Aphelele Sikwebu and Karin Miller. 5 Sep-2 Oct, Om Shanti Om, group show 2 Long Street Cape Town, T. 021 419 8888 www.focuscontemporary.co.za Gallery F Contemporary and archival South African Art 221 Long Street, Cape Town, T. 021 422 5246 www.galleryf.co.za Gallery M 26 Aug-16 Sep, From Berlin to Cape Town, a photographic exhibition by Avital Lang. Personally – Political.

Shop 9, Piazza Da Luz, 94 Regent Road, Sea Point 8005 T.021 434 8264 www.gallerym.co.za info@gallerym.co.za Gill Allderman Gallery For Sep, works on paper by Dathini Mzayiya, as well as a selection of paintings and sculptures by various artists.

278 Main Road, Kenilworth, Cape Town T. 083 556 2540 www.gillalldermangallery.co.za Greatmore Art Studios 27 Aug-2 Sep, Five Seasons, the fine art mentorship exhibition. Works by Sam Macholo, Kilford Telcie, Tess Metcalf, Khaya Sineyile, Hendrick van Heide 47-49 Greatmore St, Woodstock, Cape Town www.greatmoreart.org T. 021 447 9699 info@greatmore.org.

Goodman Gallery, Cape 20 Aug-12 Sep, figuring II: Heiseb works by Hentie van der Merwe.

17 Sep-17 Oct, Bili Bidjocka 3rd Floor, Fairweather House, 176 Sir Lowry Road Woodstock, Cape Town T. 021 462 7573/4, www.goodmangallerycape.com Infin Art Gallery Wolfe Street Chelsea Wynberg T. 021 761 2816 and Buitengracht St Cape Town T. 021 423 2090 www.infinart.co.za Irma Stern Museum 8-26 Sep, Textiles and jewellery by Sue Robinson Cecil Road, Rosebank, Cape Town T. 021 685 5686 www.irmastern.co.za

South African National Gallery 9 Sep-30 Nov, The Everyday and the

Michaelis School of Fine Art 25 Aug-13 Sep, A Life’s Work, photography by Rodney Barnett 31-37 Orange st, Gardens, Cape Town T. 021 480 7147 Raw Vision Gallery 3 Aug-30 Sep, Weiffeling, a multimedia exhibition by Koos Prinsloo 89 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock.

T. 076 581 9468 fishermike@mac.com Rose Korber new charcoal and pastel drawings by Richard Smith, as well as recent works on paper by William Kentridge, Deborah Bell and Ryan Arenson.

48 Sedgemoor Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town T. 021 438 9152 roskorb@icon.co.za www.rosekorberart.com Rust-en-Vrede 25 Aug-17 Sep, Judy Woodborne, Paul Birchall and Chris Diedericks 10 Wellington Road, Durbanville.

T. 021 976 4691 www.rust-en-vrede.com Salon91 Contemporary 1 Sep-15 Sep, Revelating Now, drawings videos and digital prints by nileru (Neil le Roux collaborating with the World); 18 Sep-10 Oct, Abdication, paintings, sculpture, animation, drawings and a performance piece by Lourens Joubert.

91 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town 021 424 6930 www.salon91art.co.za Samsara Artefacts & Interiors 17-23 Sep, She is the Masterpiece, an exhibition of paintings by women artists Shop 5, The Palms Lifestyle Centre, 145 Sir Lowry Road T. 021 462 6688 South African Museum 25 Jul-Mar 2010, Subtle Thresholds, the representational taxonomies of disease, a mixed media show curated

by Fritha Langerman.

25 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town T. 021 481 3800 http://www.iziko.org.za/sam/index.html

Nontsikelelo ‘Lolo’ Veleko, Guy Tillim, Mikhael Subotzky, Peet Pienaar, Penny Siopis, David Goldblatt, Hentie vd Merwe, Tracey Rose, William Kentridge and Zwelethu Mthethwa, as well as a new Robert Hodgins print, hot off the press.

107 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, T. 021 462 6851 www.printgallery.co.za

ceramics by Maryna de Witt, Pera Schillings, Karen Kieviet.

7b Andringa Street, Stellenbosch.

T. 021 887 7234

UCA Gallery 26 Aug-18 Sep, Elysian Fields, group show featuring work by Nicholas Hales, Katharine Jacobs, Liezel Prins, Marlise Keith, Colleen Alborough, Rat Western. 23 Sep-16 Oct, History(n), works by Wayne Barker, Maria van Rooyen, Alan Taylor, Catherine Ocholla, Charles Maggs, Lauren Palte and others. Curated by Andrew Lamprecht 46 Lower Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town T. 021 447 4132 www.ucagallery.co.za

Delaire Graaff Estate Art Collection 3-4 Oct, Guided tours of Delaire Graff Estate Art Collection R310 Helshoogte Pass T. 021 808 5900 www.delaire.co.za

VEO Gallery From 1 Sep, The Concept, group exhibition Jarvis Road, De Waterkant, Cape Town.

T. 021 421 3278 www.veo.co.za What if the World…

2-26 Sep, solo show by Rowan Smith First floor, 208 Albert Road Woodstock T. 021 448 1438 www.whatiftheworld. com Worldart 23 Sep-12 Oct, Cityscapes, paintings

by Gavin Rain 54 Church Street Cape Town CBD, T. 021 423 3075 www.worldart.co.za 38 Special 2-23 Sep, Works by Tamarind Schultz 38 Buitenkant St, Gardens, Cape Town CBD

Franschoek

Galerie L’ Art A permanent exhibition of old masters Shop no 3, The Ivy, Krugerstreet, Franschoek T. 021 876 2497 www.galart.co.za Gallery Grande Provence 6 Sep-7 Oct, painting by Cornelia Snook, objets d’art by Nanette Nel and flowers by Okasie Main Road Franschoek, T. 021 876 8600 www.grandeprovence.co.za

George George Museum 19 Sep-23 Oct, Decade, highlights from 10 Years of Collecting for the Sanlam Art Collection 9 Courtenay St, George.

T. 044 873 5343 Strydom Gallery For Sep, General exhibition Marklaan Centre, 79 Market Street, George, T. 044 874 4027. www.artaffair.co.za

Oudtshoorn

ArtKaroo Gallery 17 Sep-17 Oct, Janet Dickson, a solo show of paintings 107 Baron van Reede Str, Oudtshoorn Tel/Fax: (044) 279 1093 janet@artkaroo.co.za www.artkaroo.co.za

Paarl Afrikaans Language Museum, Historium 24-27 Sep, Representative exhibition, bronze sculpture by Stephen Rautenbach Paarl Mountain, Paarl, 7646 T. 021 863 4809 admin@taalmuseum.co.za www.taalmuseum.co.za/ Café Juno 24-27 Sep, works by Tertia du Toit Paarl Main Road, Paarl T. 021 872 0697 oliver@junowines.com www.junowines.com De Kraal Gallery 24-27 Sep, Portraits, by Sarah Richards, Peter (Abbo) Hall, Niel Jonker, Kim Goodwin, Helena Vogelzang, Sarah Lovejoy, Michael Mawdsley 123 Main St, Paarl T. 021 863 2207 www.dekraalgallery.com Jane se Kunshuis 24-27 Sep, exhibition 17 Pastorie Ave, Paarl, 7646 T. 021 872 2492

South Gallery Showcasing creativity from KwazuluNatal including Ardmore Ceramic Art. Fairweather House, 176 Sir Lowry Road Woodstock, Ground Floor.

T. 021 465 4672 info@southgallery.co.za

The Hout Street Gallery 30 Jul-20 Sep, the 34th annual Winter Gala, including paintings by 25 South African artists, as well as sculptures, glass work and ceramics.

270 Main Street Paarl T. 021 872 5030

The Artists’ Gallery 23 Aug-13 Sep, CranioSacral Art: visual studies of elements and treatment protocols in the art of CranioSacral Therapy.

136 Saint George’s St, Simon’s Town T. 021 786 5952 www.craniosacral-art.com

The Orange Mill Art Gallery 23-27 Sep, sculptures and paintings by Frans Boekooi, Sally Smook and Pat van der Merwe 28 Mill Street Paarl T. 021 872 8612 www.orangemill.co.za info@orangemill.co.za

These Four Walls Fine Art Galley 14 Aug-5 Sep, an exhibition of sculptures and paintings by P L Anderson 169 Lower Main Road, Observatory, T. 021 447 7393. www.thesefourwalls.co.za

Off the Wall Contemporary 24-27 Sep, Drawing Exhibition 171 Main Road, Paarl T. 021 872 8648 www.offthewallcontemporary.com/ info@offthewallcontemporary.co.za

The South African Print Gallery 29 Aug-28 Sep, ArtThrob Print Editions Exhibition, works by Jane Alexander, Willem Boshoff, Lisa Brice,

Stellenbosch

Art on 5 Permanent exhibition of paintings and

Boezaart Bauermeister 3-4 Oct, Jewellery exhibition Andmar building, Cnr Ryneveld and Church St, T. 021 886 7569 www. boezaartbauermeister.com

Dorp Straat Gallery 3-4 Oct, Hang in there, works by Nigel Mullins and Kobus La Grange 144 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch T. 021 887 2256 www.dorpstraatgalery.co.za Glen Carlou Estate 3-4 Oct, Guided Tours of the Hess Art Collection Simondium Road, Klapmuts T. 021 875 5314 www.glencarlou.co.za Pier Rabe Antiques, Art and Contemporary Design 3-4 Oct, Conceptual Installation and Event by Strijdom van der Merwe 143 Dorp St, Stellenbosch T. 021 883 9730 www.pierrabe.co.za Red Black and White 3-4 Oct, Creative Blocks, curated by Jeanetta Blignaut 5a Distillery Road, Bosman’s Crossing, Stellenbosch.

T. 021 886 6281 www.redblackandwhite.co.za Rupert Museum 3-4 Oct, Rodin, bronze sculptures; permanent collection of 20th Century South African Art Stellentia Ave, T. 021 888 3344 www.rupertmuseum.org Sasol Art Museum, Stellenbosch University 16 Sep-24 Oct, Mbongeni Buthelezi 52 Ryneveld St, Stellenbosch T. 021 808 3691 SMAC Art Gallery 1-30 Sep, new sculptures by Herman van Nazareth. From 3 Oct, paintings and photographic installations by Anton Karstel, portraits by Nel Erasmus and performances by Barend de Wet and Tracey Rose De Wet Centre, Church Street, Stellenbosch T. 021 887 3607 www.smacgallery.com Stellenbosch Art Gallery Permanent exhibition of Conrad Theys, John Kramer, Gregoire Boonzaier, Adriaan Boshoff and other artists.

34 Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch T. 021-8878343 www.stellenboschartgallery.co.za Tokara Winery 3-4 Oct, Art at Tokara exhibition R310 Helshoogte Pass T. 021 808 5314 www.tokara.co.za University of Stellenbosch Art Gallery 3 Sep-10 Oct, 10 Philosophical Questions, group show cnr Dorp & Bird Street, Stellenbosch T.021 808-3524/3489 us.max.09@gmail.com

Knysna Knysna Fine Art For Sep, Ethiopian Portraits, photography by Glen Green 8 Grey Street Knysna, T.044 382 5107 www.finearts.co.za

Elgin Oudebrug Gallery Showcasing oil paintings, pastels and sculptures in the sculpture garden Grabouw, Elgin T. 021 859 2595 www.ridley.co.za

Hermanus Abalone Gallery For Sep, a mixed exhibition of wellknown South African artists, including works by Cecil Skotnes, Pippa Skotnes, Hannes Hars, Raymond Andrews, Titia Ballot, Elzaby Laubscher and Alta Botha.

2 Harbour Rd, The Courtyard, Hermanus.

T. 028 313 2935 www.abalonegallery.co.za The Old Harbour Gallery An exhibition of art and sculpture No.4 Warrington Place, Harbour Road, Hermanus T. 028 313 2751 / 0822595515 www.oldharbourgallery.co.za Philip Harper Galleries Specialising in South African old masters and select contemporary artists.

Oudehof Mall, 167 Main Road, Hermanus T. 028 312 4836 www.philipharpergalleries.co.za

Agulhas Red Corridor Gallery Sculpture by Rudi Neuland, paintings

by Leszek Skurski and textile objects by Joanna Skurska 4 Main Road, L’Agulhas 7287 T. 028 435 7503 www.capeagulhas-arthouse.com www.redcorridor-RSA.com info@capeagulhas-arthouse.com

ART LEADER | PEOPLE IN THE SPOTLIGHT | ART BUSINESS

Conrad Botes: Crime and Punishment installation view at the Brodie/Stevenson Gallery, Johannesburg

SEPTEMBER 09 | BUSINESS ART

03

At the opening of David Tlale & Charles Storr, Agony and Ecstasy at Gallery Momo, Johannesburg

Kim Stern has been appointed as the new Goodman Gallery Director Arriving fresh from New York at the Goodman Gallery in Jo’burg is Kim Stern. Taking on the position of new Managing Director, Stern’s objective will be two fold, having both a curatorial and operational impetus.

Opening of the Albiert Adams: Journey On A Tightrope at the Johannesburg Art Gallery: (L-R) Albie Sachs, Antoinette Murdoch (Director: JAG) and friends, Roelien Brink (aka William Kentridge)

After graduating from Michaelis in 2000 with a major in photography, Stern quickly started curating with projects like Soft Serve and The Month of Photography (MOP) in 2002. She also started the successful Bread and Butter concept store, which merged and solidified her interest in art and business.

From there she was selected for a residency at the (International Studio Curatorial Project) ISCP in New York. It was however her experience at the Miami-Basel Art Fair that seems to have had a major influence on Stern. ‘Coming from South Africa, I was amazed at the infrastructure, we just didn’t have anything like that at the time’.

‘It’s a really exciting time for art in South Africa and for the Goodman Gallery’ says Stern who aims to strengthen and forge new and existing relationships internationally. ‘The Goodman has a long history and I believe that (together with owner Lisa Essers), we have the right energy to bring to the gallery’.

Reflecting on the state of the current art market, Stern optimistically says that the economy is ‘flourishing’. Approached six weeks ago by Essers in New York, Stern relocated and has been in the position just three weeks. Already she has made her presence felt with overseeing the launching of the new Goodman project space in downtown Jo’burg on the corner of Main and Berea

From the UNISA Art Gallery’s New Acquisitions Exhibition: Jacob Lebeko (Assistant Curator), Gwen Miller (Unisa’s Visual Arts section head) and Bongani Mkhonza (Unisa’ new Curator)

Opening of Harold Voigt and Reshada Crouse Exhibition, at the impressive White River Gallery, Mpumalanga

EPSAC 90th Annual Exhibition: Following on from there recent renovations and re-launch event, at which leading Eastern Cape artists were invited to set a benchmark for future exhibitions. The following floating trophies were awarded: (Left to right) Merit award winner Jimmy Ndlovu and his wife, Stella Londt Trophy: Merit Senzo Ndlovu, The President’s cup: Most promising- Mphumezi, McGregor Cup: Best on Show- Frans Mulder

Carol Brown, Justice Cameron, Alice Brown and family at “Not Alone” held at Museum Africa Johannesburg

A contemplative patron at Shui-Lyn White’s exhibition opening at Salon91 Contemporary Art Collection Cape Town

Ros and Malcolm Christian, Ann Pretorius (current Director of WHAG)

Meyer Grobbelaar at the opening of his new gallery Galerie L’Art in Franschoek

The artb Gallery, Bellville hosted a calligraphy exhibition ‘b lettered’ in collaboration with the Cape Friends of Calligraphy and the City of Cape Town. This City awareness initiative project, run by Mrs Maxie Oosthuizen’s, aim was to donate the proceeds to various charities. The amount of R5 000 was donated to Foodbank Cape Town. Mr Patrick Andries, managing director of Cape Town Foodbank received the cheque handed over by Mrs Maxie Oosthuizen

Knysna Art Gallery’s annual ‘Young Artists Exhibition’opening.

The exhibition includes local junior and senior schools from Knysna (13 schools took part this year).

Book launch from Kizo Gallery KZN entitled: Burning Bright: Extraordinary women of KwaZulu Natal, Book launch and Exhibition. (left) Leona Theron, (middle) Pippa Hetherington and (right) Peggy-Sue Khumalo

Don’t miss the Spring Baardskeerdersbos Art Route

The beautiful Baardskeerdersbos Art Route will take place on Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 September The B’Bos Art Route is no ordinary art route, this event only takes place three times a year and eagerly sought after by

art (and artists) lovers both from Cape Town and surrounding Overberg.

The core group of a dozen solo artists are now being joined by visiting artists work, this year includes Hanneke Benade’s pastel portraits in the gallery venue opposite the village winkel.

Enjoy the one on one meeting of interesting artists in a most outstanding of rural Cape destinations.

Three venues will be serving food, while free drinks are available at all the artists’ home venues. Access from Stanford is via Grootbos or Pearly Beach, or from Bredasdorp via Elim.

For more information, call 028-3819636 / 083 444 2613, or simply take the road toward Gansbaai and look out for the silver signs.

06

BUSINESS ART | SEPTEMBER 09

ART COLUMNISTS & SHOW REVIEW Forensic Theatre show at MOMO, and this current solo is all Joburg audiences will need to convince them of why he has been hitting the big time in recent years. Apart from being the invited artist at this year’s Aardklop festival, Botes participated in the 2009 Festival international de la bande dessinee de Angoulême in France.

Other group exhibitions include the third Guangzhou Triennial, China (2008) and Apartheid: The South African Mirror at the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (2007) amongst others.

This show is evidence of an artist in full grasp of his powers. If you look around, there’s a sad lack of good draftsmanship on the contemporary scene – particularly amongst younger emerging artists. Here is a deliciously satisfying antidote, with Botes’ easy formal accomplishment being a tonic before you’ve even got started on the depth of his content and overall unity of effect in terms of metaphoric language. Works on the exhibition take the form of wall drawings, large-scale reverse glass paintings, sculpture and installation, each rendered with the kind of formal authority you can trust. That, however, is where the easy emotion ends.

Jeremy Wafer

A master of provocation since the early 90s, Botes was the co-founder of the Bitterkomix series, and this show continues in the healthy tradition of plentiful depictions of exposed male genitalia. More than that though, it lives up to its epic title, being a heady tussle with the whole notion of being tried and tested in the full blown, guilt soaked, Old Testament, Dostoyevskian sense of things.

His is a hell and brimstone, tattoos and

Peter Machen I have mentioned before in this column my love for the post-human architecture of freeway interchanges and water towers, and how their size and structural formality pose an unenviable challenge to contemporary sculpture.

On a smaller scale, I find my feelings remain the same as I survey a small copper pipe that has been sitting in a kitchen drawer for the past few years, and which was originally purchased for an outside shower but forgotten when the shower was being installed. It sits in the drawer and every few months – when I am searching for something else – my hands and my eyes find this small piece of industrial magic.

It’s beautiful, perfectly fashioned but still bearing the marks of fashioning as to allow subtle imperfections on its surface. Every time I come across the pipe, shaped in a flat U so as to allow one pipe to cross over another like a freeway bridge, I am drawn to it.

Like William Carlos Williams’ Red Wheelbarrow, the small copper pipe accounts for so much, but its essence – the thing that moves me – remains unidentified and wordless. I feel much the same way about the work of Jeremy Wafer who captures this – and infinitely more – in the body of work he has accumulated over the last few decades, work in which the industrial and the classical, modernity and postmodernity and many other strands of conversation intersect, building strangely familiar shapes: things that often seem to be simulacrum of other unplaceable, unknowable objects. In the retrospective show Structure, currently on show at the KZNSA Gallery, and curated by Brenton Maart, many of the pieces remind me of my feelings for the copper pipe. There is much to write about Wafer’s work – it just asks to be written about – but at the same time the essence of the work remains elusive, even as it seems so physically contained. And perhaps that is part of the artist’s genius.

Jeremy Wafer lives in Johannesburg now, but his oeuvre continue to retain some quintessence of Durban. It is linked to the aesthetic shiver of delight that runs through me every time I drive past the gravel-works on the way to the airport, probably my strongest visual memory between Durban and

the South Coast, or the massive flour silos that lie between the end of the ridge and the harbour, both of which are documented in ‘Structure’.

Wafer is not the only internationally recognised Durban artist currently having a retrospective in his home town. Andrew Verster’s Post-1994 work is on display in Past/Present, which opened a few weeks ago at the Durban Art Gallery, and it says much about the diversity of the city that two such influential artists, whose work is so radically different to each other, both manage to produce work that embodies the spirit of Durban in visual and emotional echoes.

While Wafer’s work often seems to be reducing something to its simplest form and aesthetic essence, Verster’s work is about the other end of the telescope, looking to the place where everything resides. The opening of Past/Present, beautifully curated

by Carol Brown – and dedicated to Verster’s recently deceased partner Aidan Walsh – represented in a very tangible sense, the exhibition’s homecoming as a visual cornucopia.

Starting at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, the exhibition has moved around the country before being installed in two of the DAG’s generous – and potentially overwhelming – gallery spaces.

Verster’s work looked wonderful against the building’s genteel baroque, and also a very happy beneficiary of the gallery’s new and long awaited lighting system. I didn’t see the exhibition at any of its other venues but I would be surprised if the body of work looked more resonant elsewhere.

Overflowing with colour and continual experiments in new direction, the work showcased an artist constantly on the move, trying new things, new colours, new ways of seeing, but never forgetting the road that he has travelled.

I was privileged enough to see a recent Verster work made earlier this year (and not part of the show which began its tour last year) which seamlessly combined much of the spirit and technique of Past/Present and the decades before it into a single breath-taking drawing. Verster’s next exhibition promises to dazzle.

rings of fire kind of odyssey across the desert plains of selfhood – the kind of show Johnny Cash could have written songs about.

On the surface it might seem like you’re dealing with a comic book, but there’s nothing linear about the But Botes’ style remains paradoxically 2-D and pop. So there’s this bouncy tension between his flat, linear, naïve figurative renderings and the complex metaphorical soup in which they’re swimming. narratives these images evoke. From biblical palm trees and fish to desert plains, skulls, crosses, snakes and ladders, branded flesh and the flames of damnation, Botes depicts man’s struggle with his own conscience, an inability to come to terms with the heinousness of his own actions and thoughts.

In a narrative panel of small framed drawings, entitled The Stolen Shadow Story, a man wrestles with a wolf-like beast, then liberates another trapped being from inside the bowels of the beast. Who is the man inside the beast? And who is his rescuer? The gallery is a maze of doppelgangers and doubles. Twins? Ego and id? As you like it. This is a distinctly postmodern world in which Biblical characters inhabit the same plane as Anubis, the jackal-headed Egyptian god of the afterlife. Tidy chronological narratives give way to a more chaotic kind of zombie logic that is liberating and scary all at once. But even in this abject neverland, the stain of morality still looms large. Not even the wildest dog of a man seems to be capable of escaping the flea-ridden kennel of his own blasted conscience.

Valued at some £125 million, d’Offay asked only to be paid what he had originally spent on the work: £26.5 million. This summer, these artworks are being shown all over the UK at 18 regional museums and galleries.

Altogether 30 ‘Artist Rooms’, comprising the astonishing pieces that d’Offay had acquired directly from the artists he once ‘stabled’, are on show. Critics and ordinary art lovers have been bowled-over by the shows.

It has become clear how remarkable Mr d’Offay’s eye was in identifying some of the masterpieces of modern and later-last century art while dealing.

(One critic pointed out that the great art museums sometimes only got their hands on the ‘second best’ - after d’Offay.) His role in advancing both artists’ careers, invention and imagination, as well as acting as go-between with collectors, museums and now, in particular, the art public, is that of a heroic culture worker.

South African art, of course, is a different place, but we’ve had our dealers of note too. Their performances in our visual culture have also been significant. One would, for example, not be able to talk about art in Cape Town without mentioning Joe Wolpe. His eye is still legendary. (And his connections and input when the SA National Gallery decided on acquisitions in the 1980s and 1990s led to fine pieces in the collection.)

Questions about an art dealer’s job here and now in Cape Town are as relevant as the degree of importance that we ascribe to the contemporary visual culture that we have and want to live with. We need to encourage them act like Anthony d’Offay. Like The Telegraph’s critic Richard Dorment wrote: “D’Offay’s taste was sure.

He didn’t do duff shows; he didn’t show mediocre artists.”

Conrad Botes, Job’s Demise, 2009. Image courtesy of Brodie/Stevenson Dr Elza Miles and Johans Borman

Johans Borman at 20/10: Celebrating ‘Art Heroes’ Review

Melvyn Minnaar The Dealer’s Big Deal

Alex Dodd From the first known Ukiyo-e woodblock paintings that emerged in Kyoto and Osaka in the early 1600s, to the flat two-dimensional forms of the French Post-Impressionist painters and the propagandistic Soviet film and political posters of Vladimir and Georgii Stenberg, I’ve always had a soft spot for graphic art.

Ever since I first drank in the lush colour of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s ohso-sexy posters for the Moulin Rouge, I’ve been a sucker for the ‘take that’ confidence of intense flat colour, hard lines and clear shapes. The infectious immediacy and direct, economical language of posters and prints shouts out to the metropolitan Joe Soap in me. And certain contemporary images hold inside them a formal heritage that stems back to the late 19th century when the lithographic poster turned the streets of Paris, Milan and Berlin into galleries for the masses, ushering in the modern age of advertising.

For someone so taken with strong lines and unequivocal shapes it’s been a bumper month in Joburg, with Conrad Botes’ Crime and Punishment opening at Brodie/Stevenson and Fiona Pole’s Heartland/Heartlines gently wooing passersby into Art on Paper Gallery. The moods of these two shows couldn’t be more different.

Whereas Pole’s show is whimsical, nostalgic, gently pensive, slightly torn, Botes’ solo is a take-no-prisoners

exploration of the spiritual and physical torments that plague this mortal coil.

What they have common is a tight graphic quality that punches straight.

Pole, who was born in Benoni in 1974, now lives and works in Paris. This show captures that achey-breakey emigré sense of duality in relation to the notion of place or home. But it does so simply and cleanly with a carefully chosen vocabulary of simple iconic shapes: a suitcase, an aeroplane, a bicycle, a red dress, a map, a picnic blanket… In many ways, Pole’s prints evoke the writing of that other South African Parisian, Denis Hirson, whose I Remember King Kong the Boxer, is an all-time classic text grappling with notions of absence and memory in relation to that lost childhood sense of place.

In keeping with the simplicity of her figurative silhouettes, Pole works with a reduced palette of ivory, charcoal and red. Her minimalist hues are delightfully, elegantly Parisian in their pared down authenticity. As simple and delicious as a freshly-baked croissant on a Saturday morning in Le Marais. For me Pole’s paintings function like quietly haunting haikus.

They’re the kind of images a person can live with.

But it’s not summertime and the living is not always easy. So on to Crime and Punishment at Brodie/Stevenson. It’s been five long years since Botes’ 2004

The sad demise of the Bell Roberts Gallery and the tenth anniversary of Johans Borman’s outfit in UpperBuitengracht provide a space to reflect on the function, if that is the right word, of the commercial art dealer.

While many in the capitalist-infected modern world we live in has been moving heaven and earth to turn the artwork, as we know it, into a commodity, the truth is, of course, that it will never just be such. Money may be the simple language that most people understand best when discussing almost anything these days, but it can’t quite contain all matters of esoteric culture.

Nevertheless, artists have to live, and hence have to make some kind of devil’s deal with the superficial world in which the currency of art is exchanged for that of money. It is in this uneasy in-between where the art dealer and/or gallerist (a fairly recent appellation, invented for our times) functions. It’s also the space where the professional art auctioneer operates, of course.

A third party comes into this paradigm when the dealer starts dealing not only with artist clients, but customers: the collector and, more importantly, the professional museum curator.

It is in this interloper role that the art dealer’s job becomes of greater significance - far more so than simply acting as broker for the artist and his/her daily/homely needs.

Photo: GP C Brown

Melvyn Minnaar In the grander scheme of contemporary cultural things, art dealers of note have had a major impact on the way we engage with art. If influence and fashion have shifted to the powerful curators of biennales and other such events, it has been the great art dealers of Paris, New York, etc who, in the past, set the tone. Those dealers’ relationships with the formal art institutions, which acquire art for their collections (handing out society’s seals of approval, in a manner of speaking), have been vital. More often than not, art museums took their cue from dealers - people whose critical eyes, and up-to-date suss they could and did trust.

In the UK, as we speak, the famous art dealer, Anthony d’Offay’s name is on the lips of every art lover, cultural commentator and critic. He is no longer dealing in art, but the present acclaim is for what he had done as dealer and collector.

D’Offay, arguably the top British art gallerist of his time, surprised the world when he abruptly shut down his thriving business in 2001. It was well known that he was a master collector of art as well, often selecting the finest pieces from exhibitions by the topnotch, new-wave artists in his gallery.

Then the dealer, once nicknamed ‘the vampire’, flummoxed the art world by an amazing act of philanthropy: he donated most of his collection of 725 art pieces to the National Galleries of Scotland and the Tate.

In the dynamic world of big-deal art, talent, of course, is vital. Make that art-marketing and deal-making, and that talent includes talk - convincing buyer and provider that it’s all for the good. Talk, naturally, in this business also requires what is known as ‘the sure eye’. A sussed eye for smart art is what propels good art dealers (and, of course, the fortune of the artists in their stable), as well as the up-theladder careers of curators, and the passions of collectors.

Talk is as necessary for deal-making as the intelligent, experienced eye is essential for indentifying the proper goods and their value. (This is a key element in matters such as art auctions, where a largely unknown person puts an ‘estimated’ price against a catalogued artwork.) All this implies a certain self-assurance, an aesthetic confidence.

Johans Borman is nothing if not confident and the present exhibition in his Upper-Buitengracht gallery, offered under the title Art that Inspires as a special anniversary event (on until September 15), is a bright visual demonstration of how far this dealer has come. (Writing on his website, he frequently reflects on the ways and means of the art market.)

The exhibition celebrates 20 years of dealing in art, as well as the founding of the Cape Town space in 1999.

Borman’s gallery has established a reputation for a particular kind of art.

Not entirely easy to sum up and label,

one could say that its South African art that runs along the well-travelled, comfortable middle road. In many ways, focusing on what one would loosely describe as local old (and recent) ‘masters’ has helped to forge a reputation. In the art business world where large, sometime very large cheques are written, the latter matters a lot.

This is where talk - after the good eye - comes into play.

Describing the present exhibition, which has work from a number of artists, ranging from Maggie Laubser, Pierneef and Battiss to Walter Meyer and Ben Coutouvidis, Borman says it pays homage to, what he calls, our art heroes in celebrating their courage, boldness, commitment and creative spirit.

His says the exhibition reflects on the remarkable commitment and perseverance evident in the lives of many of artists who were often alienated and ridiculed. A case in point is that of Hugo Naudé. “Born on a farm near the Boland town of Worcester, to which he returned after his European studies, and where he spent the rest of his life in the quest to add as much as possible to the cultural life of his community. He had to adapt his training as a portrait artist to suit the very different challenges of landscape painting in the African light.”

The exhibition is viewable on the website http://www.johansborman. co.za and a fine printed catalogue is available.

The SA Art Times

& Business Art Times

Due to the nature of our rapid growth we are looking for the following full time positions:

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PC Adobe InDesign 2 | Newspaper design, Some online design knowledge | must be able to keep deadlines, keep ontop of traffic flow and have at least 2-3 years in a publishing house.

Art Data Networkers

a good telephone manner, knowledge of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, Internet savvy | Function is to constantly expand our visual arts network by means of calls, emails & postage. Need to compile comprehensive gallery opening listings

Art News Room Writers

a command of English, preferably a BAFA, write 4-6 short stories per day, 2 feature art/ art leader profiles| good telephone manner, knowledge of the SA art market, internet savvy, must have the ability to see the world in both an inspired and factual way.

CV’s sent to editor@arttimes.co.za by the 15 September 09. A shortlist will be compiled by the 20th and those on the shortlist will be informed that they are on this list.

I T w e d a S t o S a J

M C i a w n s F a c t o

SOUTH AFRICAN ART AUCTIONS

Strauss & Co

SEPTEMBER 09 | BUSINESS ART

Upcoming

Stephan Weltz & Co

Spring Auction in Johannesburg Monday 7 September 2009

South African art auctions

To auction: The Homage portfolio

7 September 2009 Johannesburg Strauss & Co Important South African Paintings, Watercolours and Sculpture Venue: Country Club, Johannesburg, Woodmead at 8 pm

20 & 21 October auction of Decorative and Fine Art, Cape Town

Important British, Continental and South African Paintings, Drawings, Prints and Sculpture Country Club, Johannesburg, Woodmead

07

The proceeds from the sale of the portfolio are being used to establish a scholarship in Cecil Skotnes’ memory.

15 September 2009 Cape Town 54 lots of SA Art on Rudd’s A fully illustrated catalogue is available on www.rudds.co.za

On Stephan Weltz & Co Auction 20-21 October 09 Helmut Starcke EXIGENCY R 50 000 - 70 000 Log onto www.swelco.co.za for a catalogue

So long, Sotheby’s No longer called Stephan Weltz & Co in association with Sotherby’s, now a new era dawns for the auction house as: Stephan Weltz & Co

By Michael Coulson

Frans Oerder’s Hydrangeas in a Bowl (lot 10, estimate R250 000 – 350 000)

Ending a decades-long association, from today auction house Stephan Welz & Co has dropped its link with London’s Sotheby’s and, accordingly, will drop the second half of its name, the phrase “in association with Sotheby’s.”

View and download a catalogue at www.straussart.co.za The second auction this year by South Africa’s leading auction house, Strauss & Co. includes such early stalwarts of the 20th century from William Methven, Hugo Naude’, Frans Oerder, Jan Volskenk and Anton Van Wouw to contemporary South African artists including Deborah Bell, Norman Catherine, Keith Deitrich and Peter Schütz. and if this were not enough three cartoons by Zapiro.

Stephan Welz, Managing Director of Strauss & Co. feels strongly that cartoonists too are artists. Strauss & Co saw it fit to publish two catalogues for this 365 lot auction, with an afternoon session and an evening session for the important works. Likely to attract the most attention among collectors is the large number of paintings by the Everard Group and the broad span of sculpture by the nonagenarian Edoardo Villa (see separate press release).

Probably the work that most personifies an artist’s style and period is the Maggie Laubsher Compostion with Head, Foliage and Huts which is also featured on the front cover of the main catalogue of the sale (lot 74, estimate R700 000 – 900 000). This stylised portrait is particularly powerful and was executed when the artist was at the height of her career. Although it leans heavily on her continental training, it has a very definite identity of her own and also of being South African.

Other works which are of high standing include Frans Oerders Hydrangeas in a Bowl (lot 10, estimate R250 000 – 350 000), an important Kitchen Interior with a Red Carpet by Frieda Lock (lot 15, estimate R500 000 – 700 000), an early view of Cape Town Harbour by Gregoire Boonzaier lot 25, estimate R150 000 – 200 000), Gwelo Goodman’s a view of The Bay of Natal from Berea (lot 39, estimate R200 000 – 300 000), Horse and Rider by Gerard Sekoto

(lot 42, estimate R200 000- 300 000), a rare Namibian landscape

by Adolph Jentsch (lot 44, estimate R400 000 – 700 000), a Lucas Sithole bronze of a Mother and Child (lot 62, estimate 62 R300 000 – 500 000), Alexis Preller’s Primvera Profile (lot 66, R400 000 – 600 000) a work featured on his retrospective exhibition, a rare Italian cast of Anton van Wouw’s The Coffee Drinker (lot 68, estimate R120 000 – 160 000) and a large colourful Lucky Sibiya Tales from the Past made up of 47 individual panels (lot 96, estimate R160 000 – 200 000).

The earliest work on the auction, is a view of the Point Wharves, Durban Harbour by Cathcart William Methven (lot 23, estimate R90 000 – 120 000). Methven has in recent time been increasingly respected as an artist of great merit and what makes this painting of particularly high quality is perhaps the fact that Methven served as Engineer in Chief for Natal Harbour Works in the late 19th Century and the harbour thus played an important part in his life. Another early work of importance which will be sold in part I of the sale is a particularly fine drawing by Frans Oerder of four men resting in a landscape. This work is rare as it dates from Oerder’s first period in South Africa (1890-1908) (lot 83, R50 000 – 80 000). Another work of unusual interest is Ruins of Foggia by Francois Krige (lot 76, estimate R60 000 – 90 000) which he would have executed while serving as South African war artist. Although it obviously relates to the war it nevertheless conveys the same pathos in the figures to be found in Krige’s later work. A first in the art auction world are three original cartoons by Zapiro (Jonathan Shapiro) relating to recent political events (part I, lots 13-15, estimate R10 000 – 12 000 respectively).

Old Oyster Woman by Dorothy Kay, sold for R1 400 000, a world record for the artist, and Jean Welz’s Still Life with Three Vessels and Checked Tablecloth, which sold for R1 210 000 also a world record for the artist), but nevertheless includes important works by highly respected artists often overshadowed by the current art market favourites. Also, so confident is the company in their expertise that they are the only fine art auction house in South Africa to guarantee everything they sell for a period of a year.

Venue: Country Club, Johannesburg, Woodmead Corner Lincoln Road & Woodlands Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg On view: Friday 4 September, Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September 10.00 am to 6.00 pm Auction: Part I at 3.30pm South African Paintings, Drawings, Prints and Sculpture Lots 1-222 Part II at 8.00pm Important British, Continental and South African Paintings and Sculpture Lots 1-143 For enquiries and images, bina@straussart.co.za Telephone: 087 806 8780

This is by far one of the biggest

Strauss & Co. offers one-year guarantee on sold works

Spier Contemporary announce new curators

In the light of the recent Britz, Tretchikoff saga, which saw a work returned to the auctioneer after inconsistencies were discovered between the catalogue and the painting, Stephan Welz of Strauss & Co have announced that they offer a guarantee of one year on all works bought in their sales.

Stephan Welz reiterated the fact at a media lunch two weeks ago in Johannesburg.

Spier Contemporary have announced their list of curators for 2010’s exhibition. Clive van den Berg and Jay Pather remain on the team from 2007, while Zambian Mwenya Mabwe, Ethiopian anthropologist and curator, Meskerem Assegued and Africa Centre visual arts manager, Farzanah Badsha add some fresh blood.

Mary Jane Darroll of Strauss & Co explains that the guarantee is set up to “cover the buyer for a period of 365 days should the work be declared a forgery, and not as many other auction houses say, for a period of 21 days only.

Further should there have been any misrepresentation, the client is covered. By guaranteeing authenticity the client can be assured of our expertise.”

sales of South African art this year with a presale estimate of R23-33 million. According to Stephan Welz, although the sale does not include really high value works such as those sold by the company in their March sale (Irma Stern’s Magnolias in an Earthenware Pot, sold for R7 150 000 setting a world record for a still life by the artist,

The team will fill the roomy shoes of 2007 curators, who also included UCT lecturer, Virginia MacKenny, Wits lecturer Thembinkosi Goniwe, as well as Churchill Madikida (Outreach Officer) and Kadiatou Diallo (Project Manager).

The Spier Contemporary Exhibition will open at The City Hall in Cape Town on 13th March 2010.

Entries to the exhibition remain open until the 31st October 2009.

Work in this portfolio includes a Kentridge cat Stephan Welz and Co is proud to announce the sale at auction of a copy of the Homage portfolio (numbered six of fifty). This portfolio will be coming under the hammer at their 20 & 21 October auction of Decorative and Fine Art to be held in Cape Town. Conceptualised by Pippa Skotnes and Stephen Inggs, Homage (estimate R40 000 – 60 000) was executed by twelve well-known South African artist’s: Willie Bester, David Brown, Norman Catherine, Peter Clark, Stephen Inggs, William Kentridge, David Kolane, Fritha Langerman, Louis Maqhubela, Malcolm Payne, Pippa Skotnes and Gavin Younge.

The proceeds from the sale of the portfolio are being used to establish a scholarship in Cecil Skotnes’ memory.

The foreword below, written by John Skotnes, is included in the portfolio: I have a warm childhood memory of my father sitting on a chair with a tray on his lap engraving upon a dark red, wooden parquet floor tile. I stood fascinated because a thin slither of wood had curled up into a spiral, as the engraving tool moved forward. In my mind, mingled with this image, are the squeaking sounds of the small hand-roller inking the block, the smell of the oil-based ink and turpentine, my being allowed to help place the rice paper on the inked surface, the silver spoon with the flat handle used to gently lift the image and the never-ending surprise that followed the paper being taken off the block; revealing the picture, no longer in reverse.

Anyone who has etched, engraved,

made a monotype, a silkscreen, or a lithograph will understand the thrill or disappointment of that moment when the image is transferred to the paper and revealed.

It is magical, something quite alchemical and transformative.

Cecil’s life was informed by the constant wonder of these creative moments and he sought to share them. I think there burned deep inside him a fire from his childhood that was never extinguished by an adult world fearful of giving up its trade secrets: a world which hoarded ideas, was clouded by jealousies of the success of others and in which life was measured by material recompense. He believed everyone who wanted to make art should have access to training. He believed totally in the right to free expression. He loved the world of art and pictures and admired its practitioners. Cecil, I know, would have understood perfectly what Stephen Greenblatt meant when he said ‘The rest of human life can only gaze longingly at the condition of the art object, which is the manifestation of unalienated labour, the perfect articulation and realization of human energy. The art object, ideally self enclosed, is freed not only from the necessities of the surrounding world (necessities that it transforms miraculously into play) but also from the intention of the maker.’

Cecil was a great teacher and influenced so many artists because he simply gave of Cecil; the unabridged version!

Enquiries: Stephan Welz & Co Cape Town office, 021-794-6461

“They are very skilled and the theft is usually only noticed long after they have left; while one has engaged the gallery assistant or gallerist in conversation, the other has removed the artists articles.”

Sotheby’s first opened a branch in SA in 1969, run by writer Nadine Gordimer’s late husband, the well- respected Reinhardt (Reinhold) Cassirer. In 1980 Cassirer left to set up his own gallery and was succeeded by Welz, a son of the artist Jean Welz. Over the years Sotheby’s stake in the SA firm has gradually shifted from 100% ownership in the 1980s through to a relatively informal relationship.

Though Kretschmer won’t enlarge on

The two firms have also been diverging in strategy. Since last year, Sotheby’s (like its rivals Christie’s and Bonham’s) has reacted to the global economic crisis by closing departments, slashing staff and targeting the hyper-wealthy. Stephan Welz & Co, on the other hand, continues to broaden its base and is planning to expand from its existing Johannesburg and Cape Town sites into Durban.

The latest move is replete with irony. It leaves the individual Stephan Welz in charge of the newcomer Strauss & Co, soon to hold its second Johannesburg auction – which is bound to be rather more low-key than its first -- but unable to capitalise fully on what is arguably the best-known name in the SA art market, – while the company bearing and using his name, which it rightly considers a prime marketing asset, has absolutely no connection with him.

Graham Britz set to bounce back Graham Britz, the auctioneer and gallerist who had his reputation tarnished by the recent controversy over the authenticity of a Tretchikoff work, is bouncing back, according to an article by Julius Bauman of the Weekender.

According to Baumann, Britz has announced plans to hold “a glitzy three-day sale” next year in May, comprising late 19th-century, early 20th-century and contemporary postwar works. “We are also aiming to procure the very best pieces from postwar artists such as Karel Nel and Marlene Dumas — true investment pieces,” said Britz. Britz also announces that his gallery will take a double stand at next year’s Joburg Art Fair, to showcase the works for the May sale.

Baldinelli, Armando, Queen of Clubs, R 6000/8000 one of the 54 lots of SA Art on Rudd’s 15 September sale. A fully illustrated catalogue is available on www.rudds.co.za

13 & 14 October 2009 London Bonhams The South African Sale 20 & 21 October 2009 Cape Town Stephan Welz & Co. Fine & Decorative Arts, Furniture, Silver, Ceramics & Jewellery Venue: Kirstenbosch 1 February 2010 Cape Town, 8pm Strauss & Co Important Paintings, Furniture, Silver and Ceramics (Entries open till 10 December 2009) Venue: The Vineyard Hotel, Newlands

Auction Houses Contact details

Ashbey’s Galleries cc Antique & Fine Art AuctioneersValuers & Appraisers For an appointment please contact: Inge Beck 43 Church Street Cape Town Tel: 021 423-8060 email: info@ashbeys.co.za www.ashbeysgalleries.co.za Bonhams Contact for SA Artwork: Hannah O’ Leary sapictures@bonhams.com www.bonhams.com/southafrica +44 (0) 20 7468 8213 Stephan Welz & Co. Johannesburg 13 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg Telephone: +27 (11) 880-3125 Email: jhb@swelco.co.za www.swelco.co.za Cape Town The Great Cellar, The Alphen Hotel, Alphen Farm Estate, Alphen Drive, Constantia 7808 Tel: +27 (21) 794-6461 Email: ct@swelco.co.za www.swelco.co.za Strauss & Co Johannesburg 89 Central Street, Houghton, Gauteng, 2198 Tel: +27 11 728 8246 General Information jhb@straussart.co.za Cape Town The Oval, 1st Floor Colinton House,1 Oakdale Road, Newlands, 7700 General Information ct@straussart.co.za Tel: +27 87 806 8780

If you think that the South African Art community is quiet..

Johannesburg galleries fall prey to scam artists

Scam artists posing as respectable businessmen have been targeting Johannesburg galleries according to an article by Taryn Cohn on Artslink. According to Cohn, the men have claimed to be buying art for the President’s office or for an exclusive bed and breakfast establishment, but then make off with gallery equipment including laptops, projectors and anything else they can walk out with.

The company’s chairman, Mark Kretschmer, says “There were really only two options, either change to Sotheby’s branding or to change to the Stephan Welz and Co. branding. We have worked very well with Sotheby’s for many years and will continue to do so, but they are not in a position to offer us the use of their name for single branding. So our legal entity, Stephan Welz & Co (Pty) Ltd, will again become our single brand name for all operational and marketing purposes.”

this point, relinquishing the Sotheby’s name will obviously save a lot of money. And both sides, as Sotheby’s chairman Lord Poltimore confirms, are committed to maintaining a broad co-operation. Stephan Welz & Co will still consign British and European art to Sotheby’s in London, and vice versa.

8 October 2009 Cape Town Strauss & Co Venue: The Vineyard Hotel, Newlands

Nude model arrested at Metropolitan Museum of Art New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has come under fire after a decision to call the police and have arrested, a woman who was posing nude for an artist in the gallery.

The Guardian reports that while the piece, by photographer Zach Hyman, was not sanctioned by the museum, Hyman has questioned the validity of the charges laid on the model, 26 year old Kathleen Neill. “It’s just ridiculous,” said the 22 year old photographer “There are sculptures of nude men and women in there. There are paintings of nude men and women

in there. They’re talking about children in there and seeing this happen and how awful it is. Then don’t bring your kids to the Met.” The LA Times report that Neill has been charged with two crimes: endangering the welfare of a minor and public lewdness.

Image: A work from Hyman’s ‘Decent Exposures’ project, which, the photographer tells the Guardian, was inspired by the nudes at the Met.

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ART|Stellenbosch|09 3 - 4 OCTOBER 2009 D O R P S T R A AT G A L L E R Y Grand Opening of New Premises E x h i b i t i o n O p e n i n g : “ H a n g i n T h e r e ” f e a t u r i n g N i g e l M u l l i n s a n d Ko b u s L a G r a n g e 1 0 C h u r c h S t r e e t , O u d e B a n k B u i l d i n g | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 7 2 2 5 6 | w w w. d o r p s t r a a t g a l e r y. c o . z a

S M AC A RT GA L L E RY main gallery E x h i b i t i o n O p e n i n g : A n t o n K a r s t e l ~ Pa i n t i n g s a n d P h o t og ra p h i c I n s t a l l a t i o n s ( 1 9 8 9 – 2 0 0 9 ) smac space Exhibition Opening: Nel Erasmus ~ Por traits (1949 – 2009) A r t i s t P e r f o r m a n c e s : B a r e n d D e We t ; Tr a c e y R o s e Poetr y reading by Peter E. Clarke F i r s t F l o o r, D e We t C e n t r e , C h u r c h S t r e e t | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 7 3 6 0 7 | w w w. s m a c g a l l e r y. c o m

RED BLACK AND WHITE GALLERY Exhibition Opening: Creative Bloc ks – curated by Jeanetta Blignaut 5 A D i s t i l l e r y R o a d , B o s m a n ’s C r o s s i n g | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 6 6 2 8 1 | w w w. r e d b l a c k a n d w h i t e . c o . z a

U S A R T G A L L E R Y, S T E L L E N B O S C H U N I V E R S I T Y E x h i b i t i o n : Te n P h i l o s o p h e r s / Te n A r t i s t s / Te n I d e a s c u r a t e d b y H e n t i e Va n d e r M e r w e C n r B i r d a n d D o r p S t r e e t | Te l : 0 2 1 8 0 8 3 4 8 9 | a d m i n . s u n . a c . z a / u s m u s e u m

S A S O L A RT M U S E U M , S T E L L E N B O S C H U N I V E R S I T Y Exhibition: Mbongeni Buthelezi Wo r k s h o p a n d Wa l k a b o u t w i t h M b o n g e n i B u t h e l e z i 5 2 R y n e v e l d S t r e e t | Te l : 0 2 1 8 0 8 3 6 9 1 / 5 | a d m i n . s u n . a c . z a / u s m u s e u m

RU P E RT M U S E U M Exhibition: Rodin ~ Bronze Sculptures Permanent Collection of 20th Centur y South African Ar t S t e l l e n t i a A v e n u e | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 8 3 3 4 4 | w w w. r u p e r t m u s e u m . o r g

P I E R R A B E A N T I Q U E S , A RT A N D CON T E M P O R A RY D E S I G N Re-opening of Revamped and Refurbished Premises Conceptual Installation and Event by Strijdom van der Merwe 1 4 3 D o r p S t r e e t | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 3 9 7 3 0 | w w w. p i e r r a b e . c o . z a

B O E z A A RT BAU E R M E I S T E R Jeweller y Exhibition A n d m a r B u i l d i n g , C n r R y n e v e l d a n d C h u r c h S t r e e t | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 6 7 5 6 9 | w w w. b o e z a a r t b a u e r m e i s t e r. c o m

D E L A I R E G R A f f E S TAT E G u i d e d To u r s o f t h e D e l a i r e G r a f f E s t a t e A r t C o l l e c t i o n R 3 1 0 H e l s h o o g t e P a s s | Te l : 0 2 1 8 8 5 8 1 6 0 | w w w. d e l a i r e . c o . z a

TO K A R A W I N E R Y A r t a t To k a r a : E x h i b i t i o n t o b e a n n o u n c e d R 3 1 0 H e l s h o o g t e P a s s | Te l : 0 2 1 8 0 8 5 9 0 0 | w w w. t o k a r a . c o . z a

G L E N C A R LO U E S TAT E G u i d e d To u r s o f t h e H e s s A r t C o l l e c t i o n S i m o n d i u m R o a d , K l a p m u t s | Te l : 0 2 1 8 7 5 5 3 1 4 | w w w. g l e n c a r l o u . c o . z a Photo Credit: Charles Biggs

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