The South African Art Times June 2014

The South African Art Times: SA’s leading visual arts publication | June 2014 | Free | Read daily news on www.arttimes.co.za

National Arts Festival 40 Years of Excellence

Important South African and International Art Auction in Johannesburg, Monday 30 June 2014 Preview: Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 June, 10am to 5pm 011 728 8246 | 079 367 0637 | www.straussart.co.za | www.straussartonline.co.za

Stanley Pinker, Camping in the Kouebokkeveld (detail) R2 000 000 – 3 000 000

mohau modisakeng

Ditaola 29 May - 12 July 2014

ORO AFRICA Building (1st floor), 170 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, 8001 www.brundyn.com | info@brundyngonsalves.com | T +27(0)21 424 5150 | F +27(0)21 424 5160

ART TIMES | Editorial June 2014

Receiving arrows with gratitude

FRONT COVER: Busi Deyi in “uZulu NoQwabe”, an image from Val Adamson’s “Love Dance” photographic exhibition, National Arts Festival 2014.

Daily news at www.arttimes.co.za Commissioning Editor: Gabriel Clark-Brown editor@arttimes.co.za »» Elephants performing Stravinsky’s ‘Circus Polka’

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By editor, Gabriel Clark-Brown: At the dawn of the economic recession, I admit that I was looking forward to the progressive decline of decorative, fluffy and saccharine art made during times of abundance. When serious artists have their backs against the wall, they are prone to making blatant visual statements that become iconic artworks. I had hoped that some would rise to the challenge, creating ground-breaking work to lead our art history further down the halls of greatness.

The reality is that most artists are forced to supplement their income by working on distracting, poorly paid small-business ventures, major retrospectives of re-hashed work, and craft-market produce.

There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to get by. Even Stravinsky composed a march for circus elephants when he was cash-strapped (‘Circus Polka’, 1942).

And when an artist has the spare time to make something truly remarkable, where does one market it? - Obviously at a good gallery, but how does one choose it? Many financially successful galleries exhibit at commercial art fairs, using the same sale-friendly display model in their own galleries. To my mind, these exhibitions lack the academic or genuine, ethical gravitas of a conceptually curated museum exhibition and are not necessarily the place for potentially-important artworks.

I have no idea how these are picked up by art history-makers or how they move from an obscure Wendy house studio to the national gallery. Although as an editor, I do know that, sometimes something amazing comes across your path and you simply just grab it - not because it’s academic or sellable, but because somehow it captures a moment or an notion of humanity that strikes a real chord with you.

Perhaps the irony of art is that through honesty to their age, artists becomes relevant, but “the pioneers get the arrows” (to quote David Krut). Artists often sacrifice their present for their long-term future, until such a time as they are recognized for their work by a museum curator or insightful presence on the auction floor.

I am always inspired by a speech given at the Cecil Skotnes Memorial at Iziko SANG. In it, the speaker reflects on the artist’s humble missionary parents who claimed to have never realized that they had gone through the Great Depression, since they were thoroughly focused to their cause and their frugal lifestyle ensured that they always had all that they needed. Similarly, Peter Clarke had no money and even made art out of trash towards the end of his life. The last time I saw him he was in a coffin; his beautiful, noble head lying peacefully and stately against the backdrop of a packed church, bursting with friends and admirers.

Perhaps not concerning oneself too much with money is the key to peace and happiness; that an artist’s riches are in his heart, in Heaven, and in the souls of his art’s admirers. Perhaps it’s best to buy art not for its financial potential but for what it can bring to the quality of one’s life – recession or no recession. Art that produces hope for a better world helps to beat the recession blues, especially while mindlessly scraping paint off walls on the latest home restoration job – were it seems to be the place were most young future artists seem to be spending their days at present -to make ends meet. Together we’ll get through the recession blues soon to focus presently on the amazing future we all have as South Africans, whose roots draw strongly from an amazing, rich past.

“Even Stravinsky composed a march for circus elephants when he was cash-strapped.”

»» Eadweard Muybridge, “Elephant; walking” (flipped), 1884-1887, Collotype print photographs, 20.5 x 38 cm, from ‘Animal Locomotion. An Electro-Photographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Animal Movement 1872-1885’.

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Art MEDIA RADAR | ART TIMES

ART Media Radar SA cultural year in China Sowetan Live | SAPA: South African culture was taken to China as part of a twoyear exchange programme, spokeswoman of the Chinese embassy in South Africa said on Wednesday.

“This year, South Africa will hold over 50 activities in China. Such as cultural promotions, art exchanges, business fairs, academic seminars and educational exchanges,” Wei Xin told reporters in Pretoria. “This is indeed a pioneering undertaking in China-South Africa and China-Africa relations.”

The opening of “the Year of South Africa in China” was held on April 29 in Beijing and was attended by over 1500 people.

She said artists from both countries gave “splendid performances”. This formed part of an agreement between President Jacob Zuma and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping in March 2013.

Xin said in 2015, the Year of China in South Africa would be held across the country with colourful promotions and activities to show South Africans ancient and modern China.

Sports & Arts and Culture Portfolios to Merge Artthrob | Matthew Blackman: Several news agencies are reporting that the Department of Sports and Recreation and the Department of Arts and Culture are likely to merge into one superdepartment in Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle, now that the elections are over. It is still unclear though as to who will be selected by Zuma as its minister.

Before the elections some doubt clouded the futures of both the Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula, and the Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile. But it is now widely considered that Mbalula’s carrier may have been saved by his popularity in the branches of the ANC. However, Mr Mashatile, as ANC provincial chairman of Gauteng, may still be under pressure considering the ANC’s fall in the province from 63% to 54% of the vote.

This is despite the fact that eNCA are reporting that Mashatile remains unconcerned about the ANC’s decline in popularity saying that it is still enough to govern the province effectively.

Taute wins Kanna Award Erdmann Contemporary: We are pleased to announce that Hannalie Taute’s exhibition, Rubber Ever After, presented at this years KKNK festival won the Kanna Award for the Best Visual Arts exhibition. The announcements were made at the SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Mount Nelson Hotel last night. Taute’s preferred medium is the unique combination of embroidery on rubber.

j o hans b o rma n F I N E

A R T

CAPE TOWN

Hannalie Taute, Rubber rubber on the wall who is the toughest of them all, embroidery on rubber and vintage frame, 62 x 42 x 15 cm, 2013 Durban’s creative community to get a boost Mail & Guardian | Candice Botha: An arts initiative aims to showcase Durban talent and build a community for KwaZulu-Natal artists at home. Durban produces some of the best artistic talent in the country, but often, to make it as an artist in any field, from fine art to music, dance and literature, artists have to leave the city and forge their paths elsewhere.

A group of young artists, led by Karla Nixon and Francesca Verga, have decided to try and change this perception by creating “What if this City” – an initiative designed to showcase Durban’s wealth of creative talent, including artists, illustrators, fashion designers, filmmakers, dancers, tattooists, performers and musicians.

“What if this City” launches on May 9 with a free multidisciplinary event.

Alet Swarts

‘A quiet conversation’

STILL 2 4 M AY - 2 8 J U N E 2 0 1 4

Nixon and Verga said, “The notion that there is nothing happening in the Durban arts scene and that, if there are events in Durban, they are often limited to a particular audience was a major incentive behind the conception of the project. It is hoped that through an event like this we are able to rebuild a support system for artists and develop a sense of critical engagement with an existing audience.”

JH Pierneef

Polisiekar tref Madiba-borsbeeld Beeld | Alicestine October: Kaapstad. – Skaars 48 uur nadat die bronsborsbeeld van oudpres.

Nelson Mandela voor die parlement onthul is, is dit gister beskadig, vinnig verwyder, herstel en teruggesit.

‘Still life of gourds and an African clay pot’

Tel: 021 683 6863 E-mail: art@johansborman.co.za 16 Kildare Road, Newlands Mon-Fri: 09h30 - 17h30 Sat: 10h00 - 13h00 or by appointment

’n Polisie-inspekteur het gisteroggend die beeld van R2,5 miljoen skrams op die regterarm getref terwyl hy met sy polisievoertuig agteruit gery het.

Die parlement het dit in ’n verklaring ’n “fratsongeluk” genoem. Die geldwaarde van die skade is nog nie bekend nie.

Luzuko Jacobs, parlementêre woordvoerder, het gesê die gebied rondom die beeld is ’n veiligheidsone en gewone motors mag nie daar parkeer nie. “Besonderhede oor watter stappe gedoen gaan word om toekomstige risiko’s te voorkom, sal later bekend gemaak word.”

Clare Menck

For all these stories and more, go to www.arttimes.co.za

‘Baby in tub, with hen (the artist's daughter)’

www.johansborman.co.za 7

RIEBEEK KASTEEL

F R A G M E N T

GRAHAMSTOWN FESITVAL 2014

PORTRAITURE BY

S O L LY S M O O K VENUE: CARINUS ANNEX, DONKIN STREET 3 – 13 JULY; OPEN DAILY 9AM – 5PM Contact Astrid McLeod | Email: astridmcleod@mweb.co.za | Tel: 083 6533 697 www.galleryriebeek.co.za

Following the success of the 2013 Art on Track, Art on Track 2014 promises to make the same impact in the beautiful town of Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo.

The exhibition will be staged at the Calitzdorp Railway Station 14 - 17th August 2014.

This year the exhibition includes a theme and a moneta prize of R20 000-00, for the entry voted as monetary the "piece I like the most" by the public, (a judging panel will be on hand to act as mediator and provide guidance).

The exhibition is open to all artists in the medium of their choice.

Artists must submit their entries by the end 30 June 2014, with art arriving in Calitzdorp by end July 2014.

Competition rules and entry forms online at http://www.calitzdorp.net/index.php/art-track-2014/ Tel: +27 (0)21 872 5030 Fax: +27 (0)21 872 7133 zetler@icon.co.za www.houtstreetgallery.co.za

Enquiries may be directed to info@calitzdorp.net

LEADING ART NEWS STORY | ART TIMES

African contemporary artists make their mark Published in RFI | by Rosie Collyer: African art is most often symbolized by traditional masks and sculptures. But that is beginning to change as artists in Africa and the Diaspora make their mark on the contemporary art scene.

On a summer’s day in London a couple of years ago, around 100 art collectors sat poised at Bonhams for an African contemporary art auction. The most sought after piece was El Anatsui’s New World Map, a 350 x 500 cm shimmering tapestry of discarded metal bottle tops woven together by copper thread. It was sold for 662,282 euros making Anatsui the highest selling Ghanaian artist of all time. A similar piece went under the hammer at Bonhams in New York for 525,055 euros two weeks earlier.

Anatsui is one of the founding fathers of the Nsukka Group whose members all attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the 1970s. Like other artists in former British, French and Portuguese colonies across Africa, the Nsukka Group sought to re-discover indigenous art. The ‘uli’ designs painted by artists on the homesteads and skins of the local Igbo tribe for centuries, provided the Nsukka Group with their inspiration. Anatsui then went on to be inspired by the contemporary world around him in eastern Nigeria that has been subject to political and social decay in the decades since the civil war ended in 1970.

Anatsui is not alone in his ability to create art out of rubbish and sell it for thousands of euros in Europe and the United States. Romuald Hazoumé, an artist from Benin, has been wowing the contemporary art world in London, Paris and New York for over two decades. Hazoumé is best known for his masks made of canisters used to smuggle gasoline illegally from neighbouring Nigeria on the backs of motorcycles.

Masks from Hazoumé’s Cargoland exhibition sell for around 6000 euros each, a fraction of the price of pieces by Britain’s Damien Hirst or America’s Jeff Coons. The irony is though that Hazoumé has said of his work: “I send back to the West that which belongs to them, that is to say, the refuse of consumer society that invades us every day.”

Besides a handful of artists such as Anatsui, Hazoumé and several South Africans who command relatively high prices at auctions, the market for contemporary African art is still in its early stages compared to other emerging economies such as China and Russia.

“Chinese collectors have an obsession with buying back antiquities acquired from China and exported in bygone eras at auctions around the world

»» Romuald Hazoumé, “Rat Singer: Second Only to God!”.

Romuald Hazoumé/Courtesy October Gallery, London

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

for large sums of money. The Chinese super-rich tend also to buy contemporary art made in China,” Christian Sulger-Büel, a London-based collector of African art, said during a recent visit to Paris.

“Russians also tend to buy back ancient Russian art and are showing an interest in expensive contemporary pieces. But as African economies grow, there is a shift in the way art is regarded by the elite there and very important African collections are being built up by African nationals in addition to the main collectors of nationalities,” noted Sulger-Büel.

Enjoyed by elites Sindika Dokolo, the 41-year old Congolese Angola-based businessman, is for the time being the only man in Africa committed to buying up African contemporary art in large quantities with the purpose of opening up art to the masses. In 2005, Dokolo bought over 500 pieces collected by the German businessman Hans Bogatzke and added it to his own collection that he started aged 15.

Dokolo was inspired by many hours spent in European museums with his Danish mother as a child.

Through his Sindika Dokolo Foundation, the Congolese-Danish art enthusiast has been showing parts of his collection at art fairs in Lusophone Africa, and at the Venice Biennale, the most important event in the world of contemporary art.

But as Antonio Tomas, an Angolan professor of urban anthropology points out, Dokolo’s association with the ruling family in Angola, serves to distance ordinary people from his art project.

“Because he’s married to the president’s daughter, Isabel Dos Santos, [Africa’s richest woman], ordinary people in Angola see art as something to be enjoyed by the elite,” said Tomas. Art in Angola was dealt a serious blow by almost four decades of civil war. “This means there isn’t really a sufficient supply, which is why demand is satisfied by buying art from abroad,” Tomas explained.

The most mature market for contemporary art in Africa is South Africa, which in many ways reflects the stability of its economy. But just as Nigeria has recently overtaken South Africa as the continent’s largest economy, its art market is also coming of age. The commercial capital Lagos boasts the highest concentration of galleries per square meter anywhere on the continent outside of South Africa...* * Read this and other interesting art-icles via source: www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20140510-hype-grows-african-contemporary-art

»» El Anatsui, “In the World But Don’t Know the World” (2009), Aluminium and copper wire. Jonathan Greet/ Courtesy October Gallery, London

• • • • • • • • • •

J H Pierneef Irma Stern Helen Martins Walter Battiss Gerard Sekoto Esther Mahlangu William Kentridge Willie Bester Jan van der Merwe Joao Dikuanga / Vetkat Kruiper

Interactive learning experience • Art History (Let us learn) • Art Appreciation (Let us look) • Art Practice (Let us do)

• Each unit deals with a specic artist • Suitable for children 6-12 years • In colour

Available in English and Afrikaans To purchase go to: kwarts.co.za kalahari.com and search for “South African art series for children” or “Suid-Afrikaanse kuns-reeks vir kinders” 9

3-13 July 2014

The National Arts Festival Turns 10

The Grahamstown National Arts Festival celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, the Festival’s Main programme promises to be bigger and better than ever. It includes the work of 65 former Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners; artists from 26 countries; over 550 performances in Theatre, Dance, Performance Art and Music; nine specially commissioned music works; musicians with more than 40 South African Music Awards and three Grammy Awards under their belt, and an ambitious, sprawling ‘Creation of a Nation’ project across Grahamstown.

And then there is the festival’s Fringe programme. “The Fringe, also celebrating an anniversary as it is presented for the 35th time, continues to grow as South Africa’s biggest open access platform – hundreds of productions bring their talent to Grahamstown and fill theatres with their work across every conceivable genre,” says Artistic Director Ismail Mahomed.

Straddling the Fringe and the Main is the Arena programme, which showcases the work of previous Standard Bank Ovation Award winners as well as award-winning work from festivals around the world.

The Thinkfest programme celebrates the role of the media and creative writers with the Short Sharp Stories Award for fiction writing, and the Arts Journalist of the Year Award returning this year.

With the drive to develop new, sustainable audiences, the Festival has specially crafted a programme of Family Fare, aiming to reach out to families and younger audiences.

“We’re giving audiences the opportunity to think, reflect, celebrate, empathise, laugh and to look to the future through this year’s programme,” Mahomed said. “We’re proving that life begins at 40!”

SOME VISUAL ART EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS: 14/30 : GOODMAN GALLERY AND THE STANDARD BANK YOUNG ARTIST AWARD: This exhibition celebrates both the 30th anniversary of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award, as the well as the historical link between the Goodman Gallery and this prestigious national prize for visual art. The title of the show hints at the fact that 14 out of 30 Standard Bank Young Artists are linked to the Goodman Gallery. The exhibition will feature the work of Hasan and Husain Essop, Mikhael Subotzky, Nontsikelelo Veleko, Kathryn Smith, Brett Murray, Walter Oltmann, Sam Nhlengethwa, Pippa Skotnes, Tommy Motswai, Bonnie Ntshalintshali, Fee Halsted-Berning, Margaret Vorster, William Kentridge, Marion Arnold and Peter Schütz.

Curated by Neil Dundas and Lara Koseff WIM BOTHA: Wim Botha’s commissioned artwork is a room-sized, immersive installation. Composed of a multitude of sculptural and architectural elements, the work demonstrates Botha’s fascination with traditional materials including marble, bronze, wood,

paper and paint, and also those of a more ephemeral nature such as cardboard, polystyrene and fluorescent lights. Surprising material juxtapositions create lines of communication from the dogmatic towards the artist’s exploration of spontaneity, improvisation and coincidence.

The installation’s central component is “Study for the Epic Mundane” (2013), which was commissioned for the South African Pavilion at the 2013 Biennale di Venezia. Curated by Brenton Maart TO BE KING: Located in the Alumni Gallery at the Albany History Museum, Christine Dixie’s exhibition re-conceives the space as Room XII, the gallery in the Prado Museum, in which Velasquez, “Las Meninas” is displayed. Dixie’s exhibition is informed by the first chapter in Michel Foucault’s book “The Order of Things” (1966), which investigates the fragility of the established order and envisions a different order, where characters and spaces from the periphery play a central role. The chapter is titled, “Las Meninas, To Be King”.

HOMING: A travelling project, Jenna Burchell’s exhibition encourages audiences to talk about what home means to them in the context of diaspora. It is an opportunity to move diverse people to interact and exchange stories, embracing the differences and similarities that unite South Africans. This meticulously hand-built, interactive environment has been designed to be an accessible and exciting meeting of contemporary art, sound and live interactive participation.

A TEMPORARY ADMISSION: Bridget Baker’s work is situated at the intersection of documentary and myth-making, forming a series of complex visual fragments that are realised through film making, installation and documented re-stagings. The artist interweaves personal narratives with larger historic moments, with an interest in the blind-spots created by official narrations of the past. A large artefact has been freighted by ship from London to the Port Elizabeth harbour. Its arrival mimics its original function, that of a transport vessel between settler ships and smaller boats out at sea. As part of the installation, a new film documents this ‘retour’.

“Jetty SCOUR” is projected alongside the object whose function is not immediately evident. At the end of the exhibition the vessel, it will return to London, as its import conditions stipulate: ‘temporary admission’.

Curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg.

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

FEATURED ART EVENTS | ART TIMES IT BEGAN WITH A WALK: A selection of videos from Emile Stipps’ collection will be shown, including works

by Kemang Wa Lehulere, Robin Rhode, Dineo Seshee Bopape, Penny Siopis, Moshekwa Langa and William Kentridge in collaboration with Deborah Bell and Robert Hodgins. The exhibition aims to explore the curation of video works – an interrogation which culminates in the exhibition taking place in a cinema setting, where viewers are allowed the opportunity to see the time-based works from beginning to end; an act that is often a challenge in a gallery setup. Curated by Portia Malatjie.

capable of life-like movement, to explore the tension between the illusion of life and the inanimate object.

EVERSE: ‘Everse’ is an obsolete word meaning to subvert or overthrow. This live installation by Simone Heymans, Ivy Kulundu-Gotz, Joseph Coetzee and Chiro Nott, is a site- situational, spatial walk-about at Victoria Primary School that engages with the blind spots of spaces of learning and the long- term repercussions that these can have. The audience is invited to engage with memories of schooling and highlighted issues of the education system.

IMPRESSIONS OF RORKE’S DRIFT – THE JUMUNA COLLECTION: Works from the Jumuna Family collection look at the phenomenal legacy of the iconic Rorke’s Drift Arts and Craft Centre. The exhibition showcases over 100 pieces - mostly prints - from 17 artists. Regrettably, no formal archive or permanent exhibition of the work from Rorke’s Drift exists, but the Jumuna Family from Durban has been collecting pieces made in the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre since the 1960s and have graciously made their family collection available for this exhibition. Curated by Thembinkosi Goniwe.

THE ART TIMES ALSO RECOMMENDS: LOVE DANCE: This photographic exhibition is a reflection of the passion that photographer Val Adamson has for photographing dance. For Adamson, watching dance is an exciting, engrossing experience that becomes a lingering, evocative memory once the performance is over. Her thrilling challenge has been to capture some of those moments and save those images for posterity, allowing the viewer to relive the beauty of live dance. This photographic exhibition covers almost 20 years of Dance in KZN, featuring an array of dancers from throughout Africa representing a variety of styles and genres.

FABRICATE: This is the most comprehensive exhibition of Handspring Puppet Company’s work to date.

With over 50 puppets on display, it spans 22 years and highlights the nature of their creative process.

For “Fabricate”, Handspring has made a selection of puppets from some of their most popular shows. Under the directorship of several different artists including William Kentridge, Tom Morris, Malcolm Purkey, Adrian Kohler and Janni Younge, the style of the puppet design has shifted to suit the aesthetic requirements of the creative team and content of the work. The company has tended to design figurative puppets

BISMILLAH: Igshaan Adams’ performance artworks speak to his experience of racial, religious and sexual liminality. He draws from tensions and complexities within his own cultural background and iconographies of Islam. In “Bismillah”, Adams performs with his father, Amien, who prepares his body for burial in the Islamic cleansing and wrapping ritual, as if he had died.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE WHO IS SPEAKING? Mbali Khoza engages with performance, video and installation in order to express her understanding of language and literature as a mode of communication. Drawing from Foucault’s lecture “What is an Author?” Khosa’s performance questions authorship and the violent invisibility caused by translation, as language is altered and deleted.

Surrounded by the three-dimensional blocks of text at the Eastern Star Press Museum that in the past were meticulously arranged by hand, Khoza carefully performs a stitched transcription of a West African language using isiZulu phonetics as a guide.

ANALOGUE EYE: A mobile drive-in theatre and pop-up cinema experience, Analogue Eye takes video works from the gallery context to meet a wider audience in unexpected public platforms and spaces. Video Art Africa is a curated screening of three programmes of diverse video artworks made by 37 artists about, from or on the African continent, which for many will be their first showing on the continent. Curated by Brent Meistre. »» Bookings can be made through www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. Programmes can be obtained at selected Exclusive Books, Standard Bank branches and online.

Images following flow of article, opposite page from top to bottom: »» Header Image: Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Choreographed by Michel Kelemenis. Photo: Gregory Batardon. »» Mikhael Subotzky, “Mr Roussouw (at desk), Beaufort West” (2006), light jet print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper. Image Courtesy Goodman Gallery Cape Town, Johannesburg. »» Artist, Wim Botha. »» Christine Dixie, Animation still from “To Be King” (2014).

»» Jenna Burchell, “Homing” (2013), Interactive Installation. Image courtesy of artist. »» Bridget Baker, “Wrecking at Private Siding 661” (2010-11), Cane woven human transporter, led lighting, glass bottle. Photo: Daniel Isherwood. »» Robin Rhode, “A Day in May” (2013). Image Courtesy of the artist and Stevenson Cape Town, Johannesburg. »» Raymond Goswana, “Way Out” (1974), Etching, Edition 1 of 12.

»» “Love Dance” Exhibition by Val Adamson: Neliswa Rushualang in “Body of Evidence”. »» Goose puppet from “War Horse”. »» Photo: Ivy Kulundu-Gotz »» Bismillah” (2013), Performed by Igshaan Adams with Amien Adams. Image courtesy Brian Engel, Blank Projects. »» Artist, Mbali Khoza. »» Image from Analogue Eye.

Nocturne and Romance

Frari, Venice. 2014 (detail)

Important new work, opening 26th June 2014

Ryno Swart Art Gallery, Simon’s Town

021 786 3975 or 021 786 4131 • ryno@artistvision.org. • www.artistvision.org

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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ART TIMES | FEATURED ART EVENTS

The Standard Bank

Young Artist Awards Celebrate 30 Years of Artistic Excellence The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards were started in 1981 by the National Arts Festival to acknowledge emerging, relatively young South African artists who have displayed an outstanding talent in their artistic endeavours. Standard Bank took over the sponsorship of the awards in 1984 and has presented Young Artist Awards in all the major arts disciplines over their 30-year sponsorship.

2014 Standard Bank Young Artists for Visual Art Hasan & Husain Essop Born and raised in Cape Town, the twins have been collaborating since their graduation from the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2007. They both completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Postgraduate Diploma in Art at Michaelis, and subsequently Postgraduate Certificates in Education, at the University of Cape Town.

Husain specialised in Photography and makes all the important technical decisions when setting up a shoot. Hasan specialised in Printmaking and therefore has a lot more freedom in the post-production and printing of the work. They both contribute to the subject matter and editing of the photographs, always discussing new ideas and locations to shoot.

They speak very visually to each other and many ideas are born from their conversations; using popular culture, the media and Hollywood as inspiration.

“Our series of work highlights a multi-cultural clash between religion and popular cultures,” say the Essops. “We explore the dominating influence of Western theatrics and those narratives that are constructed to depict a certain reality. Inspired by

Hollywood’s visual language and tactics, we create our own narratives. Each photograph reflects us in a battle of moral, religious and cultural conflicts. Two

dominant personalities appear, East and West with all their stereotypes. Environments are chosen as stages on which to perform and define our behaviours.”

Both working full time as educators in boys’ schools in Cape Town, they focus a lot of energy on developing and maintaining their skills. “I believe that in

order to share knowledge you need to have it, and therefore teaching has made me a better person and artist” explains Hasan.

Over the past few years the brothers have been establishing themselves in various parts of the world.

In 2009, they exhibited at the Havana Biennale. They were then selected for the Dakar Biennale in 2010.

Since then, they have exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Isabelle van den Eynde Gallery, in Dubai.

The Essops look forward to their first trip to the National Arts Festival, and compiling their first print catalogue, as offshoots of winning the Standard Bank Young Artist Award. Motivated by the influence of significant teachers in their own lives, they hope to inspire others, especially the youth through education, and thus leave a positive legacy in South African Art. »» Supported by the Goodman Gallery, Hasan & Husain will exhibit a body of new work in the Grahamstown Monument Gallery for the duration of the Festival.

2014 Standard Bank Young Artist for Performance Art Donna Kukama Born in 1981 in Mafikeng; Kukama completed her postgraduate studies at the Ecole Cantonale d’Art du Valais in Sierre (Switzerland) in 2008, under MAPS (Master of Arts in the Public Sphere), and is currently a faculty member at the WITS School of Arts.

Kukama has participated and performed in various exhibitions and art fairs, including the Joburg Art Fair in 2009 and 2012, Art Miami 2009, ARCO Madrid 2010, SUPERMARKET ART FAIR in 2012, and has been selected to perform during the Lyon Biennale as well as the South African Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2013.

Kukama’s approach to her practice is experimental, and she mostly applies methods that she describes as ‘deliberately undisciplined’, as she navigates between spaces of performance, video, text, and sound installations. She applies performance as a medium of resistance against already established ‘ways of doing’, and also as a strategy for inserting an alien voice and presence into various moments in history, as much as in existing public territories.

Weaving major with minor aspects of histories, she

introduces fragile and brief moments of ‘strangeness’ within socio-political settings - gestures of

poetry with political intent, intended to destabilize existing perspectives of reality.

Kukama remembers her first independent trip to the National Arts Festival, in 2003 - the first time she had come across the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Arts (she had previously only been

aware of Drama and Dance). She says she dreamt of getting the Award herself, but “needless to say, soon realised that the work I was making did not fit comfortably into the Visual Arts category.”

“I think there is generally not enough attention paid to performance art locally, and winning the Young Artist Award is a heck of a confidence boost for me, and hopefully others working in the same field. It’s taken me ten years of performing to public audiences both inside and outside of the art world to arrive at this level of recognition, and I hope that ten years from now, this art form will be as populated as the other traditional forms of art, if not more” she says. »» Kukama will launch “The Museum of Non-Permanence” at the Festival this year. It will take the form of a series of events, encounters, interactions, and public announcements in various public spaces; a journey that is not only an interruption, but needs to be interrupted in order to continue. The performance will acknowledge history as a physical experience; one that is carried by “historical scars” requiring careful dissection so that imagined realities can exist beyond the historical.

»» Info supplied by The Famous Idea Trading Company, in collaboration with The National Arts Festival

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ann Walter O ltm 2001

Brett Mu rray 2002

rle Berni Sea 2003

mith Kathryn S 2004

ha Wim Bot 2005

Madikida Churchill 2006

2007

Pieter Hu

go

o elo Velek Nontsikel 2008

Hlobo Nicholas 2009

MacGarry Michael 2010

bo a Mntam Nandiph 2011

ubotzky MikhaelS 2012

Mary Sib ande 2013

Husain E Hasan & 2014

Visual A rt

oys Anthea M 2013

Donna K ukama 2014

Performan ce Art

ssop

Standard Bank Young Artist Awards Received

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

FEATURED ART EVENTS | ART TIMES

A Brief History 1974 – The NAF is born The Festival was initiated 40 years ago by the Grahamstown Foundation (formerly the 1820 Foundation) as a vibrant and dynamic way to celebrate the opening of the Monument through arts and cultural expression. One of the key figures was Professor Guy Butler, a renowned South African literary figure. He believed that arts would bring South Africans together to celebrate the richness of South African culture.

Given the historical and political context of South Africa at the time, in the initial years of the Festival, it was considered an “exclusive” event which focused on the celebration of the English language. However, The Festival earned its integrity by being an ardent supporter of the Cultural Boycott and for the fringe, which became a platform for free expression. This opportunity that the Festival provided to South Africans in its early years was a unique moment in that during the ten days of the Festival, South Africans were able to engage each other without the political restrictions that dominated the rest of the country.

Even today, the Festival retains its reputation for promoting free expression within the boundaries of the constitution of the Republic; and for being a showcase of excellence and diversity.

access to the arts; and artists hoped that it would translate into a faster growing arts economy from which money would come raining down.* 2014 – The NAF Reflects Despite all these challenges that exist in the arts sector, there are still many gains that have been made in the last two decade and there is still a lot to celebrate. Artists and audiences now live in a country that is without any doubt a far better place now than it was two decades ago.* The National Arts Festival recognises the valuable role that the arts have played in giving a voice to South African people. The arts articulate our dreams, hopes, fears and aspirations. The arts give us reason to join hands in song, to shed a tear at our common humanity when we respond to a dramatic moment, it gives us the strength to know that we are a people whose story can and must continue to give hope to the world. The arts allow us to reflect on who we are as a people. The arts allow us to be critical of ourselves. The arts define us as a people. The Festival is a truly South African platform which us gives a window into what our world can be when we celebrate diversity but embrace a common humanity.

1986 – The NAF Protests At the peak of the eighties State of Emergency the Festival’s Fringe programme was an open-access platform that boldly promoted courageous and dissenting voices. Over the last two decades while the artistic quality of productions on the Fringe has grown enormously, it has yet to have the kind of political edge that was characteristic of it during the State of Emergency years.*

ütz Peter Sch 1984

rnold Marion A 1985

unge Gavin Yo 1986

entridge William K 1987

Vorster Margaret 1988

idi Helen Seb 1989

Fee Halst ed - Ber ning & Bonnie Ntshalints hali 1990

Botha Andries 1991

otswai Tommy M 1992

Pippa Sko tnes 1993

1994

Jane Ale 1995

Trevor M ak 1996

ha Lien Bot 1997

Nhlanhla 1998

Alan Alb 2000

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Sam Nhle ngethwa

19 Born 76 Rebels (to be performed at this year’s Festival, as part of 20/20 Visions), featuring Mamela Nyamza.

Photo: Dex Goodman

xander

1983 Five Roses National Festival of the Arts, Drama Master Harold and the Boys.

hoba

Guy Butler, circa 1980 (courtesy National English Literary Museum, Grahamstown).

Xaba

»» * Directedly quoted from: Ismail Mahomed. 2014.

“Reflections: Two Decades of SA Theatre”, Artslink: http://www.artlink.co.za/news_article. htm?contentID=35329. »» All other info supplied by The Famous Idea Trading Company, in collaboration with The National Arts Festival

orough

The cover of the Standard Bank National Arts Festival programme, 1994.

1994 – The NAF For All The dawn of democracy two decades ago promised a landscape in which artistic freedoms would thrive.

The new constitution offered hope that the bond of censorship was going to be buried and that it would never return again. It also promised increased

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ART TIMES | FEATURED ART EVENTS

BRUNDYN+ PRESENTS MOHAU MODISAKENG DEBUT SOLO EXHIBITION : “DITAOLA” 29 May - 12 July 2014 A central tenet and foundational question that Modisakeng’s work responds to is the issue of violence and concerns around the role it plays and continues to play in colonial, as well as post-colonial African societies. His current body of work engages several discourses related to the political economy of the racial segregation, institutionalised/systemic racism, militarisation, and civil unrest of apartheid South Africa and the African continent at large. The work engages both individual and collective narratives informed by the realities of living in South Africa. The constructed narratives engage the black body as a site of fragmentation, distortion, and degradation.

Modisakeng’s previous sculptural work grappled with notions of conflict, aggression and the threat of physical violence. The work often directly references instruments, tools and symbols of violence that are significant to the South African political and historical context. The objects are taken out of their original frame of reference as mere functional objects and repositioned in the hyper-conscious exhibition space, thus revealing a multiplicity of subtexts. His work reaches in and exhumes the complexity that percolates at the surface.

The exhibition highlights the relationship between narrative, form, nuance and what lies beneath. The results are a multidimensional creative process wherein a constellation of imagined places, stories and mythologies combine and assume physical and primarily sculptural form. The artist posits: “My current work exits as several physical ‘bodies’ in the form of autonomous sculptures, each assuming an individual role within an allegorical network of signs and symbols comprising the larger constellation. The characters, moments (performative, live elements), and setting on a visual level correspond to the very ideas and concepts – political, philosophical, theological and historical – that are at the root of my practice on both a symbolic and material level.”

Each object functions as a meta-language. Through description and analysing visual codes, conventions and structures Modisakeng works towards revealing a metonymic sculptural environment. The material representation within the framework of this body of work reconstitutes a concrete ‘text’ into various abstract subtexts. The underlying connotations of his work are directly informed by the artist’s personal biography and are infused into the collective narrative of black African subjects within the framework of (South) African social, political, and cultural politics.

BARONGWA Mohau Modisakeng and Sikhumbuzo Makandula will perform “Barongwa” at the National Arts Festival. The performance features the procession of a silent marching band through the streets of Grahamstown, from the center of town to the site of the old Egazini Memorial in Fingo Village. Imaginary sound reignites a sensitive history marked by deprivation, emphasising the fact that we can only see when we fully recognise our blindness. »» Info supplied by BRUNDYN+ and The Famous Idea Trading Company, in collaboration with The National Arts Festival »» All images: Mohau Modisakeng, “Untitled”, 2014, Inkjet print on Epson UltraSmooth, 200 x 150cm, ED of 3 + 2 AP. Courtesy the artist and BRUNDYN+ (from “Ditaola” exhibition)

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

FEATURED ART EVENTS & MISC | ART TIMES

NAF FRINGE EXHIBITIONS DIALOGUE OF TWO MINDS: An exhibition by Bretten-Anne Moolman and Lize-Mari Strydom, inviting the viewer on a journey of interpretation and social commentary on society and behaviour. Bretten-Anne’s work varies from figurative to contemporary images; she feels strongly about social injustices and reflects this in her work whilst Lize-Mari’s depicts images of childhood memories in a dreamlike, mysterious and sometimes sinister way.

The exhibition will be held at Oatlands Preparatory school, African Street (10am – 6pm for the duration of the festival). www.bamoolman.co.za / www.lize-mari.co.za »» Artwork by Bretten-Anne Moolman

FRAGMENT: Renowned South African artist, Solly Smook’s portraiture exhibition is a series of oils on canvas and mixed media and portrays the splinters of the sensual and the spiritual. With modern expressionistic brush strokes and provocative colours, the feminine divine is brought forward as the subject matter. Smook has built a reputation for producing challenging works that evoke memories of emotion in the viewer beyond their aesthetic appeal. The exhibition will be held at the Carinus Annex (Sally Scott Room), Donkin Street for the duration of the festival. www.galleryriebeek.co.za »» Solly Smook, “Sentir”, oil and acrylic on canvas, 455mm X 610mm

First Space Young Artist Studio Award Swains Yard Studios is a new group studio (370 Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town). It consists of five large individual artists’ spaces and a large workshop exhibiting space.

The studio is sending out a call for applications for the First Space Studio Award. The award has been made possible by a group of local and international sponsors who have a passion for the arts and would like to assist a young artist starting out on their career as professional artist.

The generosity of these sponsors enables the studio to offer the chosen applicant support in their first year out of education to help them work and establish themselves as an artist.

The aim of the award is to nurture a promising emerging artist at the beginning of their career, allowing them space to further develop their artistic practice and creative enterprises by having free studio space and creative support.

The award includes a materials grant. And exhibiting opportunities.

Swains Yard Studios Observatory invites applications from 2013 art graduates under the age of 25.

The award consists of a large free studio space with 24 hour access for the period of 1 year. The successful candidate will work alongside a collective of professional artists and will be given support and opportunities in furthering their professional practice. The award includes an exhibition at Rust-EnVrede Gallery (Durbanville) after the end of the residency and a materials sponsorship from Art Source artist supplies.

ARCHITECTURE • FINE ART: SCULPTURE and JEWELLERY

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN • SHORT FILM FASHION and ACCESSORIES PRIZES: R50 000 for the winner in each category R15 000 merit award in each category R100 000 for the overall winner chosen from all finalists For more info visit

Eligible artists interested in applying for the award should email swainsyard.info@gmail.com by 21 June for a residency starting July 2014. The application should include: A motivational letter, artist statement, 8-10 images of recent work in small format jpegs or pdf, an academic or professional reference, a study record. Terms and conditions apply.

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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ART TIMES | Artists’ Birthdays CECIL SKOTNES: 1 June 1926 - 4 April 2009 Cecil Skotnes was best known for his striking woodblock prints. Son of Missionaries, Skotnes grew up in a sparse and humble environment.

Once he declared that the family suffered going through the great depression as they were so frugal and humble. As a young man he fought in Italy during the War and saw the unravelling of David in Florence that moved him. He taught at the Polly Street Art Centre in 1952. After making a few improvements and forming an art program, students began to flock to the centre. They arrived in strange ways. One night a young man came running into the centre, the police in hot pursuit. Cecil sat him down, gave him an apron and pencils and instructed him to draw the still life in front of him. As it turned out he had ability, and became a regular. »» Pippa Skotnes. “Cecil Skotnes: Life and Work” (12/09/2009), Cecil Skotnes: The Legacy of Cecil Skotnes Art and Life: http://cecilskotnes.blogspot.com

PETER CLARKE: 2 June 1929 - 13 April 2014 Peter Clarke, a man of letters, poetry and art knew what he wanted at an early age, on receiving paintbrushes from his mother who was a cleaner, he quit school at roughly 14. On journey to Tesslaarsdal were he paid his way as a shepherd, he decided to become a full time artist. “He worked as a dockworker before becoming a professional artist in the mid-1950s, and was best known for his printmaking and woodcuts... He also wrote essays, short stories and poetry. In an interview with Artthrob in 2003, Clarke joked: ‘Had I been triplets, it would have made it much easier because each could have his own job. There are times when I go through a writing phase and there are times for phases of picture-making but there is never a dull moment.’” »» “RIP Peter Clarke (1929-2014)” (14/04/2014), Books Live: http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2014/04/14/rip-peter-clarke-1929-2014

DAVID KOLOANE: 5 June 1938 South African artist. “It is within every artist to bring to life what has been thrown away, to enliven and revive what most people see as nothing...

If you think of an artist such as Noria Mabasa, who has had no formal education, she produces powerful works from wood objects she finds in the veld. She carves these wood pieces into something meaningful, almost conceptual in a sense. I see no reason why she should be ignored over some young person who does meaningless video work of an eye blinking for ten seconds.” – David Koloane (Interview: June 26, 2003) »» Sean O’Toole. 2003. “David Koloane”, Art Throb: http://www.artthrob.co.za/03july/artbio.html.

DAMIEN HIRST: 7 June 1965 British conceptual artist (part of the Brit Pack), best known for incrusting a human skull with diamonds and placing taxidermied animals in formaldehyde-filled glass boxes. “I’ve always had a thing about glass. I had a magic mushroom experience very early on where I got a bit freaked out about being symmetrical. I imagined I had a sheet of glass running right through me. Glass became quite frightening. I think glass is quite a frightening substance. I always try and use it.” – Damien Hirst »» Hans Ulrich Obrist. 2007. “An Interview”, Damien Hirst: http://www.damienhirst.com/texts/20071/feb--huo.

PAUL GAUGUIN: 7 June 1848 - 8 May 1903 French Post-Impressionist painter famous for painting topless Polynesian women. It has always been believed that Vincent Van Gogh cut his ear off in a moment of madness, however, German historians have recently developed another theory. Although Gauguin and Van Gogh were best friends, Gauguin allegedly cut Van Gogh’s ear off in a fight over a prostitute. Van Gogh kept his silence until his death so that Gauguin would not be sent to jail. »» “Anecdote: Fighting for a Prostitute, Painter Paul Gauguin Cut Van Gogh’s Ear off”(17/03/2014), Artisoo: http://www.artisoo.com/OilPaintingBlog/ anecdote-fighting-for-a-prostitute-painter-paul-gauguin-cut-van-goghs-ear-off

EGON SCHIELE: 12 June 1890 - 31 October 1918 Viennese artist, known for his graphic drawing style and the distorting the human body in erotic and semi-erotic portraits. “Schiele moved to Krumau in 1911. “The provincial villagers were, as it turns out, hardly impressed with Schiele’s bizarre manner of dressing or, more to the point, with his unconventional life style. In August 1911, after a nude model was observed posing outdoors, he was evicted from his lodgings and forced to leave town... Schiele now went to the Austrian village of Neulengbach where, in April 1912, he was jailed on charges of “public immorality” for allegedly exposing minors to erotic works in his studio.” »» “Egon Schiele and his Paintings”. 2011. Egon Schiele: Biography, Paintings, Quotes: http://www.egon-schiele.com

VIRGINIA MACKENNY: 13 June London-born artist, living in Cape Town. MacKenny is known for painting in shades of dark blue. “MacKenny describes painting as a ‘journey of getting to know oneself and the world’ as she never really knows what each painting will contain. She begins knowing only a few elements of the painting, and allows the rest to surface as she works. MacKenny feels that this ‘vagueness of thought’ is necessary, as it ‘ensures outcomes that are not predetermined. Released from the straitjacket of expectation or intent, an apparently gratuitous connection between similar looking things may prove unexpectedly fruitful’ (MacKenny 2008: “Artworks in Progress 2008”).” »» Luke Crossley. “Virginia MacKenny”, David Krut Projects: http://davidkrutprojects.com/artists/virginia-mackenny.

ANDREW VERSTER: 15 June 1937 Durban artist who has been involved in teaching, art administration, set and costume design, story and play-writing and creating public artworks. “Everyone from the beginning of time has taken someone else’s ideas and made them their own. Indeed one of the great pleasures of looking is in tracking an idea from today back and back to see when and where it was born. The secret is to make the new version seem like the original and the original like a copy” – Andrew Verster »» “Andrew Verster”. 2014. KZNSA: http://www.kznsagallery.co.za/artists/andrew_verster.htm.

ROBERT HODGINS: 27 June 1920 - 15 March 2010 British-born South African artist, best known for his jarringly colourful, youthful style of painting. Robert Hodgins described himself as “an optimistic old sod” and said that creating art was an “auto-intoxication that allows one to live through marriages, divorces, deaths and unhappy love affairs, and come up smiling all the time”. He saw art-making as a relationship itself: a one-night stand or an epic love affair. »» Lisa van Wyk. “‘Optimistic old sod’ Robert Hodgins dead at 89” (16/03/2010), Mail & Guardian: http://mg.co.za/article/2010-03-16-otimisticold-sod-robert-hodgins-dead-at-89.

The Art Times would like to celebrate all members of South Africa’s visual art community born in JUNE, including: David Zetler, Nathaniel Stern, Louis Nel (5 June) | Marlise Keith (9 June) | Cathy McShannon (10 June) | Maria Fidel Regueros (12 June) | André Clements (13 June) | Stuart Trent (14 June) | Alex Hamilton (15 June) | Sara-Aimee Verity (19 June) | James Webb (20 June) | Zhané Warren, Elizé Le Roux-Diedericks, Michaela Irving, Philip Britz (22 June) | Jeanine Bresler, Rat Western (23 June) | Anny Maddock (25 June) | Bongi Bengu, Brent Meistre (26 June) | Jillian Ross (27 June) | Cecil Higgs (28 June) | Sita Suzanne (30 June) Famous, international artists born in JUNE: Diego Velázquez (6 June) | Gustave Courbet (10 June) | John Constable (11 June) | Christo (13 June) | Kurt Schwitters (20 June) | Peter Paul Rubens (28 June)

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

OPENING SOON!!

Visit www.makiwagalleries.com and subscribe to our mail list..

We are currently reviewing Artists’ Portfolios for possible representation.

See details on website.

Level 0, Cape Quarter Square, 27 Somerset Road, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa Phone: 0214213333 / 0832528876 Email: carmel@global.co.za www.carmelart.co.za

ART TIMES | 100 Great South African Works of Art Series

Mary Sibande They don’t make them like they used to (2008)

By Lyn Holm: Sophie is a character found in many of Sibande’s sculptural and photographic artworks.

Sibande is the first woman in her family to receive a tertiary education. She puts herself in the shoes (or uniform, as it were) of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother when she sculpts or photographs her own body in the form of her alter-ego. Sibande states that her concern is the socio-political baggage weighing down not only the female members of her family but black women in general in post-colonial,

post-Apartheid South Africa. She wishes to draw attention to women who are most often backstage, instead of in their own limelight.

The outfit worn by Sophie in “They don’t make them like they used to” (2008) has a number of Victorian stylistic features; most obviously the large, rounded skirt. It is however, made from modern fabric and has other modern stylistic features. Since the height of slavery, many black women have been given the role of domestic worker, whether by their

own choice or not. Since Apartheid’s abolition, some are still unable to change this identity due to financial constraints or the poor education imposed by the old system. The Victorian aspects of Sophie’s outfit suggest an old idea in a modern setting. The outfit makes her physically unapproachable and looks like it may impede her activities. Her outfit may suggest protest against her current, lower status; fantasising about a status similar to that of a Victorian monarch.

To hold such a status, she would transcend society’s outdated expectations of her and destroy any possible notions of inferiority imposed by her ancestral history. Otherwise she is imprisoned by an outfit that may never fully transform into the gown of a kept woman, overall blue that may never fade to powder.

In her hands is a half-knitted jersey with Superman’s logo blazoned across its front. As she knits it, it is unclear whom the garment is for. It could be for an imaginary superhero, one of her employers, or even for herself.

The title, “They don’t make them like they used to” may refers to the quality of the domestic worker herself, the jersey, or the hero who is to wear it.

Should the first option be intended, it would be critique of the domestic worker’s service. Often blamed for breakages, misplacements and losses that occur within a home, whether the domestic worker is at fault or not, these presumptions form a damaging stereotype.

If the jersey’s quality is in question, the servant of the house may be making or mending a garment for the most powerful member of the home. The servant’s meekness and sewing skills are her strength.

She does what her employer cannot do, or chooses not to do, inferring that she is perhaps more skilled or more bold. She is elevated above the wearer of the jersey in this instance.

If she knits the jersey for herself, it is because she notices her strength. A good domestic worker quietly solves problems around the house, looks after children that are not her own and makes food for those who are not in her family. Often, she will go without recognition or thanks. She is the unsung hero of the home. They don’t make them like they used to. No, they are not white, muscular men with slicked-back hair but black women with strong capabilities.

The bold figure of Sophie presents a cathartic and subversive look at South African, black, female identity - past and present. It interrogates and supports the ideal of equality-for-all, for which South Africa has laboured long and hard. To aspire to a brighter future with a good-heart reflects another national icon’s personal legacy. »» See more of Mary Sibande’s work at Gallery Momo. www.gallerymomo.com

Artwork details AND Sources IMAGES: »» Artist, Mary Sibande »» Mary Sibande: “They don’t make them like they used to” 2008. Digital print on cotton rag matte paper (Edition of 10). 90 x 60cm SOURCES USED IN TEXT:

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»» Anna Stielau. 2012. “Mary Sibande”. Artthrob: http:// www.artthrob.co.za/Artbio/Mary_Sibande_by_Anna_ Stielau.aspx. »» Ruxandra. “Mary Sibande: Dressed to Tell South Africa’s Tale” (25/11/2011). Meet the Artists Blog: http:// ruxandrabp.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/mary-sibandedressed-to-tell-south-africas-tale/.

»» “Mary Sibande”. 2011. 20 Stellenbosch: http://20stellenbosch.co.za/index.php?option=com_ content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=45. »» Joyce Bidouzo-Coudray. “Mary Sibande | Triumph Over Prejudice” (13/12/ 2013 ). Another Africa: http://www. anotherafrica.net/art-culture/mary-sibande-triumphover-prejudice.

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

100 Great South African Works of Art Series | ART TIMES

Noel Hodnett Eastern Cape Bush Incident

By Lyn Holm: At first glance, Noel Hodnett’s “Eastern Cape Bush Incident” (1991) looks merely representational, although the title suggests that a conceptual element is present. Hodnett says that surrounded by the lush vegetation of the Eastern Cape country-side and a life-giving river, a baboon incidentally looks onto the skull of a warthog and realises that he too is destined to die. These words open up a wealth of symbolism relating to the visual decisions made by Hodnett in the painting’s creation.

The most prominent feature in the painting’s composition is a warthog’s skull atop a tall stump. It is an arrangement that could not have been formed naturally but was most likely made by human hands.

(1991)

Its elevated position on the hillside suggests that the arranger desired it to be seen from afar, either out of reverence for the object or to take advantage of its communicative significance. There is a similar structure in William Golding’s book “Lord of the Flies”, where a group of boys mount a pig’s head on a stake to represent the devil. The pig’s head then predicts the death of one of the boys, who is later murdered by his comrades.

The baboon stands in complete self-absorption, Hodnett says, unaware of the smoke from a fire blazing in the far distance. Protected by the river, the baboon has nothing to fear; although should he take his eyes off himself, he may consider

the mortality of others falling victim to the blaze.

But as much as fire kills, it also supports life by removing dead brush that blocks out the sun and activating the seeds of some fynbos species. Fire is a symbol of both death and life in the South African bush.

Hodnett’s incident not only highlights the hostility of life in the bush but its cyclical nature. The two birds hidden in the Euphorbia tree beside the baboon are Hadeda, a sub-species of the Ibis. In mythology, they represent birth and rebirth - fertility, the transmigration of the soul and the phoenix. The baboon too, is a symbol of resurrection. He is the guard of the Egyptian underworld. Should he die, his life may begin again.

Hodnett was a part of the Grahamstown Group founded by Brian Bradshaw in 1964. Bradshaw formed the exclusive Group from students and fellow lecturers at the Rhodes School of Art in order to address a problem of artificiality that he perceived in South African art. A summary of his grounding philosophy is: “art symbolises indigenous culture, the only culture”. In other words: art should reflect nature because nature is true culture. The Grahamstown Group is said to have formed the first cohesive artistic movement in South Africa. This is because the Group produced work under a strict aesthetic code: Indigenous life was the only legitimate subject matter; it could not be sentimental. The composition of a painting had to have a balanced structure. A large format (larger than a metre squared) was preferable. Strong lines and emotive brushstrokes were favourable. This aesthetic stayed with most members of the original Group long after they disbanded in 1978, as can be seen in Hodnett’s work painted in 1991. The teachings at the core of the Grahamstown Group’s manifesto are still filtered into the teaching of art today, so strong was Bradshaw’s influence.

Brian Bradshaw hailed nature observation as the most effective means of art education, famously stated in the Grahamstown Group manifesto that “the Albany Museum is more important than the Tate Gallery. The Bundu is more important than the Albany Museum”.

Perhaps Hodnett’s painting develops Bradshaw’s teachings further so that observation of art about nature can teach about life, in turn.

»» Jeanne Wright. 2010. The Grahamstown Group. The South African Art Times, May: 7-11. »» Noel Hodnett. Eastern Cape Bush Incident. Noel Hodnett: www.noelhodnett.com/Eastcape_Bush_Incident.htm. »» GrrlScientist. Mystery bird: Hadada, Bostrychia hagedash (09/08/2011), The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/ science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/aug/09/4.

»» Lori Steinbach. Analyze the Lord of the Flies (the pig’s head on a stick) as a symbol in William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies (24/07/2014), enotes: www.enotes. com/homework-help/analyze-lord-flies-pigs-head-sticksymbol-terms-444753. »» Baboon (05/13/2012), Ancient Egypt: The Mythology: www.egyptianmyths.net/baboon.htm.

Artwork details AND Sources IMAGES: »» The artist, Noel Hodnett »» Noel Hodnett, “Eastern Cape Bush Incident” (1991), oil on linen. 180 x 200 cm. Collection: The Rembrandt Art Foundation, S.A. SOURCES USED IN TEXT:

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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WILD & STILL expressions of the landscape by Janet Botes

Opening 5 June 2014 at 6pm Introduction by Strijdom van der Merwe Performance Art 5 June at 7pm Artist Walkabout 14 June at 11am 61 Shortmarket Street Cape Town T: +27 (0) 72 470 9272 info@StateoftheART.co.za

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The Cape Gallery, 60 Church Street, Cape Town seeks to expose fine art that is rooted in the South African tradition, work which carries the unique cultural stamp of our continent.

featured artist: Derek Drake

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The Purple Shall Govern 3 July - 8 August North-West University Gallery Mon-Fri, 09:30-16:00 018 299 4341 gallery@nwu.ac.za

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Arnold Van Niekerk

Isabel Mertz The problem of crossing a bridge.

09 July 2014 - 01 August 2014

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Peter Bonney

Albert Coertze

Lolly Hahn-Page

Shop 2, 9 Cavendish Street, Claremont Tel: 021 671 7315 eclectica@telkomsa.net www.eclectica.co.za

www.underculturecontemporary.co.za facebook.com/underculture 98A Park Drive, Central, Port Elizabeth

For Juliet

J u l i e t A r m s t r o n g (1950 - 2012) Ceramic Sculptor

Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg 11 May to 17 August 2014 www.tatham.org.za

ART TIMES | Visiual Arts Highlights

VISUAL ARTS HIGHLIGHTS – JUNE, JULY GAUTENG

KZN

Da Vinci – The Genius

Juliet Armstrong Retrospective

What?: Large exhibition devoted to exploring all aspects of

the master’s life’s work When?: Now until 22 June 2014 Where?: The Amazing Place, Woodmead, Sandton

What?: A survey of Armstrong’s ceramic art through the years When?: Now - 17 August 2014 Where?: Tatham Art Gallery , Pietermaritzburg »» www.tatham.org.za

»» www.davinciexhibition.co.za

EASTERN CAPE Turbine Art Fair What?: Cutting-edge, contemporary art fair When?: 18 - 20 July 2014 Where?: Turbine Hall 65, Newtown »» www.turbineartfair.co.za

NAADA

National Arts Festival What?: A melting pot of dance, drama, visual art, performance art etc,

celebrating South Africa’s diverse creative talent When?: 3 - 13 July 2014 Where?: Grahamstown »» www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

What?: National Antiques & Decorative Arts Faire (it’s all in the name) When?: 24 - 27 July 2014 Where?: Sandton Convention Centre, Sandton

WESTERN CAPE

»» www.naada.co.za

What?: One massive design festival When?: All of 2014 Where?: Cape Town

NORTH WEST PROVINCE Maureen Quin: The Retrospective Year What?: A survey of Maureen Quin’s sculpture over the years When?: Now - 20 June 2014 Where?: North-West University Gallery, Potchefstroom MPUMALANGA Innibos What?: A festival of dance, drama, music and visual art When?: 2 - 6 July 2014 Where?: Nelspruit »» www.innibos.co.za

Cape Town Design Capital of the World

»» www.wdccapetown2014.com

Hermanus FynArts What?: Fine art, music, dance and film festival When?: 6 - 16 June 2014 Where?: Hermanus »» www.hermanusfynarts.co.za

UPDATES On all of these and more: »» www.arttimes.co.za

Gallery LISTINGS | ART TIMES

Eastern Cape Alexandria Quin Sculpture Garden: A permanent exhibition of Maureen Quin’s sculpture’s, drawings and paintings, Alexandria, www.quin-art.co.za, T. 046 653 0121, C. 082 770 8000,

Bathurst The Workshop Art and Craft Gallery: Permanent gallery showcasing prominent E.Cape contemporary and emerging artists, sculptors, ceramists and crafters., Bathurst, www.bathurstcountryaffair.co.za, C. 073 3929 436

East London Ann Bryant Art Gallery main gallery: The East London Fine Art Society’s ‘Anything but Painting’ exhibition.

Any artwork can be entered where traditional painting techniques is not used., A group show by members of the East London Fine Art society and artists residing in the East London district. Also open to any artist Nationally., Opening 29 May 2014 @ 18h30 till 14/06/2014, Southernwood, annbryant@intekom.co.za, www.annbryant.co.za, T. 043 7224044 Floradale Fine Art: ’My Passion’ is ongoing and has attracted much interest and very welcome sales. New name to our Gallery - Daniel Mooy, is showing two stunning pieces., Beacon Bay, T. 043 7402031, C. 078 2947252.

Port Elizabeth ART Gallery: Regular exhibitions showcasing leading South African artists, in particular artists from the Eastern Cape., Central Hill, C. 072 379 5933 ArtEC - EPSAC Community Art Centre: ’A Struggle without Documentation is no Struggle’ by Dr Peter Magubane., Until 29/05/2014, T. 041 585 3641 Fischers Art Gallery: The Gallery’s unique Art Nouveau architecture houses a stunning display of Fine Art and giftware., Central Port Elizabeth., T. 041 585 6755, C. 082 460 6483 GFI Art Gallery: This Art Gallery is unique in South Africa and possibly the world, as a corporate collection devoted to the science of aviation. www.ronbelling.co.za, T. 041 586 3973 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum: Standard Bank Young Artists Award Winner 2014: Hasan and Husain Essop, 24/07/14 till 31/08/14, For Future Generations’ Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music, Until 28/09/2014. Journeys’, From the Art Museum’s Permanent Collection., ends 15/06/2014. Connections’, From the Art Museum’s Permanent Collection., Until 17/07/2014, Park Drive Central, artmuseum@mandelametro.gov.za, www.artmuseum.co.za, T. 041 5062000 Underculture Contemporary: The Becoming Child’, by Tanya Poole., 28/05/2014 till 27/06/2014, 98A Park Drive, Central, alison@underculturecontemporary.co.za, www.underculturecontemporary.co.za, T. 041 373 0074, C. 0828871612

Free State Bloemfontein Oliewenhuis Art Museum: ’Blindfolded Line, Dancing Through Time’ by Lisa Grobler. (Main Building), Her art is a conversation between image, language and daily life., Until 07/06/2014, Basotho Blankets’ (Main Building, Annex Gallery), The Sotho blanket collection (numbering 39 in total) was made available on loan to the National Museum by Beth Robertson., Until 16/06/2014. Maria’s Story’ by Maureen de Jager. (Reservoir), De Jager, has incorporated transfers on steel, sculpture, installation, video and an artist’s book to create a mixed media exhibition. Until 22/06/2014. The Lotus Eaters’, By Barbara Wildenboer., 15/07/2014 till 27/07/2014.

Chaotic Region’ A recent body of paintings by Nigel Mullins., 15/07/2014 till 03/08/2014, SPI National Portrait Award Travelling Exhibition., Sanlam Private Investments, in collaboration with Rusten-Vrede Art Gallery, Durbanville., 19/06/2014 till 20/07/2014Waverley, karen.marais@nasmus.co.za www.nasmus.co.za, T. 051 011 0525 ext 611 Gallery on Leviseur: Litmus Skin’, Bernice Stott, Opens 13/05/2014, Westdene, admin@galleryonleviseur.co.za, www.galleryonleviseur.co.za, C. 082 835 2335

Clarens Art & Wine Gallery on Main: Frederike Stokhuyzen, Gregoire Boonzaier, J.H. Pierneef, Erik Laubscher and Jean Doyle., www.artandwine.co.za, T. 058 256 1298 Johan Smith Art Gallery: Johan Smith, Elga Rabe, Graham Carter, Gregoire Boonzaier, amongst others.

Hennie Meyer, Karen Sinovich, and Heather Mills, among others., manager@bhm.dorea.co.za, www.johansmith.co.za, T. 058 256 1620

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Richard Rennie Gallery: For the latest dates for the 2014 Richard Rennie “Paint with me” workshops please send a request to clarensgallery@telkomsa.net, Total cost of a workshop is R2500 which includes 4 days painting with Richard and 5 nights accomodation and breakfast., Clarens, ashriverlodge@telkomsa.net, www.richardrennie.co.za, T. 058 256 1717 The Gallery Clarens: Dedicated to exhibiting and promoting established, mid-career and emerging artists of imagination and ability. thegalleryclarens@isat.co.za, T. 058 025 6017

Kokstad Dog on a Leash Art & Gift: Art gallery and coffee shop.

Arts and crafts., Kokstad, powerhouse1@telkomsa.net, www.dogonaleash.co.za, C. 083 690 3437

Smithfield Biba’s Gallery: Wendy Malan Screen prints and etchings, Smithfield, juliusb@vodamail.co.za, C. 082 7116866

Gallery MOMO: Group Show., Selected Gallery MOMO Artists including: Blessing Ngobeni Andrew Tshabangu Randsome Stanley Dumile Feni Guy Wouete, 02/06/2014 till 23/06/2014, Parktown North, info@gallerymomo.com, www.gallerymomo.com, T. 011 327 3247 Goodman Gallery JHB: ’Nail Her’ by Frances Goodman., Opening 06/05/2014 at 18:00 till 31/05/2014, Parkwood, www.goodman-gallery.com, nanette@goodman-gallery.com, T. 011 788 1113 Graham’s Fine Art Gallery: South African Masters., Graham’s exhibits a selection of South African masters including Irma Stern, J.H Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, Gerard Sekoto and Alexis Preller., Bryanston, info@grahamsgallery.co.za, www.grahamsgallery.co.za, T. 011 463 7869, C. 083 605 5000 In Toto Gallery: ’Menagerie’, John Moore, Kirsty May Hall, Amita Makan, Diana Hyslop, Becky Haysom, Dave Tomlinson, Nina Torr, Gawie Joubert, 12/06/2014 till 28/07/2014, Birdhaven, megan@intotogallery.co.za, www.intotogallery.co.za, T. 011 447 6543

Art in the Park: Art works in watercolour, oil, pastel, acrylics, batik, sculpture, pottery and photography., gyrobear@gmail.com, www.art-in-the-park.co.za, C. 071 676 3600 Association of Arts Pretoria: ’21 Trees of tales’ works on paper., Ilze Pretorius, Until 11/06/2014. A rite of passage’ paintings., Noko Alphius Mello Sedupe Selowa, 30/05/2014 till 28/06/2014, Nieuw Muckleneuk, www.artsassociationpta.co.za, T. 012 346 3100 Centurion Art Gallery: A commercial satellite of the Pretoria Art Museum., artg@tshwane.gov.za, www.pretoriaartmuseum.co.za/centurion, T. 012 358 3477 Fried Contemporary Art Gallery: info@friedcontemporary.com, www.friedcontemporary.com, T. 012 346 0158. C. 082 523 6989 Front Room ArtRietondale: www.frontroomart.co.za jennifer@frontroomart.co.za, , T. 082 451 5584

Isis Gallery: Range of paintings and stone sculpture by leading South African artists., Rosebank, info@isisgallery.co.za, www.isisgallery.co.za, T. 011 447 2317

Leonardo Gallery: Exhibition opening of Acrylic artist Peter Fincham and Ceramic artists Cecilia Robinson.

30/05/2014 till 18/06/2014, Exhibition opening of Oil painters Ina du Preez & Marie Kellerman and the Ceramic artwork of Monika van den Berg. 20/06/2014 till 22/07/2014, Moreletapark, T. 012 997 0520 leonardo.gal@telkomsa.net, www.theleonardogallery.com

Johannesburg Art Gallery: ’Another Country’ photographic exhibition by internationally renowned photographer., Reiner Leist, 11/05/2014 till 13/06/2014, ’Over the Rainbow’, Curated by Musha Neluheni, Opens 25/05/2014, Johannesburg, www.joburgculture.co.za, T. 011 725 3130/80 tinym@joburg.org.za

Pretoria Art Museum: Aleta Michaletos: Precious Cirlcel and Nelson Mandela Series., Until 29/06/2014, Portraits with Presence’, Rechada Crouse, Coert Steynberg, Irmin Henkel, Maud Sumner to name only a few., Arcadia, Pretoria, Until 13/07/2014, art.museum@tshwane.gov.za www.pretoriaartmuseum.co.za, T. 012 344 1807.

Alice Art Gallery: Weekend at Alice Art Ruimsig., 7 & 8 - Portchie, 14 & 15 - Cecile Walters, 21 & 22 - Giorgio Trobec, info@aliceart.co.za, www.aliceart.co.za, T. 011 958 1392, C. 083 331 8466

Lizamore & Associates Gallery: Indigenous calculous’, Samson Mnisi & Zolile Phetsane, 5/06/2014 till 28/06/2014, Parkwood, suen@lizamore.co.za, www.lizamore.co.za, T. 011 880 8802

Art Afrique Gallery: Asanda Kupa, Until 05/06/2014, Sandton, art@artafrique.co.za, www.artafrique.co.za, T. 011 292 7113

outoftheCUBE: ’Alliances’ Two exhibitions that explore aspects of the curatorial process. First exhibition curated by Anthea Pokroy and Louise Van Der Bijl whose students are based at the collective space Assemblage; The second exhibition, curated by Emma Willemse, shows two young multimedia student artists from Cape Town. www.outofthecube.co.za , Until 01/07/2014, Johannesburg, mandy.conidaris@gmail.com

St. Lorient Fashion & Art Gallery: ’Creative Mélange’, Azael Langa, Thabo Mashilo, Seretse Moletsane, Thato Seboko, Isabel Naude, Nhlanhla Nhlapo, Malose Pete, Ncedani Fodo, & Kgoto Pati., 08/06/2014 till 31/07/2014, stlorientfashion@gmail.com, T. 012 460 0284.

Gauteng Johannesburg 16 Halifax Art: Specialising in contemporary art., Bryanston, dana@16halifaxart.co.za, www.16halifaxart.co.za, C. 082 784 6695 Absa Art Gallery: Blood, Sweat and Tears’, Absa L’Atelier art competition., 08/06/2014 till 27/06/2014, Absa Gallery, 161 Main Street. www.absa.co.za, Katya@tarynfritzpr.co.za, T. 011 350 5139

Art etc: Showcasing a wide variety of SA artists, ranging from old masters to the budding future masters., Sandton City, artetc@iafrica.com, www.artetc.co.za, T. 011 783 0842 Art Eye Gallery: Now represented by Arteye Gallery are the wonderful works of Lionel Murcott., Fourways, gallery@arteye.co.za, www.arteye.co.za, T. 011 465 7695, C. 071 3862198 Art Unlimited Gallery: ’The Gift’, Ongoing exhibition of the works of Louwtjie Kotzé, Ongoing, Sonneglans Extension 4, Randburg, www.artunlimitedgallery.co.za, louwtjie@artunlimitedgallery.co.za, C. 083 779 9021 Artist Proof Studio: ’Unconscious Chaos’, Fleur de Bondt, Puleng Radebe, Nkosana Nhlapo, Mongezi Ncapayi, Until 07/06/2014, Newtown, gallery@artistproofstudio.co.za, www.artistproofstudio.co.za, T. 011 492 1278 Bayliss Gallery: ’Showcase Two’, 1/06/2014 till 29/06/2014, Norwood, angelique@baylissgallery.co.za, www.baylissgallery.co.za, C. 083 291 7672 Candice Berman Fine Art Gallery: Contemporary Art., Bryanston, info@candiceberman.co.za, www.candicebermangallery.com, T. 011 463 8524, C. 084 843 8302 Carol Lee Fine Art Upstairs@Bamboo: Melville, www.facebook.com/CarolLeeFineArt, T. 011 486 0526, C. 082 322 0388. carollee@iafrica.com, CIRCA on Jellicoe: A monumental bronze by Lionel Smit, Opens 03/06/2014, info@circagallery.co.za.

Claude Jammet., Opens 29/05/2014. Roger Ballen, 31/06/2014 till 20/08/2014, Rosebank, www.circaonjellicoe.co.za, T. 011 788 4805 Crouse Art Gallery: A Variety of South African artists.

From new talent to old Masters., All year long, Florida, suzette.crouse@telkomsa.net, T 011 672 3821 Everard Read Jhb: ’Landscapes with a Twist’ by Beezy Bailey, Opens 15/05/2014,Paula Louw, Opens 12/06/2014. A new lease of Life’ by Nelson Makamo, Opens 10/07/2014, Rosebank, nicky@everard.co.za , www.everard-read.co.za, T. 011 788 4805 Ferreira Art Gallery: Current works of artist Ian Hertslet on display at our Gallery this month. On premise, while -you- wait framing, tea garden, hair & beauty salons.

Open 7 days a week., Bryanston, www.ferreiraart.com, ferreiragallery@mweb.co.za, T. 011 706 3738.

Gallery 2: ’Damascus Gate’, Richard Burnett., 17/05/2014 till 07/06/2014, Parkwood, info@gallery2.co.za, www.gallery2.co.za, T. 011 4470155 Gallery AOP: Collection of contemporary prints., Braamfontein Werf, www.galleryaop.com, T. 011 726 2234

Protea Gallery: Specialising in well-known South African Artists, as well as those up-and-coming., proteaart@worldonline.co.za, T. 011 8285035 Purple Heart Gallery: Currently showcasing a variety of established, as well as new, SA Artists., letitia@purpleheartgallery.co.za, T. 011 475 7411 www.purpleheartgallery.co.za, Resolution Gallery: ’Rhetorical Self’, Benjamin Skinner., Until 11/06/2014, Parkwood, info@resgallery. com, www.resgallery.com, T. 011 880 4054, C. 074 141 2091 Rubixcube Gallery: Works by young and promising South African artists, Arts on Main, Johannesburg CBD, rubixcube.maboneng@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/johannesburgrubixcube, C. 072 252 7763 Standard Bank Gallery: ’Portrait exhibition’ 24/06/2014 till 06/09/2014, T. 011 631 1889. www.standardbankarts.co.za Stevenson: ’Jo’burg: Points of View’. Guy Tillim, 22/05/2014 till 27/06/2014, jhb@stevenson.info, www.stevenson.info, T 011 403 1055/1908 The Fine Art Studio: Offers part-time courses in Oil Painting and Drawing. Beginners and experienced artists alike., taryn@thefineartsstudio.co.za, www.thefineartsstudio.co.za The Photo Workshop Gallery: ’Volume 44’ Workshop project with migrant sex workers living in inner city Johannesburg and Musina., Until 27/06/2014, Newtown, Johannesburg, info@marketphotoworkshop. co.za, www.marketphotoworkshop.co.za, T. 011 834 1444 UJ Art Gallery: Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00 and Saturdays 9:00-1:00., APK Campus, Auckland Park., aedempsey@uj.ac.za, www.uj.ac.za, T. 011 559 2099 White House Gallery: ’Winter Show’ A variety of international and local artists: David Hockney, Frank Stella, Jim Dine, Marino Marini, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henry Moore, Joan Miro, Opens 11/06/2014, Illovo, www.thewhitehousegallery.co.za, T. 011 268 2115 Yiull Damaso Artists Gallery & Studio: Group Exhibition by Studio 44, Ian Stewart and Studio 44 artists, 28/6/2014 till 05/07/2014, Craighall Park, yiulldamaso@gmail.com, http://www.yiull.com

Pretoria Alette Wessels Kunskamer: Art gallery and art consultancy, specialising in SA art as an investment, dealing in Old Masters, and selected contemporary art., info@artwessels.com, www.artwessels.co.za, T. 012 346 0728

Telkom Art Collection: A collection featuring artworks by over 400 artists, some of them well established and some still up-and-coming. T. 012 311 7260 UNISA Art Gallery: ’20/Twenty. A Clearer Vision, Growing the Mandela Legacy.’, Kim Berman, Diane Victor, Marry Sibande, Sakhile Mhlongo, Fikile Magadlela, Winston Saoli, Thami Mnyele, David Mbele, Dumile Feni, Victor Gordon and more. T. 012 441 5876, Tshannn1@unisa.ac.za, www.unisa.ac.za,

Natal Ballito Imbizo Gallery: Work from leading South African artists.

Ballito, www.imbizogallery.co.za, T. 032 946 1937

Durban Artspace durban: ’Exhale’ curated by Grace Kotze, Suraya Tewary, Deidre Maree, Louise Jennings, Jane Oliver, Jeannie Kinsler, Vulindlela Nyoni, Marlene de Beer, Marlene Wasserman, Chris de Beer, Kristin Hua Yang, Sarah Lovejoy, Elizabeth Balcomb, Peter Rippon, Grace Kotze, Sarah Richards, Kim Goodwin and Jackie Freer., 26/05/2014 till 16/06/2014, Splashes of Randomness’ at Main Gallery and ‘Sacred Circles’ at Middle Gallery., Sharleen Boaden, Julia Forman and Nicola Firth and Chandra Naidu, 16/06/2014 till 21/06/2014 23 June – 27 June 2014 (1 week) Flatfoot Dance – Main Gallery Art 21 videos – Middle Gallery, Flatfoot Dance Company, 23/062014 till 27/06/ 2014 Kárriktər’ at Main Gallery and ‘Liminal’at Middle Gallery, Stefan Hofmeyr and Lothar Böttcher- Pam Benporath and Veronica Peano, 30/06/2014 till 5/07/2014 www.artspace-durban.com Artisan Gallery: Ranging from contemporary fine art to jewellery and cutlery, the Artisan Art Gallery also showcases many of South Africa’s award-winning ceramicists. Morningside, info@artisan.co.za, www.artisan.co.za, T. 031 312 4364 Durban Art Gallery: ’Ezivela Enqolobaneni’ School based curriculum exhibition. Gallery 1 and the Foyer., Until Dec.2014, Thulani.Makhaye@durban.gov.za, www.durban.gov.za, T. 031 311 2264 Elizabeth Gordon Gallery: The Elizabeth Gordon Gallery is the stockist of Sudanese artist, HUSSEIN SALIM. We currently have some large some size canvases and small framed oils on paper., Morningside, Durban, www.elizabethgordon.co.za, T. 031 3038133 Bellevue Gallery: ’New Work’, Vicky Verbaan, Sharleen Boaden, Desire Pelser, Jan Coetzee and Guilia Forman.

Also ceramics by Louise Jennings and Frank Ntunya., Kloof., gaildahl@telkomsa.net, T. 031 717 2785 www.facebook.com/bellevuegallerykzn Gallery Umhlanga: Contemporary Umhlanga. T. 031 561 2199

African

Art.

KZNSA Gallery: Glenwood, www.kznsagallery.co.za, T. 031 277 1705 Tamasa Gallery: A broad variety of contemporary KZN artists., Berea, T. 031 207 1223

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ART TIMES | Gallery LISTINGS The African Art Centre: Exhibits the work of both young and established black artists, working in contemporary and traditional styles., Morningside, www.afriart.co.za, T. 031 312 3804/05

Pietermaritzburg Blue Caterpillar Gallery: Gallery exhibiting wide range of styles and mediums covering both established and up-and-coming artists from South Africa and beyond., art@butterflies.co.za, T. 033 387 1356 Tatham Art Gallery (Schreiner Gallery): ’For Juliet: Ceramic Sculptor’ Until 17/08/2014, Legacy Exhibition: Ceramics Room, Curated by South African ceramist David Walters, pays tribute to the legacy of Juliet Armstrong., Until 20/07/2014, Pietermaritzburg, www.tatham.org.za, T. 033 392 2801 Developing Characters: Contending Cultures & Creative Commerce in a South African Photography Studio., This exhibition features 80 black-and-white portraits created by Singarum Jeevaruthnam Moodley, a.k.a. Kitty (1922-1987)., 08/06/14 at 10h00 for 10h30 until 20/07/14 by 17h00.

Newcastle Carnegie Art Gallery: Newcastle. Permanent collection of South African landscapes. Good collection of ELC Art & Craft, Rorkes Drift ceramics, prints and tapestries.

Well stocked gallery shop., South African artists.

Permanent Exhibition., Newcastle., www.carnegie-art.co.za, T. 034 328 7622

Nottingham Road Aladdin’s Art and Ceramics Gallery: Stained glass art., Nottingham Road, www.aladdins.co.za, T. 033 266 6460 Ardmore Ceramic Art: Feature in leading galleries and collections, including the Museum of Art & Design in New York, the Museum of Cultures in Basel, Switzerland, and the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa., Caversham Road, T. 033 940 0034 clint@ardmoreceramics.co.za, www.ardmoreceramics.co.za,

Umhlanga Rocks Makiwa Gallery: Makiwa Gallery, Lighthouse Mall, Umhlanga Rocks, a new Fine Art Gallery opening June by artist, Makiwa Mutomba and showcasing paintings and sculptures by emerging and well-known South African artists. T. 0824208271, 01/06/2014, Umhlanga Rocks, info@makiwagalleries.com, www.makiwagalleries.com

Underberg The Underberg Studio: Set in a delightful garden facing the mountains, the gallery specializes in landscape photography & ceramics., www.underbergstudio.co.za, T. 033 701 2440

Mpumalanga Graskop Artistic Journey Art Gallery: Workshops, Art classes and Art Gallery., Panorama Rest Camp and Chalets., rina@artisticjourney.co.za, T. 082 600 3441

White River The Artists’ Press: Nnadipha Mntambo Lithographs, Monotypes and Lino Cuts., Beautiful prints by Nandipha Mntambo., Waterfield Farm near White River., mark@artistspress.co.za, www.artprintsa.com, T. 013 751 3225 The Loop Art Foundry & Sculpture Gallery: A collaboration and network for the avid art patron and collector as well as a full service facility for the artist., White River, theloop@worldonline.co.za, www.tlafoundry.co.za, T. 013 758 2409 The White River Gallery: ’Chicken Challenge’, A fund raising exhibition of paper mache chickens decorated by local amateur and professional artists. These will be auctioned to raise funds for GRIP at the conclusion of the exhibition., 07/06/2014 till 23/06/2014, White River, art@whiterivergallery.co.za, www.whiterivergallery.co.za, T. 083 675 8833

North West Lichtenburg Jonel Scholtz Art Gallery: Mielieland Exhibition is an on-going exhibition of South African artists in the heart of Mielieland country, Jonel Scholtz, Stan Polson, Isabelle le Roux, Maria M, Derick van Rensburg, Mariaan Kotze en Nic Oosthuizen, Lichtenburg, jonelscholtz@truenw.co.za, www.jonelscholtz.co.za, T. 082 853 8621

Potchefstroom North-West University Gallery: ’The Retrospective Year’, Maureen Quin, Until 20/06/2014, Potchefstroom Campus, gallery@nwu.ac.za, T. 018 299 4341

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Hartbeespoort Dam Edwards Fine Art, Modern and Contemporary: Featuring works by William Kentridge, Marlene Dumas, Robert Hodgins, Cecil Skotnes and Edoardo Villa.

Sculpture by Anton Smit., Xanadu, Hartbeesport., efa@myconnection.co.za, T. 076 472 9812.

Northern Cape Kimberley William Humphreys Art Gallery: Collection of 16th and 17th Century Dutch and Flemish Old Masters, British and French paintings, antique furniture and other objects d’art., Civic Centre, www.whag.co.za, T. 053 8311724/5

Western Cape

Culture urban+contemporary Gallery: Contemporary Art Gallery, Woodstock, linda@culturegallery.co.za, www.culturegallery.co.za, T. 021 447 3533

Lindy van Niekerk Art Gallery: A selection of artworks by new and prominent SA artists and SA old Masters., Bellville, www.artpro.co.za, T. 021 913 7204/5

David Krut Projects Cape Town: Diane Victor: ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’, Until 21/06/2014, Montebello Design Centre, Newlands, daniel@davidkrut.com, www.davidkrutprojects.com, T. 021 685 0676

Lutge Gallery: Cape & Architectural antiques / Art & ceramics / Table design by Allan Lutge, Cape Town, Cape Town Central, lutgegallery@netactive.co.za, www.lutge.co.za, T. 021 424 8448

Deziree Finearts: A Collection of Contemporary Colonial and African Oil Paintings., Deziree Smith, Ongoing exhibition., Fish Hoek, T. 021 785 1120 dez@dezireefinearts.co.za, www.dezireefinearts.co.za, Die Kunskamer: Works by leading Artists, Irma Stern, Hugo Naude, Cecil Skotnes, Cynthia Villet, Norman Catherine, Hardy Botha, Bill Davis, Gail Catlin, Simon Stone, David Brown and Pierneef., Sea Point, www.diekunskamer.co.za, T 021 4349529

Cape Town

Donald Greig Gallery & Foundry: Private Gallery permanently exhibiting artworks of Donald Greig., V&A Waterfront, www.donaldgreig.com, T. 021 418 0003

34FineArt: ’Inventory14’, A selection of works by Osch, Jimmy C., Takashi Murakami, as well as local artists Norman Catherine, Asha Zero, Jade Doreen Waller and Lionel Smit, will be on show., Until 31/10/2014, Woodstock, info@34fineart.com, www.vgallery.co.za / www.34fineart.com, T. 021 461 1863

Eatwell Art Gallery: Exclusively exhibits the artwork of the Eatwell family. The artists, Lynne-Marie Eatwell, Eric Oswald Eatwell and Mags Eatwell., Noordhoek, toonlynne@gmail.com, www.eatwellgallery.com, T. 021 789 2767

A Word of Art: Focus on art activism projects within communities in South Africa., Woodstock, rickylee@a-word-of-art.co.za, www.a-word-of-art.co.za, C. 083 300 9970

EBONY Cape Town: ’Group Show II’, Various Artists, 05/06/2014 till 01/07/2014, Cape Town CBD, gernot@ebonydsign.co.za, www.ebonydesign.co.za, T. 021 424 9985

Absolute Art Gallery: We stock superior quality art by the Masters, as well as contemporary artists., Bellville, info@absolutart.co.za, www.absolutart.co.za., T. 021 914 2846

Eclectica Art & Antiques: Purveyors of fine art, antiques and objet d’art, Wynberg, T. 021 762 7983 melissa@eclectica.co.za, www.eclectica.co.za

Allderman gallery: ’Pop up’, Allderman gallery operates as a pop up gallery. Visit on line to view where the next pop up exhibition will be. Exciting, new and refreshing art to be seen., gallery@new.co.za, C. 083 5562540 ArtB Gallery, Bellville: South Africa/China: Beautiful country Photographic exhibition, Photograhers from China and South Africa, 17/05/2014 till 30/05/2014, Bellville, artb@telkom.sa.net, www.artb.co.za, T. 021 917 1197 ArtMark Gallery: Group exhibition., Ray Potter, Peter Jander, Emma Appels, Bailey Hildegarde van Zyle, Bee Dilks, Irene Oxley, Marc Alexander, Until 29/06/2014, Kommetjie, C. 082 303 6798 Artvark Gallery: Artvark Gallery welcomes artist Gill Allderman who paints in oils and various other mediums. A selection of her work can now be seen at the gallery., Gill Allderman, Kalk Bay, artvark@iafrica.com, www.artvark.org, T. 021 788 5584

Eclectica Modern: ’Views of the landscape’, Peter Bonney, Hannes du Plessis, Paddy Starling, Lolly HahnPage, Andrew Cooper, 9A Cavendish Street, Claremont, margie@eclectica.co.za, www.eclectica.co.za, T. 021 671 7315 Everard Read, Cape Town: Itica Pritica’, Beezy Bailey & Dave Matthews., 22/05/2014 till 05/06/2014, V & A WATERFRONT, ctgallery@everard.co.za, www.everard-read-capetown.co.za, T. 021 418 4527 G2 Art: Offering a diverse range of contemporary art and sculpture by artists including Nicole Pletts, Jimmy Law and Uwe Pfaff amongst others., 10am - 5pm, Cape Town CBD, di@g2art.co.za, www.g2art.co.za, T. 021 424 7169 Ghuba Gallery: Ongoing collection of new works and contemporary African art., Hout bay, T. 021 790 0772 www.ghubagallery.com Goodman Gallery Cape Town: Contemporary South African Art., Woodstock, cpt@goodman-gallery.com, www.goodman-gallery.com, T. 021 4627567

Barnard Gallery: True Colours’, Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi, Until 10/07/2014, Newlands, brad@barnardgallery.com, www.barnardgallery.com, T. 021 671 1553

Heather Auer Art and Sculpture: Original paintings, sculptures and ceramics by Heather Auer and other SA artists., Simonstown, www.heatherauer.com, T. 021 786 1309

Blank Projects: ’Some Kind of Nature’, Jan-Henri Booyens, Until 21/06/2014, Woodstock, info@blankprojects.com, www.blankprojects.com, T. 021 462 4276

Hout Bay Gallery: Specialises in the work of South African artists. Artworks include paintings, sculptures and furniture, Hout bay, info@houtbaygallery.co.za, www.houtbaygallery.co.za, T. 021 7903618

BlackBox: Windows (Exhibition of collaborative work), Black Koki, Ello & Jean de Wet, Until 01/06/2014, Cape Town, charl@worldart.co.za, www.worldart.co.za, 0214233075, 829015054

Infin Art Gallery: A gallery of work by local artists., Cape Town Central, www.infinart.co.za, T. 021 423 2090

Bronze Age: ’They came from above’, Hayden Phipps and others., 29/05/2014 till 28/06/2014, Woodstock, mwbronze@mweb.co.za, www.bronzeage.co.za, T. 021 447 3914,

Infin Art Gallery: A gallery of work by local artists., Wynberg, www.infinart.co.za, T. 021 761 2816 Iziko Michaelis Collection: Ongoing: Dutch works from the 17th–20th centuries in Iziko collections

Brundyn+: ’Ditaola’, By Mohau Modisakeng, 29/05/2014 till 12/07/2014, Bo Kaap, info@brundyngonsalves.com, T. 021 424 5150, www.brundyngonsalves.com, C. 083 212 0702

Iziko SA National Gallery: A Nomad’s Harvest: A retrospective of photographs by George Hallett., Until 09/07/2014, Cape Town Central, www.iziko.org.za, T. 021 467 4660

Carmel Art: Dealers in fine art, exclusive distributers of Pieter van der Westhuizen etchings., Green Point, carmel@global.co.za, www.carmelart.co.za, T. 021 4213333

Johans Borman Fine Art: Still’, JH Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, JEA Volschenk, Adolph Jentsch, Peter Clarke, Hennie Niemann Jnr, Diane Mclean, Andries Gouws, Ben Coutouvidis, Alet Swarts, Hanneke Benade, Henk Serfontein, Richard Mudariki, Clare Menck, Albert Coertse and more., 24/05/2014 till 28/06/2014, Newlands, art@johansborman.co.za. Currently showing a selection of works by SA Masters & leading contemporary artists., Robert Hodgins, Hugo Naudé, Ephraim Ngatane, Walter Battiss, Peter Clarke, Maud Sumner, Walter Meyer, Jacobus Kloppers, Marlene von Dürckheim, Hussein Salim, Kyle Weeks and Anton Chapman, Newlands, www.johansborman.co.za, T. 021 683 6863

Casa Labia Gallery: ’Cape Paradise in Ink’ In association with The South African Print Gallery.

Group print show curated by Gabriel Clarke-Brown.

07/06/2014 till 26/07/2014, Muizenberg, gallery@casalabia.co.za, www.casalabia.co.za, T. 021 788 6068 Christopher Møller Art: Andre Stead., 20/01/2015, Gardens, T. 021 422 1599 info@christophermollerart.co.za, www.christophermollerart.co.za,

Until

Clementina Ceramics: Showcase of contemporary South African ceramics featuring one-off works by Clementina van der Walt and complemented by designer crafts. Open Mon to Fri 9-5 Sat 9-3, Ongoing exhibition., Woodstock, clementina@mweb.co.za, www.clementina.co.za, T. 021 447 1398.

Commune.1 Gallery: ’Traces’, Ledelle Moe and Miranda Pfeiffer., Until 06/06/2014, Cape Town Central, leigh-anne@commune1.com, www.commune1.com, T. 021 423 5600

Kalk Bay Modern: ’Modern Painting’, Mary Visser Sepideh Mehraban Helen Teede among others see website for full listing, 25/06/2014 till 28/07/2014, Kalk Bay, kbmodern@iafrica.com, T. 021 788 6571 www.kalkbaymodern.com Kalk Bay Sculpture Studio: Fine art bronze foundry offering a sculpture and casting service for artists as well as commissions for corporate and private collectors., Kalk Bay, ignoblis@iafrica.com, T. 021 788 8736.

Quincy’s Antiques Art and Collectables: Art, Antiques, Curios & Gifts., Rondebosch, elsa.moeks@gmail.com, T. 021 685 1986 Red! The Gallery: Art Auction at the gallery. 65 fine art pieces will be going under the hammer. View the catalogue online at www.redthegallery.co.za, Andrew Cooper, Derric van Rensburg, Michael Waters, Shelagh Price, David Kuijers and Robin Mann to name a few., 25/06/2014 at 7pm, Steenberg, Tokai, red@redthegallery.co.za, T. 021 701 0886 Rialto Art Centre Strand: Expert Art Framing., Strand, rialtokuns@8tamail.com, T. 021 853 8061 Rose Korber Art: ‘Rose Korber Art is on the Move.’ The gallery at 48 Sedgemoor Road, Camps Bay, closed in the middle of May 2014. News of our next phase soon!’, Camps Bay, roskorb@icon.co.za, www.rosekorberart.com, T. 021 438 9152 Rosendal Art & Framing: Fine art, community craft and affordable picture framing., Durbanville, info@rosendalframing.co.za, T. 021 976 8232 www.rosendalframing.co.za, Ryno Swart Art Gallery: Nocturne and Romance’,

By Ryno Swart, 26/06/2014 till 31/07/2014, Simon’s Town, ryno@artistvision.com, www.artistvision.org, T. 021 786 3975, C.073 511 1796 Rust-en-Vrede Gallery: A focus on the African woman in post-apartheid South Africa., By Christa Myburgh, 03/06/2014 - 25/06/2014, Walter Battiss, By The Walter Battiss Company, 03/06/2013 - 25/06/2014, Durbanville, rustenvrede@telkomsa.net, www.rust-en-vrede.com, T. 021 976 4691 Salon91 Contemporary Art Collection: Other Dust’ A solo exhibition of paintings & illustrations by Andrew Sutherland., 28/05/2014 till 21/06/2014, Gardens, Cape Town, info@salon91art.co.za, T. 021 424 6930 www.salon91.co.za, Sanlam Art Gallery: Permanent collection of South African art and a large exhibition space. The collection provides a representative overview of South African art dating from the late nineteenth century to the present.

Bellville, Stefan.Hundt@sanlam.co.za, www.sanlam.co.za, T. 021 947 3359 SMAC Art Gallery, CT: Provide a platform to continually present exhibitions that assist in the process of reviewing and revising South African art., Cape Town Central, info@smacgallery.com, www.smacgallery.com, T. 021 422 5100 Sophea Gallery & Tibetan Teahouse: Various forms of fine art including photography, glasswork and digital art., Simonstown, www.sopheagallery.com, T. 021 786 1544 South African Jewish Museum: Interactive multi -media displays and engaging accounts of South African Jewish History., Cape Town Central, gavin@sajewishmuseum.co.za, T. 021 465 1546 www.sajewishmuseum.co.za, South African Print Gallery: Work by leading South African artists., Woodstock, kevin@printgallery.co.za, www.printgallery.co.za, T. 021 462 6851 South African Society of Artists: Art by leading South African artists., Cape Town Central, www.sasa-artists.co.za, T. 021 6718941 StateoftheART Gallery: Wild & Still’ exhibition of mixed media, digital art, drawing and sculptural pieces. Introduction by Strijdom van der Merwe, artist.

Janet Botes, Opens 05/06/2014, Cape Town Central, jennifer@stateoftheart.co.za, www.stateoftheart.co.za, T. 021 801 4710.

Stevenson Cape Town: Célébrations’, Barthélémy Toguo’s solo show., 29/05/2014 till 12/07/2014, All Hell Break Loose’, Mawande Ka Zenzile’s solo show, 29/05/2014 till 12/07/2014, Woodstock, T. 021 462 1500 cpt@stevenson.info, www.stevenson.info The Art Connection: Contemporary art, Kalk Bay, priscilla@themothercity.co.za, www.theartconnection.co.za, T. 021 465 5744 The AVA Gallery - Association for Visual Arts Gallery: Sydelle Willow Smith’s ‘Soft Walls’, Cape Town Central, info@ava.co.za, www.ava.co.za, T. 021 424 7436 The Cabinet: Pop-up exhibitions and events that will showcase local and international design ideas., Cape Town Central, mark@cabinet.co.za, www.facebook.com/thecabinetcapetown, C. 082 08444 22

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Gallery LISTINGS | ART TIMES The Cape Gallery: Threshold, the annual winter solstice exhibition., Tania Babb, John Bauer, Paul Birchall, Hardy Botha, Leon de Bliquy, Kitty Dörje, Derek Drake, Gary Frier, Ann Gadd, Rae Goosen, Margot Hattingh, Niel Jonker, David Kuijers, Christopher Langley, Jen Lewis, B. Ernest Manfunny, Peter Meikle, Sue Meyer, Xolile Mtakatya, Tanya Nockler-Golding, Shelia Petousis, Uwe Pfaff, Michele Rolstone, Jan Uitlander, Peter van Straten, Mandla Vanyaza, Aidon Westcott, Judy Woodborne, 05/06/2014 till 28/06/2014, Cape Town (CBD), info@capegallery.co.za, www.capegallery.co.za., T. 021 423 5309 The Cellar Private Gallery: Dealing exclusively in original and investment art, offering works by a variety of renowned and upcoming SA artists., Bellville, info@thecellarartgallery.co.za, www.thecellargallery.co.za, T. 021 913 4189 The Framery Art Gallery: Original South Africa and African work in all mediums., Seapoint, theframery@gmail.com, T. 021 434 5022 www.theframeryartgallery.tripod.com/id1.html The Framing Place: Conservation framing, Framing of art, Block mounting and Box frames., Observatory, info@framingplace.co.za, T. 021 447 3988

Franschhoek Atelier at 1 unie: Private ongoing viewing of Contemporary Art and Sculpture by Johannes du Plessis by appointment. www.johannesduplessis.co.za, T. 021 8764382 C. 082 5796403, Franschhoek, johannes.dup@telkomsa.net, 825796403 Art in the Yard: Lucent’ A joint exhibition showcasing a body of mixed medium works., By Vanessa Berlein & Francois Irvine., Until 04/06/2014, Franschoek, lizelle@artintheyard.co.za, www.artintheyard.co.za, T. 021 876 4280

Sally Bekker Art Studio: Exhibition of Pastels by Marion Weymouth and Oils and Watercolours by Sally Bekker and Dave Croad. Knysna, C. 082 3423943

L’Agulhas Shell, Sealife & Art Experience: Shells and More - a permanent exhibition of silk scarves, original oils, watercolours and constructions by Mosie Hope. Mosie Hope, www.seashellhouse.co.za, T. 028 435 7888

Langebaan

EBONY Franschoek: Claudia Ongaro, Dylan Lewis, Greg Lourens, Richard Smith, Ashleigh Olsen, Shany van den Berg and South African classic Masters.

Ardmore Ceramics, Franschoek, T. 021 876 4477 gernot@ebonydesign.co.za, www.ebonydesign.co.za

Bay Gallery: Supporting excellent, local artists, many of whom are members of S.A.S.A. All mediums exhibited.

Langebaan, www.baygallery.co.za, C. 073 304 8744

Is Art: Contemporary art, Franschoek, isart@lqf.co.za, www.is-art.co.za, T. 021 876 2071

Sheena Ridley: At Langkloof Gallery and Sculpture Garden meet the artist, learn about her mediums in which she works, and see where her inspiration comes from., Langkloof, www.ridley.co.za, C. 083 589 2881.

The Gallery at Grande Provence: New Work by Arjan Van Arendonk, 01/06/2014 till 30/06/2014, Grande Provence Estate, gallery@grandeprovence.co.za, www.finearts.co.za, T. 021 876 8630

Langkloof

Mcgregor

The Shop at Grande Provence: Jewelery by Ilse Malan., 01/06/2014 till 30/06/2014, Grande Provence Estate, gallery@grandeprovence.co.za, www.finearts.co.za, T. 021 876 8630

Edna Fourie Gallery: Ongoing exhibition which includes a permanent collection as well as works for sale- all by the artist Edna Fourie,, www.ednafouriegallery.co.za, C.083 302 5538

George

Oudtshoorn ArtKaroo Gallery: Authentic Karoo Fine art., Oudtshoorn, www.artkaroo.co.za, T. 044 279 1093

The Studio Kalk Bay: Exhibition of latest works by Marc Alexander., 29/05/14 till 11/06/14, info@thestudiokalkbay.co.za

Crouse Art Gallery: Original paintings by well known South African Artists: Anton Benzon, Carla Bosch, Maria, Gerrit Roon, Makiwa, Danielle Novella & many more. We deal exclusively in original SA Art, specifically investment art., George, suzette.crouse@telkomsa.net, T. 044 887 0361

The Studio Kalk Bay: Recent work by Rodney Gee., 12/06/14 till 25/06/14, Kalk Bay, info@thestudiokalkbay.co.za

Strydom Gallery: Selection of South African masters.

Electronic exhibitions., George, www.artaffair.co.za, T. 044 874 4027

UCT Irma Stern Museum: Visitors are invited to view the permanent collection and the newly framed textile painted by the artist Irma Stern., Tue-Friday from 10am5pm and Sat from 10am until 2pm., Rosebank, mary. vanblommestein@uct.ac.za, www.irmastern.co.za, T. 021 685 5686

Greyton

The Lisa King Gallery: Specializing in top SA abstract/ contemporary art, sculpture and exotic glassware., Green Point, www.lisaking.co.za, T. 021 421 3738 Erdmann Contemporary: Moved to 84 Kloof Street, Gardens., galleryinfo@mweb.co.za, www.erdmanncontemporary.co.za, T. 021 422 2762.

What if the World/Gallery: Solo Exhibition, Rowan Smith, Until 28/06/2014, Woodstock, www.whatiftheworld.com, T. 021 802 3111 Windermere House: The private art collection of Cape Town based artist Rachelle Bomberg. Artist available by appointment., Muizenberg, www.artbomberg.com, T. 021 788 1333 Worldart Gallery: A selection of new paintings, Kilmany-Jo Liversage, Khaya Witbooi, Gavin Rain, & Dion Cupido, Until 01/06/2014, Cape Town Central, charl@worldart.co.za, www.worldart.co.za, T. 021 423 3075

Adele Claudia Fouche: Ongoing exhibition. Adele also offers workshops and retreats in this beautiful setting., T. 082 522 4010

Mossel Bay Artbeat Gallery: Pottery and sculpture, by Alex Potter., Mossel Bay, www.artandclaymosselbay.co.za Art@39Long: Featuring the work of mostly Southern Cape Artists. Exquisite ceramics by Hennie Meyer,Clementina and Charmaine Haines on offer.

Flexcible trading hours., Running Exhibition, Mossel Bay, artat39long@yahoo.com, www.artat39long.wozaonline.co.za

Hermanus

Calitzdorp

Abalone Gallery: For Art’s Sake’, Group exhibition. Alta Botha, Lien Botha, Elzaby Laubscher, Amos Letsoalo, Nyaniso Lindi, Judith Mason, André Naudé, Shepherd Ndudzo, Susanna Swart, Lynette ten Krooden, Louis van Heerden, Kristin Yang. Solo exhibition: Abalone Art Gallery & Summaridge Estate Wines acclaimed sculptor Shepherd Ndudzo in the Hemel and Aarde Valley., 07/06/2014 - 16/06/2014, art@abalonegallery.co.za, www.abalonegallery.co.za, T. 028 313 2935

Kraaldoring Gallery: Ceramics by Clementina van der Walt and others. Mixed media, including photography

by Albie Bailey. Gallery open by appointment only., Email and whatsapp only. Calitzdorp, www.clementina.co.za, T. 082 575 7969

Rossouw Modern Art Gallery: The Homegrown Collection - For Fynarts 2014., Hugo Maritz, Jono Dry and Maeve Dewar, 06/06/2014 till 16/06/2014, 3 Harbour Road Hermanus, info@rossouwmodern.co.za, www.rossouwmodern.co.za, T. 028 313 2222

Marinda Combrinck Studio & Gallery: A Fine Art Miscellanium of recent drawings and oil paintings, Marinda Combrinck, Running Exhibition, Calitzdorp, marinda.liza@telkomsa.net, T. 044 2133 602 www.marindacombrinck.co.za

Village Art Gallery: Artist and owner Brian Robertson, who exhibits work in both oil and watercolour., Hermanus, www.villageartgallery.co.za, T. 028 316 3355

Breede River Edna Fourie Gallery: Edna Fourie’s ethereal art: oil paintings, readymades and installations., McGregor, www.ednafouriegallery.co.za, T. 083 302 5538

Clanwilliam Kunshuis: Art by leading South African artists. info@kunshuis.co.za, www.kunshuis.co.za, T. 027 482 1940

De Rust Portal Gallery: Selected contemporary artists, including Carl Becker, JP Meyer, Estelle Marais, Diane McLean and Hermann Niebuhr. Gallery hours flexible. De Rust, www.art.co.za, T. 082 297 6977 Village Art Gallery: Ongoing exhibition with work by artists Mariaan Kotze, Glendine, Diane McLean, Neels Coetzee, Duggie du Toit, Ann Gadd, Karien Boonzaaier, Bill Strapp, Estelle Marais, Kevin Standly, Ella, Marianne Vorster and Lana van Blerk, amongst others., De Rust, brende.brits@gmail.com, T. 044 241 2014

Elgin The Gallery at South Hill: An elegant, modern & versatile venue in the heart of the Elgin Valley, just one hour’s drive from Cape Town, Elgin, C. 084 412 4107 carina@artevent.co.za, www.facebook.com/pages/ArtEvent/410886465695179

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Walker Bay Art Gallery: View the wide selection of paintings, sculpture & ceramics by established as well as up-and-coming SA artists., Hermanus, www.walkerbayartgallery.co.za, T. 028 312 2928 Willie Botha Sculpture Gallery: Permanent exhibition of work by Sculptor Willie Botha, Paintings by Pieter Vermaak, Johan Calitz and Shelley Adams. Hermanus, www.williebothasculptures.com, T. 028 313 2304

Knysna A Different Drummer: New Work by Nico Masemolo, 01/06/2014 till 30/06/2014, Knysna, gallery@finearts.co.za, www.finearts.co.za, T. 044 382 5107 Dale Elliott Art Galleries: Leaders of the painting course concept in South Africa., Knysna, www.daleelliott.co.za, T. 044 382 5646 Knysna Fine Art: ‘Draaijakkals’ by Marinda Combrink, 06/06/2014 till 06/07/2014, gallery@finearts.co.za.

Photographic Exhibition by Alix Carmichael, Alfred Law and Felix Meintjies, Alix Carmichael, Alfred Law and Felix Meintjies, 06/06/2014 till 06/07/2014, Thesen House, www.finearts.co.za, T. 044 382 5107 Lynn Schaefer Gallery: Artworks and ceramics by SA artists including Derric van Rensburg, Ann Nosworthy, Darryl Legg and Lynn Schaefer., Knysna, www.lyndos.co.za., C. 072 174 4907

Rosenhof Art Gallery: Studio gallery of Lisl Barry.

Diverse range of subjects done in oil: inspired by the Klein Karoo landscape and it’s people to water studies, among others., Baron van Rheede, www.lislbarry.co.za / www.richardhenley.co.za, T. 044 2722232

Paarl Hout Street Gallery: Specialising in paintings and fine art by more than thirty SA artists., Paarl, www.houtstreetgallery.co.za, T. 021 872 5030

Piketberg The Art Business Contemporary Gallery and Art Consultancy: Specialising in: painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, ceramics, sculptures end limited edition Artists’ books by South African artists., Piketberg, theartbusiness@gmail.com, C. 083 739 6196

Plettenberg Bay Lookout Art Gallery: Featuring a wide variety of both new and well-loved artists, including Fiona Rowett, Jocelyn Boyley, Sue Kemp and Gail Darroll, amongst others., Plettenberg bay, mwdawns@mweb.co.za, T. 044 533 2210 Old Nick Village: A selection of individual shops and galleries showcasing some of the best of South African creative manufacturers and fine artists., Plettenberg bay, www.oldnickvillage.co.za, T. 044 533 1395 The White House Venue & Theatre: Exhibition venue., Plettenberg bay, alan@whg.co.za, T. 044 533 2010 www.whitehousevenue.co.za

Port Owen The West Coast Art Gallery: New exciting local artists have joined our gallery. We currently exhibit 28 artists., Port Owen, Velddrif, dot@westcoastartgallery.co.za, www.westcoastartgallery.co.za, T. 082 460 6650

Prince Albert Prince Albert Gallery: Established in 2003, the gallery always has an eclectic mix of art on display., Prince Albert, www.princealbertgallery.co.za, T. 023 541 1057

Riebeek Kasteel The Gallery - Riebeek Kasteel: Curated by Astrid McLeod, The Gallery features a selective mix of paintings, sculptures and ceramics by established and emerging South African artists., Riebeck Kasteel, C. 083 653 3697

Robertson The Robertson Art Gallery: We specialise in original art of more than 60 top South African Artists., Robertson, www.robertsonartgallery.co.za, T. 023 626 5364.

Somerset West Gallery 91: Collection incorporates scultpure, ceramics, functional art, paintings, etchings and photography., Somerset West, www.gallery91.co.za, T. 021 852 6700 Wallace Hulley Gallery: Unique Collection of Watercolours, Oils and sculptures. By appointment only., Studio Spanish Farm,, Somerset West, arthul@telkomsa.net, www.wallacehulley.com, C. 083 268 4356

Liebrecht Gallery: Terroir. A sense of place. ‘Terroir’ is a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influence the wine made from it. Could this also apply to humans?, Twelve artists from different regions of the country, in line with the concept of “terroir”: Caren Bestbier (Port Elizabeth), Alida Bothma (Greyton), Jaco Coetzee (Somerset West), Wendy Gaybba (Durbanville), Jolante Hesse (Pretoria), Eugenie Marais (Pretoria), Sharle Matthews (Stellenbosch), BrettenAnne Moolman (Port Elizabeth), Clifford M’Pai (Mpofu Village, Pietersburg), Luan Nel (Cape Town), Tanya Poole (Grahamstown), and Paula van Coller-Louw (Stellenbosch)., Until 08/06/2014, Somerset West, vineyardartists@gmail.com, T.021 852 8030

Stellenbosch Art at Tokara: Menagerie’ Wilma Cruise, featuring her latest work in bronze and ceramic. Catalogues available, Wilma Cruise, Until October 2014, Stellenbosch, sarah@juliameintjes.co.za, www.juliameintjes.co.za, T. 021 808 5900 Art on 5: A studio gallery run by 2 artists, Maryna de Witt and Emzi Smit, exhibiting their work., Stellenbosch, maryna@adept.co.za., T. 021 887 7234.

Equus Gallery, Cavalli Wine Estate: Shimmering artists unearth light’, Bronwen Findlay, Katherine Bull, Marco Cianfanelli, David Koloane and many more, R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West.

T. 011 788 0820 D-Street Gallery: Art: Psyche and Soul’ curated by Elizabeth Miller-Vermeulen., Anton Smit, Clare Menck, Hanneke Benade, Cobus van Bosch,Strijdom van der Merwe, Shany van den Berg, Elizabeth Miller-Vermeulen, Nicholas Esterhuizen, Sam Lefaso Macholo and Adriaan Diedericks., Until 28/06/2014, Stellenbosch, info@dstreetgallery.com, www.dstreetgallery.com, T. 021 883 2337 Oude Libertas Gallery: Tankwa Karoo’, Adriaan Oosthuizen, Lien Botha, Guy du Toit, Lize Hugo, Dylan Lewis, Louis van Heerden, Vernon Swart, Hanneke Benade, Elske Noteboom, Jan Wolmarans, Herman van Wyk, Janos, Brahm van Zyl, Betty Werth, Aidon Westcott, Strijdom van der Merwe, Marinda du Toit, Simon O’ Callaghan, Kobus la Grange, Egon Tania, 11/6/2014 till 12/7/2014, Stellenbosch - c/o Adam Tas and Libertas roads, oudelibertasgallery@gmail.com, www.oudelibertas.co.za, T. 021 809 8412 Rupert Museum: Showcasing the unique private art collection of Anton and Huberte Rupert., Stellenbosch, www.rupertmuseum.org, T. 021 888 3344 Sasol Art Museum: Permanent collection of paintings, graphic works and sculptures, as well as an anthropological collection. Regular temporary art exhibitions of national and international artists., Stellenbosch, corliah@sun.ac.za, T. 021 808 3691 Slee Gallery: Stellenbosch, carla@slee.co.za, www.slee.co.za/gallery, T. 021 887 3385 SMAC Art Gallery: Provide a platform to continually present exhibitions that assist in the process of reviewing and revising South African art., Stellenbosch, nastassja@smacgallery.com, www.smacgallery.com, T. 021 887 3607 Stellenbosch Art Gallery: An extensive selection of paintings, sculpture, handmade glass & ceramics by selected Western Cape artists, Stellenbosch, mjg@kingsley.co.za, www.stellenboschartgallery.co.za, T. 021 887 8343 US Art Gallery: Regular temporary art exhibitions of national and international artists, as well as permanent exhibitions of the visual art collections, anthropological and cultural historical objects, and the University history., Stellenbosch, corliah@sun.ac.za, www.usmuseum.weebly.com/index.html, T. 021 828 3489

Swellendam Kunstehuijs Fine Art Gallery: Representing a variety of established and up-and-coming South African artists., Swellendam, www.kunstehuijs.com, T.028 5142905 Die Steg Art Galery: Solo exhibition of new paintings by resident artist Marnitz Steyn., Swellendam, stegswd@gmail.com, T.028 514 2521

Villiersdorp Dale Elliott Art Gallery: Gallery, Framing and a teaching studio for Art Courses., Villiersdorp, www.daleelliott.co.za, T. 028 840 2927

Wilderness Beatrix Bosch Studio: Unique works in leather, paintings & photography can be viewed at her studio., Wilderness, www.beatrixbosch.co.za, T. 044 877 0585 Pharoah Art Gallery: Wilderness, C. 076 976 2629 www.peterpharoah.com

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BUSINESS ART | GALLERY BUZZ Opening of “Safe” by Danelle Janse Van Rensburg, and “Point of Departure” at Lizamore and Associates Gallery

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Opening of Liza Grobler’s “Blindfolded Line, Dancing Through Time” at Oliewenhuis Art Museum

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Opening of University of Johannesburg Art Gallery’s group exhibition, “Deconstructing Dogma”

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Opening of Judy Woodborne’s “Persephone’s Tears” at Casa Labia Gallery. Photos: Michaela Irving

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

GALLERY BUZZ | BUSINESS ART Opening of Nicolaas Maritz’ “Still life” at Kalk Bay Modern. Photos: Michaela Irving

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Opening of The opening of Maureen Quin’s “The Retrospective Year” at The North West University Gallery. Photos: Kevin Du Plessis

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Opening of Kevin de Klerk’s “Precious Cargo” at The Studio Kalk Bay, photos: Michaela Irving

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IMAGE CAPTIONS 1.

Nico Prinsloo, Suen Muller, Teresa Lizamore, Danelle Janse Van Rensburg and Dineke van der Walt

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Art-lovers

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Jan van der Merwe adresses the guests

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Rudi Buys, Tonderai Chiyindiko, Vicky Simpson

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Liza Grobler (right) chatting with two of her guests

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Jeanetta Blignaut giving a speech

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Some of the participating artists: Annali Dempsey, Christine Dixie, Gordon Froud, Majak Bredell. Jacki McInnes, Derek Zietsman, Karen von Veh (curator of the show) and Julie Lovelace.

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Gordon Froud, Melissa Generalis and Majak Bredell

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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Amalie von Maltitiz, Daleen and Eduard van der Linde

10. Werner and Daniele Kronenberg 11. Molly Townsend and Val West 12. Nick and Kirsty Olivier 13. The artist Nicolaas Maritz with his work No 4 still life with Cat, enamel paint on board 14. Adrian Kohler and Nicolaas Maritz 15. Hilton Paul and Trevor Philpot 16. Lalie Duneas, NWU Chief Curator Christina Naurattel’s sister, and her husband John Duneas visiting from New Zealand

17. Wendy Vorster admiring a Quin sculpture 18. Kgothatso Pooe and Refilwe Kgaboesele 19. Francesca, Matteo and Lucas Amatruda chat with the artist Kevin de Klerk 20. Bianca and Rudi du Plessis reading the SA Art Times with one of Kevin de Klerk’s artworks on the wall 21. Victoria Murphy and Wes Carlson »» Submit your Gallery Buzz images to Lyn at news@arttimes.co.za Please include the names of the photographer and those in the photographs.

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BUSINESS ART | London Letter

Nushin Elahi’s

LONdon letter

Henri Matisse’s cut-outs are some of the most instantly recognisable of his works. They reduced his art to simple coloured shapes that lend themselves to easy reproduction. I knew what I was going to see at the Tate Modern’s exhibition, Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs, better than most. I have spent hours in art class tracing and copying the shapes, looking for an exact match of his beautiful blue and noting the different outlines of each apple in a work like “The Parakeet and the Mermaid”.

Nothing prepares you though for the sheer scale of what this elderly man was conjuring with a pair of scissors and a piece of chalk at the end of a long bamboo stick. Beginning with all the original plates from the book “Jazz”, the exhibition draws you along through some of the preliminary work for the chapel at Vence in the south of France to the enormous creations that cover huge gallery walls which he was making in the very last years of his life. They explode with such colour and vitality that it is almost impossible to believe they are the creations of a man facing death.

Matisse was unique as an artist in not only producing powerful works at the very end of his life, but finding a whole new visual vocabulary, and one that allowed him to overcome the physical limitations of his frail body. He had a long and celebrated career, which spanned over half a century, and worked in every medium. He was always challenging himself and finding new means of expression, but it is rare to see such vigorous confidence while he explored what some derided as child’s play. He was unconcerned, saying: “I know that it will only be much later that people will realise to what extent the work I am doing today is in step with the future.” Even his arch rival Picasso could not match him for the prolific creativity that hallmarked this final chapter.

The show is at pains to trace the progression of this medium over the years, but also how works kept evolving into the form we know them today. The use of cut-outs began for Matisse as a means of mapping the position of individual items in a composition, and the early images of dancers for a stage curtain still has the pins he used to move things around.

“Jazz” was significant for him: vibrant images with a circus theme which are all modest in size, but some of the boldest variety in colour and execution. The title was chosen by the publisher and Matisse felt it captured his mood of improvisation. Here one gets a rare chance to see 20 original pieces he created alongside the book they were made for with his beautifully scripted text, but the cut-outs 32

REad More At london-letter.com

were still designed for another medium, rather than as stand-alone works.

The familiar seaweed forms are first seen here, but as the works grew in number and size, these shapes we now see firmly pasted down, would wave their tendrils where they were tacked on the walls of the artist’s studio. A recreation of a densely hung wall gives an idea of how Matisse was playing with colour and form as he contrasted shapes and sizes endlessly. Of course there is repetition, and some strike a chord more than others, but this was the point where Matisse abandoned painting for the magic of his scissors.

It is worthwhile taking the time to watch the short film excerpts of him cutting, with enormous shears, gliding effortlessly through a brightly painted sheet of paper to reveal its new shape, or instructing his diligent helpers as they teetered on ladders placing each piece.

The chapel at Vence, with its glowing stained glass windows, was considered

by Matisse to be his ‘greatest achievement’ and the panels give an idea of its timeless spirituality. Now confined to his room, Matisse surrounded himself with his own joyous contemplation of a garden in the monumental “The Parakeet and the Mermaid”. The colours in these last works throb, they are so rich, playing with patterns and shapes with humour and inventiveness, capturing the fluid form of the female shape in his “Blue Nudes”, or the lively movement of “The Creole Dancer”.

This exhibition (until 7 September) is jointly curated with the Museum of Modern Art, New York, which hosts it from 14 October to 9 February 2015. It will be the first time the Tate’s iconic cut-out, “The Snail”, has ever left London since it was purchased in the early Sixties. This is not only due to conservation issues, but also due to the sheer size of carrier needed to transport the work. It is not the only first for the show: the “Blue Nudes” have rarely been shown together since their creation and never in the UK (one hangs in Basel, Switzerland, and the others in France).

Matisse originally conceived “The Snail” and “Memory of Oceania” (MoMA, New York) as part of the “Large Composition with Masks” (National Gallery of Art, Washington), before separating them into their current entities. The three huge works have never been together since they were made in Matisse’s studio.

The verve and sheer audacity of these cut-outs will delight viewers with their brilliance. They are truly a testament to the artist’s ability to transcend the human condition. Don’t miss them.

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

London Letter | BUSINESS ART

“Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs” | Tate Modern (17 April - 7 September 2014), The following images all by Henri Matisse © Succession Henri Matisse/DACS 2014: »» Top Left: “The Snail”, 1953 »» Top Right: “Icarus” July 1943-4 »» Centre Image: “Two Dancers”, 1937-8

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Other: »» Opposite Top: Matisse’s great-granddaughter, Sophie Matisse (right) interviewed in front of “The Parakeet and the Mermaid”, 1952. Photo: Nushin Elahi »» Centre Left: Henri Matisse in his studio, photographed

by Lydia Delectorskaya © Succession Henri Matisse

»» Bottom Left: Matisse Installation - “Ivy in Flower”, 1953, photographed by Nushin Elahi »» Bottom Centre: Matisse Installation - Maquettes and Images from “Jazz”, photographed by Nushin Elahi »» Bottom Right: “The Sword Swallower”, 1943

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BUSINESS ART | Art Book Reviews

Lost in the Dust Paintings by John Meyer As one of South Africa’s leading contemporary realist painters, John Meyer produced a plausible reflection of life during the Anglo-Boer War. His large canvases are sprawling landscape shots and intimate close-ups; scenes of conflict, passion and vulnerability. The series, a high-action drama about the human aspect of war. Amanda Botha’s writings provide historical context to the paintings and interrogate each in turn. In a sense, she speaks

words that the paintings cannot; asking questions without answers, complicating potential narratives that viewers may construct. None of the paintings record actual events. Multiple personal accounts are instead transformed into single, fictional stills, unearthing cultural baggage buried in South Africa’s collective unconscious.

Published by Minx Publishing. Copies available through Everard Read Gallery (Cape Town & Johannesburg) as well as Circa on Jellicoe.

Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing

by Tony Godfrey & Octavio Zava When Vitamin D was published in 2005, it became one of the most influential contemporary art publications of all time, changing the way drawing was defined and taught. Now the sequel is available and ready to bend perceptions all over again. Vitamin D2 is a survey of highly contemporary fine art drawing practice of from all over the globe. Every one of the 115 artists represented in this book is acclaimed for having made a significant influence on the development of drawing since Vitamin D’s initial publication. The book contains examples of

new approaches to traditional methods, as well as drawing’s potential to be stretched towards collage, sculpture, architecture, performance and painting. Each artist’s work is interrogated by a critic, journalist, academic or curator so this book is a guided study of technical and conceptual consideration. With over 500 images, it’s also just entertaining to flip through. A must for artists, old and new.

Published by Phaidon Press. Copies available through David Krut Publishing and www.exclus1ves.co.za.

South African Art Series for Children

by Elna Venter Elna Venter identified a need for child-friendly and easily-accessible teaching material for primary school children. While she could easily find this sort of information for homeschooling children about international artists, she found very little about our local creatives. 10 books are currently available in the South African Art Series for Children, with 20 more in the pipeline. Artists covered include: William Kentridge, JH Pierneef, Irma Stern, Gerard Sekoto, and more. Each book provides a short background to a particular artist’s life and work, a picture analysis of his/her art as well as additional interesting facts. What sets these books apart from simple reference texts is their participatory nature.

Questions requiring personal interrogation continually challenge the reader to think imaginatively. In addition to this, step-by-step activities encourage children to explore their own artistic ability (these activities have been tested and approved by primary school children and are certified, fun). Holistic and practical, these books have the potential to not only develop knowledge but also passion for art.

Ook beskikbaar in Afrikaans.

Available at www.kwarts.co.za and www.homeschooling-curriculum-guide.com.

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

SPI National Portrait Award Exhibition

20 June – 20 July 2014 OLIEWENHUIS ART MUSEUM Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein T 051 447 9609

ART TIMES | LEADING BUSINESS ART NEWS STORY

Dollars on the Wall? A Booming Art Market Attracts Investors Gallerist | Daniel Grant : There are major differences between investing and art collecting—ones that everyone used to understand before the prices of artworks became so astronomical. One is a passion, the other a means of earning a profit. Investors are advised to diversify their holdings in order to mitigate risk.

Art collectors don’t buy a basket of artworks—a few Impressionist paintings, a couple of Old Masters, some Chinese scroll paintings, some contemporary sculptures—but concentrate on the type of art or few artists that appeal to them.

In recent years, however, high prices for sought-after artworks and personal collections whose value forms a significant percentage of an individual’s net worth have made the concept of investing in art increasingly accepted.

Private equity art funds have sprung up around the world, and art specialists in personal banking departments of financial institutions (such as Bank of America, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Emigrant, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan Chase and U.S. Trust) have attracted the interest of many who see art as a source of long-term profit.

The oldest of these funds, the London-based Fine Art Fund Group, which was founded in 2001 and began the process of acquiring art in 2004, has six separate investor-based funds; between 30 and 40 individuals and institutions invest in each fund, with a minimum investment of $500,000 to $1 million. The first two funds have reported annualized gross internal rates of return on investment of 16 percent for sold pieces, based on the sale of approximately 100 artworks in the past seven years, generating $100 million, according to chief executive Philip Hoffman.

The Fine Art Fund still has plenty of artworks to sell—those remaining are stored in a Swiss warehouse or are loaned out to museums and even a few of the investors—and the full story of how successful it has been will only be known at the end, but its first fund has until 2018 to close. Some artworks may not produce high or any profits. “We are aiming for net returns before management fees of between eight and nine percent,” Mr. Hoffman said. He compared these favorably to other non-art private equity funds that have higher net returns but also are more highly leveraged. (“No borrowing has taken place with any of our funds,” he said.)

Enrique Liberman, the president of the New York36

based Art Fund Association, a three-year-old advocacy and educational organization, said it is unclear how many art funds exist. However, he claimed to be “aware of 25 funds now in existence and others in the process of development. Recent market estimates indicate that these funds manage between $700 million and $1 billion.”

The Art Fund Association aims to “promote art funds as a valid alternative investment, educate the art market and investment community about the characteristics of art funds and guide the fund managers in adopting best practices for the formation and governance of their funds,” Mr. Liberman said.

Alexander Kemper, who manages the Kansas City-

based Collectors Fund, said reasonable and optimal rates of returns are “highly dependent on the type of art being acquired by the fund.” A fund focused on emerging artists will have far greater swings in prices than one collecting the works of more established artists. Most art funds look to diversify their holdings and “seem to be targeting a 10 to 20 percent net internal rate of return for their members” on an annual basis.

The Collectors Fund collected between $20 million and $30 million between 2007 and 2010 from approximately 100 mostly local investors. The entry price was $100,000, although some contributed $500,000 and higher. When artworks are sold, 40 percent of the net profits (after a 20 percent management fee) are distributed to investors with the remaining 60 percent reinvested into additional art purchases. By the seventh year, 100 percent of the net profits will be split between the investors as the fund begins a three-year phase-out period. The Collectors Fund now has two funds.

Many art funds look to loan purchased artworks to art galleries and museums for exhibitions. “It’s a good marketing tool for investors,” Mr. Liberman said. Both Artemundi Global Fund, an art hedge fund founded in 2009 that is based in the Cayman Islands, and the

Fine Art Fund regularly loan works for special exhibitions, including to New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art, Paris’ Pompidou Centre and London’s Tate. The Collectors Fund also loans artworks from its collection, although many of the borrowers are its investors.

Art’s “transaction” costs—commissions, buyer’s premiums, shipping and insurance—are, Mr. Hoffman said, “by and large much higher than in stocks and real estate, but the opportunity to make gains in the short-term are also much higher in art than in those other categories. With stocks, in a year or two, you might be able to make 2, 3, 4, 5 percent, but with works of art, you have the opportunity to make serious money.”

“Art has a number of similarities to the stock and real estate markets, earning a compound annual rate of 9.23 percent as compared to 9.73 percent for equities over the last 50 years, based on financial academic studies,” said Artemundi CEO Javier Lumbreras. “As a real and tangible asset, it can be appraised by comparable analysis in a simiGetty Images lar manner to real estate. However, unlike real estate, it appreciates tax free and does not incur property taxes. Also, maintenance costs, which we have calculated at $1,280 to maintain a million-dollar worth of art for a year, tend to be very low compared to real estate.”

The art trade “is an imperfect market,” Mr. Hoffman said, with a general lack of information “about where the market is for any given object at any given time.” In the midst of a booming art market, it might seem that any semi-competent art fund manager could do well, but it hasn’t appeared to be so easy.

“You can’t build an industry based on mispriced assets,” Michael Moses, a retired New York University professor co-produces a Fine Art Index that rates the art market to the Standard & Poor’s 500. The likelihood of individuals outperforming art dealers and art fund managers, he said, “picking winners in the art market, is a very low probability event.”

Perhaps because the art fund business is so uncertain, the Fine Art Fund has begun to diversify its services, with 40 percent of its business now managing the art portfolios of individual private families and curating private collections. »» Read this and other interesting art-icles via source: http://galleristny.com/2014/05/dollars-on-the-wall-abooming-art-market-attracts-investors/

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

BUSINESS ART | Media Radar Fast forward: how China’s art world is changing: The Art Newspaper | Art Basel Hong Kong daily edition | Georgina Adam: AArtists, collectors and galleries are picking and choosing from the way things are done in the West. The opening of the second edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong is a chance to assess just how far Asia’s “art ecosystem”, particularly in greater China, has evolved in the space of just a few years, and how it might develop from here. The community of artists, galleries, collectors, curators, museums, art fairs and auction houses that forms the art ecosystem is much younger in most of Asia than in the West. China’s contemporary art market only started in the late 1980s, and yet change has come rapidly... * eBay Launching Live Auction Platform Catering to Art Auction Houses: ArtNet News | Sarah Cascone: Later this year, eBay will launch a live auction platform for art and collectibles as part of a partnership with Invaluable, which provides the technology for live online auctions hosted by brick and mortar outfits,Gallerist reports. Screen capture of an eBay auction for a Pablo Picasso print According to eCommerce Bytes, this is eBay’s second attempt to launch a live auction model, as a similar platform shuttered for unknown reasons in 2009. User-authored guides to the old Live Auctions are still archived on the site, at least one calling live auctions “the best keep secret on eBay!”... * More Than Half of Top-Grossing Art Auction Houses Are Now Based in China: Bloomberg | James Tarmy: New York has had a bumpy start to the spring auction season, with 30 percent of the lots at Sotheby’s Impressionist and modern art sale on May 7th failing to find a bidder. Christie’s sale a day earlier was decent but not spectacular, with a $285.9 million total falling squarely within estimates. Lotus, by Chinese artist Zhang Daqian... * Artworks for sale online: it’s a booming way to gatecrash the elite gallery world: The Guardian | The Observer | Vanessa Thorpe: The world wide web is frequently cast as the great enemy of traditional culture, undermining the music industry, the film industry and publishing. Yet one form of art has now found a way through – perhaps even a way to thrive – and provide careers for artists of the future. The visual arts are booming online. Peter Doig’s Canoe – Island, a 2000 work bought through an online site by the fine art insurer Hiscox for its corporate collection... * Banksy art could fill the coffers of struggling boys’ club: The Guardian | Press Association: Youth club which had been facing closure could now get huge windfall thanks to a painting by mysterious street artist. A youth club that was facing closure is now celebrating a potential multimillion-pound windfall thanks to a painting by mysterious street artistBanksy. The Banksy artwork, named Mobile Lovers, could net a struggling boys’ club a multimillion-pound windfall... *

* For all these stories and more, go to www.arttimes.co.za

Invitation to consign for 21st June auction Art, antiques, objects, furniture and jewellery Intake at our rooms up until Wednesday, 4th June.

Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, Oil on board, 42 x 36cm

SOLD R60 000

auctioneers 083 675 8468 • rka@global.co.za

www.rkauctioneers.co.za Corner Garden and Allan Roads, Bordeaux

The Phenomenon that is Timotei A marvel to the ordinary eye, the quality and maturity that comes with Catherine Timotei’s many years in the industry is easily noticeable from the moment that one sets one’s eyes on many of her works and the fact that she easily and masterfully uses different shades of colour in some of her artworks blows one away.

A critic could have ha been talking about Timotei’s work when he said that, “Only those who love colour are admitted to its beauty. It unveils its deeper mysteries only to its devotees.” And indeed it is true when one walks through the gallery and feasts one’s eyes on some of the works by this Artist, French Born, South African, Based in Cape Town. Catherine Timotei has exhibited in places such as Dubai, New York, and Cape Town.

See her artwork online: www.catherinetimotei.com Blog: http://www.catherinetimotei.com/catherine-timoteis-blog/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBiEGgIWUfg Contact Catherine Timotei: +27 (0)83 237 89 28 “Her work conveys subconscious emotions, intense feelings of creativity and personality. There is a sensual, visual remarkable effect seen through the manifestation of shape spontaneous lines and shapes.”

- Habitat Magazine Text: The Midweek Sun - PHEMELO RAMASUH

The Absa L’Atelier Awards 2014 L’Atelier Season is approaching. Now in its 29th year, Absa L’Atelier continues to recognise and reward the skills, talent and imagination that exist in an extremely competitive and often challenging environment as well as presents a unique opportunity to artists to showcase their talent and embark on new and exciting opportunities.

This year’s theme is Blood. Sweat. Tears. That’s what it takes to produce great art. Probably the most provocative campaign from Absa is a series

of acrylic paints made from the actual blood, sweat and tears of three renowned local artists, namely Diane Victor, Bambo Sibiya and Willem Boshoff to promote the 29th edition of the Absa L’Atelier art competition. Samples have been taken from the artists, and processed and cleaned by Lancet Laboratories to ensure they are free of biohazardous material and then included in the corresponding paint colour.

The core idea behind the campaign is that pro-

ducing great art is not something that just happens.

It’s a process that sees the artist putting everything they have into their work, putting pieces of themselves into their work, through the intense effort, dedication and raw emotion that it takes to bring a concept to life.

In April and May 2014, competition entries will be exhibiting their work at Various Art Galleries in regions around the country.

for comfort and convenience with a touch of bohemian luxury

ilali House offers a safe, stylish and comfortable retreat in Parkwood, Johannesburg.

The decor retains the building’s 1940s Johannesburg character, with original and luxurious design touches a firm nod to its place in contemporary Africa. Situated in the heart of Johannesburg’s art gallery district, ilali is perfectly suited to short or long-stay business travellers, as well as tourists on an urban adventure.

We look forward to welcoming you at ilali.

CONTACT Hannia on +27 82 567 5142 or email hannia@mwebbiz.co.za www.ilali.co.za

BUSINESS ART | Auction house news

5th Avenue | May 2014 Auction

Russell Kaplan Auctioneers | May 2014 Auction

Thanks to all who attended our May Auction! We had a great turnout, a great collection of art and an all-round great auction!

Boutique auction house, Russell Kaplan Auctioneers was packed with buyers from all over the world, on the 10th of May. “The auction was buoyant” – says Russell Kaplan, proudly. Russell Kaplan Auctioneers caters to a niche market and has a strong sale rate.

Our next auction will be held 10 am on Sunday the 8th of June. We are accepting entries for this auction until Wednesday 28th of May. The items up for auction will be on view: Friday 6th June (9am - 5pm) and Saturday 7th June (10am - 4pm).

Highlights from the May Auction:

The next art auction will take place on the 21st of June 2014, at 1pm. Consignments for this auction will be accepted until 4 June. The items up for auction will be on view: Wednesday 18th June (9:30am – 7pm with drinks from 4:30pm), Thursday 19th June (9:30am – 4:30pm), Friday 20th June (9:30am – 4:30pm), and Saturday 21st June (08:30am – 1pm).

Highlights from the May Auction:

»» Above: J.H. Pierneef (SA 1886 - 1957), “Extensive Landscape”, Oil painting, 41 x 51 cm Sold for R 560,000 (hammer price) »» Left: Anton Van Wouw (SA 1862 - 1945), “S.J.P. Kruger”, Italian-cast bronze, 37cm incl. base Sold for R 160,000 (hammer price) »» Below: J.H. Pierneef (SA 1886 - 1957), “Mountain Landscape”, Oil painting, 34 x 24 cm Sold for R 120,000 (hammer price)

»» Above: Diane Victor (SA 1964- ), “Bearer”, etching, edition 7/20, 106 x 198cm.

Sold for R65 000 »» Left: Bettie Cilliers-Barnard (SA 1914- ), “Rainy day”, oil on board, 42 x 36cm.

Sold for R60 000 »» Below: Keith Alexander (SA 1946 – 1998), “Moolman”, oil on canvas, 44 x 59cm.

Sold for R85 000

»» More auction results are available on: www.rkauctioneers.co.za

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SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

Auction house news | BUSINESS ART

Signature Art at Stephan Welz & Co. Johannesburg Auctions William Kentridge and Wayne Barker are amongst the thousands of artists, politicians and luminaries whose signatures and personal greetings are in the seven-volume guest register books of Johannesburg’s famous Gramadoelas restaurant. The register sold for R200 000 at the Stephan Welz & Co. Stamp, Coin and Memorabilia Auction on 14 May, at Stephan Welz & Co.’s brand new Nelson Mandela Square premises, Sandton.

Recognised worldwide, Gramadoelas operated for 45 years at the Market Theatre in the Newtown Cultural Precinct and was one of South Africa’s biggest tourist attractions. Its history and beauty are recorded in these visitors’ books, through which even those who never dined there can experience its magic.

The books have over 3000 signatures, anecdotes and sketches by VIPs such as former presidents Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Thabo Mbeki.

Other names in their pages include Walter Sisulu, Cyril Ramaphosa, The Queen of Denmark, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron, Nadine Gordimer, Sir Richard Branson, Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, William Kentridge, Spike Milligan, Lucky Dube, Elton John, Athol Fugard, Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder and Will Smith.

Additional highlights at the Fine Art & Design Auction on 6-7 May included a gouache on paper by Gerard Sekoto (1913-1993) who is considered the ‘father of black South African art’. Boy in Profile sold for R110 000.

Also significant was the sale of Mushrooms, a signed oil on canvas by Walter Battiss (19061982) for R300 000, which came from the private collection of the artist’s son, Giles.

The Next Stephan Welz & Co Fine Art & Design Auction Auction: Tuesday 10 June 2014, in Cape Town Preview: Wed 4 June to Mon 9 June, 10am - 5pm Please go to www.stephanwelzandco.co.za or call 021-794-6461 for further details. »» Gerard Sekoto (South African 1913-1993), “Boy in Profile” (1976), gouache on paper 53 x 37cm. Sold for R 110 000 (hammer price)

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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BUSINESS ART | Auction house news

Pinker’s paean to Kouebokkeveld artists set to soar at Strauss & Co’s June auction

By Emma Bedford (Senior Art Specialist at Strauss and Co): Stanley Pinker’s “Camping in the Kouebokkeveld” (R2 000 000 – 3 000 000), an extraordinary painting that celebrates the ancient and modern artists who have drawn their inspiration from this area, is coming up at Strauss & Co’s 30 June auction in Johannesburg.

Stephan Welz, MD of Strauss and Co and doyen of South African art, says, “I have been aware of this remarkable, undocumented painting for many years and am delighted to be able to offer it at our Johannesburg auction. It is precisely the kind of work we

on display. In Crump’s opinion, “the prize-winning work by Stanley Pinker undoubtedly marks a high point in his distinguished career as a painter”.i Like “Meeting at the Mountains of the Moon” which, according to the artist, was based on an event while camping in Namibia with a group of friends,ii “Camping in the Kouebokkeveld” documents an actual expedition, in this case, to the mountain area of the Western Cape located around Prince Alfred Hamlet, to the north of Ceres and south east of Citrusdal.

This was one of the favourite destinations of a group of artists who made regular trips to sketch and paint,

the narratives that form the content of the painting.

Erik Laubscher was the acknowledged pioneer, who found wonderful places to explore and to set up camp. In the middle distance at left and right, the green tents, perhaps alluding to fecund creativity, were inhabited by artists and their families. Famous couple, Erik and wife, Claude Bouscharain, occupied one while the son and daughter-in-law of Alfred Krenz, camped alongside.

Art and design educator, Mel Hagen, languidly offers her body to the sun like a reclining muse. Marthinus la Grange, remembered as a gifted draughtsman and

Stanley Pinker, “Camping in the Kouebokkeveld”, Estimated selling price: R2 000 000 - 3 000 000

pride ourselves in sourcing: of the highest calibre, fresh to the market and a key work for the serious art collector”.

“Camping in the Kouebokkeveld” was painted in the same year and as a companion piece to “Meeting at the Mountains of the Moon” with which Pinker won the first prize and gold medal at the Cape Town Triennial in 1985. Described by Alan Crump, former Professor and Head of the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand and Chair of the National Arts Festival Committee, as the largest exhibition of its kind to travel to major centres in South Africa, it was sponsored by the Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation. Their handsome support entitled them to purchase the winning work which is housed in the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch, where it is currently

to experience and to be inspired by the great outdoors.

Amongst the group were several artists such as Erik Laubscher, some of whose most impressive paintings were inspired by his experiences in this area.

A spectacular sun rises over the distinctive silhouette of the Sneeuberg mountains while a full moon hangs low in the valley, as in “Meeting at the Mountains of the Moon”. As if in a Medieval scene, a wizard and a witch, who appear to be conjuring their magic, disport themselves in a square Regent Pavilion tent topped with a torn South African flag of the old dispensation, heralding its demise. The couple represent Roddy and Hermine Wengrowe, who have been described as the stable core around which an extraordinary circle of creative artists spun.

And it is to the Wengrowes that we are indebted for

drawing teacher, appears as a magician, directing activities that include a group of San dancers costumed for a performance. These may well be inspired by the San rock paintings found nearby. The Krenzes confirm that Pinker and his fellow campers were well-acquainted with these paintings,iii some of which, portraying Voortrekker wagons, are conceivably the earliest visual representations of contacts between indigenous peoples and European settlers.

Pinker’s thorough dynamism of the composition, emphasised through radiating lines that extend into dramatic diagonals, binds all the artists together into a centre that erupts with sensuous colour. Striped patterning reinforces the flatness of the canvas, providing a rigorous structure that is overlaid with the observed topography and fauna of this unique place.

»»Important South African and International Art Auction Auction: Monday 30 June 2014 The Wanderer’s Club Ballroom, 21 North Street, Illovo (Johannesburg) Preview: Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 June, 10am to 5pm Walkabout: Sunday 29 June at 11am Enquiries & Catalogues: 011 728 8246 | 079 367 0637 | jhb@straussart.co.za www.straussart.co.za | www.straussartonline.co.za

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»»FOOTNOTES Crump, Alan. (1985) Cape Town Triennial 1985, Cape Town: South African National Gallery, unpaginated. ii Stevenson, Michael and Pinker, Stanley. (2004) Stanley Pinker. Cape Town: Michael Stevenson, page 70. iii Confirmed by André Krenz in conversation with Emma Bedford, 13 May 2014. i

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

ON THE COUCH WITH... | BUSINESS ART

On the couch with Teresa Lizamore Teresa Lizamore served as the curator for the Sasol art collection for almost 3 decades, growing the important collection to over 2000 artworks and making it one of the most important collections of contemporary South African art ever established. Her career has lead her to work on several other corporate collections and projects with Telkom, Development Bank of South Africa, ATKV and McKinsey Incorporated. Advisor and curator to Rand Merchant Bank since 1994, she manages their collection of approximately 1500 artworks; as well as her own art consultancy and gallery in Rosebank, Johannesburg. In just 13 years, Lizamore and Associates has moved twice to accommodate its growth.

AT: Teresa Lizamore, you have had quite a diverse and illustrious career, so far. What can you attribute this success to?

TL: If you have a passion for something, in my case the fine arts, you go the extra mile and work very hard to accomplish success.

AT: You not only collect art on the behalf of large corporate clients but also advise private parties on their own art purchases. How does collecting for a corporation differ from collecting for an individual?

TL: Collecting for a corporate allows one more freedom relating to diversity and concept, whereas private clients are more specific about their needs.

“A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work” - Colin Powel AT: What favourite works might we find in your personal collection?

TL: I have a number of Robert Hodgins and Diane Victor prints as well as the “Pinky Pinky” series of four oils by Penny Siopis amongst my favourite works; and one or two special drawings by Walter Oltmann which I adore.

AT: What advice would you give to those interested in starting a personal art collection with a limited budget?

TL: Do not buy the first work you see and like, but rather acquire knowledge as to what the market has to offer by visiting reputable galleries, and then purchasing a work by an artist with a good reputation. Starting off with graphic prints assists any new collector in purchasing works at a lower budget. What is always important is that a potential buyer preferably purchases a work they like and that they can live with.

AT: Your gallery aims to expose the public to the work of emerging/unknown artists by placing their works alongside those of more established professionals. Your business also deals with providing buyers with sound investment options. How do you identify investment potential in the work of the unestablished?

TL: When working with new artists, we prefer artists who have already started showing their work on group exhibitions and who are serious about their career. We follow their new careers over a period of time before we invite them to participate in group exhibitions. We also have the

Mentorship programme which allows for the discovery of new talent; talent which we nurture with the assistance of established, mature artists. With years of experience one does, however, gain the ability to recognise talent.

Ultimately investment comes over time and not overnight!

AT: Since 2008, Lizamore and Associates has annually chosen a young artist be mentored by a seasoned professional. How do you foster the growth of these young artists, in practical terms?

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions” - Albert Einstein TL: An identified mentee (new artist), works with an established mature artist of our choice over a period of one year where the mentor (established artist) assists the mentee in developing their concept and building a body of works for a solo exhibition at our gallery. Mentee and Mentor meet on a regular basis where knowledge is shared and advice is given. After the solo exhibition, the gallery has the option to continue working with the mentee, allowing more exposure for the mentee over time.

AT: With your extensive knowledge of South African contemporary art, how do you think it fairs on the global stage?

TL: South Africa is known for its creative talent and many SA artists exhibit overseas on a regular basis. South African art is very diverse and we have much to offer. Our art generally sells well on the international market. Upon his return from his overseas travels, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Johannes Stegmann (who initiated the Sasol Art Collection in 1982) would often reiterate how South African art was parallel to art of any nation abroad.

AT: The Rand has been in a steady decline for a few years now and a lot of small businesses have had to close shop due to high overheads and reduced patronage. What strategies can galleries employ to stay afloat?

TL: Professionalism, integrity and transparency. Work smarter and harder and keep overheads as low as possible. Always go the extra mile!

AT: What exciting developments can we expect to see from Lizamore and Associates since its relocation to a new, larger premises?

TL: We will be serving the market with lower-priced works by new emerging artists as well as higher-priced works by established artists. Aside from our Mentorship Programme we endeavour to grow our “Ik ben een Afrikander” project with a touring museum exhibition, starting sometime in 2015. Participation in local and overseas fairs will become a priority. New exciting events and projects are presently under discussion.

AT: Thank you for your time. Lastly, what motto would be your guiding principles in doing business?

TL: I have two: “A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work” Colin Powel and “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions” - Albert Einstein »» Photo by JP Hanekom

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

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BUSINESS ART | ART INVESTMENT

Grand Theft Art Gordon Massie | May 2014, Johannesburg : Rarely does a week pass when we don’t receive notification of an art theft or read about one in the international art world. Art theft always elicits major traditional media and social media coverage – prompted by guesswork about the guilty parties and the potential value of the works. Whilst Artinsure declines to speculate, there are a few observations which we can make with regard to the current trendof art thefts and recoveries in South Africa and worldwide.

Art thefts can be divided into three categories: In the first category are artworks that are stolen purely for the value of the material with which they are made. This is most often the case with works made of metal – bronze sculptures, for example – which can be melted down and sold as scrap. As the price of such commodities increases, so do incidences of theft. Tracking and recovering such artworks can be very difficult as they may quickly be sold to scrap dealers and destroyed. The economics are ludicrous! For instance, a scrap dealer paid thieves only £46 for a £500,000 Henry Moore sundial.

In the second category are those artworks that are stolen by individuals or syndicates for their perceived market value. Once the theft has been reported to the authorities, selling the art becomes increasingly difficult, as stolen pieces are publicized in order to promote awareness of their loss, and prevent their being sold at auction. Various organizations compile detailed lists of stolen art that serve to identify and publicize these missing pieces. Such lists are

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maintained by Interpol, the FBI, London’s Art Loss Register and locally, Artinsure records all missing and recovered work in its online Art Theft Register.

The third and most complex category is that of looting. Looking back at history it is hard to determine who was the first military leader, king, pontiff or dictator to plunder the riches and treasures of the

“The economics are ludicrous!

For instance, a scrap dealer paid thieves only £46 for a £500,000 Henry Moore sundial.” defeated. In reality this has been a consequence of war and colonization for centuries. Most recently, both the Arab Spring and Gulf Wars saw artworks plundered by opportunists, to the extent that World Heritage Bodies released warnings and pleas for aid.

Ironically though, museums worldwide have been filled with artifacts from different continents – sourced either post-victory or by well-meaning archeologists – while governing bodies have been slow to realize the massive loss to local heritage.

Now many governments and institutions demand the return of ill-gotten gains,although these demands fall largely on deaf ears or are the subject of extensive negotiations, which ultimately lose traction.

The most topical example may be the case of the Cornelius Gurlitts Nazi-era collection that, now bequeathed to the Fine Art Museum of Bern, will be the subject of complex, protracted and highly charged restitution cases for years to come.

There are no definitive records but some experts

reached a consensus that Adolf Hitler and his cohorts amassed a horde of over 600,000 stolen art works.

It is said that 20% of Europe’s art was looted during the Second World War. A 1997 study estimated that some 100,000 stolen artworks were still missing. In 1998, 44 countries created a central public registry of art that may consist of Nazi ‘loot’. Though many art works have been returned, there is little global accord between museums, auction houses and collectors regarding compliance. In fact much legislation still allows for a ‘grey market’ of stolen art. The diverse statutes of limitations, as well as the challenge of proving provenance, add to the complexity.

It is generally agreed that stolen artworks will, over time, disappear, be destroyed, ransomed, recovered or ultimately appear back in the market.Although full confessions are very rare, what evidence there is suggests that stolen works become collateral in the underworld, and are often the subject of ransom or reward processes.

Art theft is a challenging reality. Those concerned with protecting an art collection should carefully catalogue and photograph all work, and provide sufficient budget for risk and security improvements. In the event that work does go missing, the police and your specialist insurer should be informed as soon as possible, and images should be provided to the Art Theft Register for worldwide distribution. Taking these steps increases the likelihood of recovering stolen artwork. »» Gordon Massie is an art collector, modern history enthusiast and Managing Director of Artinsure, a specialist insurer of arts antiques and collectibles.

SA ART TIMES. JUNE 2014

17-20 JULY 2014

Brundyn+ Mohau Modisakeng, “Untitled”, 2014, Inkjet print on Epson UltraSmooth, 150 x 200cm