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CONTENTS SPOTLIGHT 16 > Removing the masks of racism, prejudice and stereotypes.
38 > The making of 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective
56 > SPace: Currencies in contemporary African art
68 > Of consumption and consequence
78 > Mthethwa’s lens bares the colourful truth of his subjects
96 > Arnaldo Pomodoro and Edoardo Villa: A sculptural dialogue
104 > A view from the South
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114 > Atelier 1731: Disintegration of visual memory
COLLECTIONS 124 > Everard Read leaps into the future with CIRCA on Jellicoe
134 > Standard Bank Gallery’s commitment to cultural heritage
146 > UNISA Art Gallery
153 > Arts at the North-West University
POP 162 > Art in motion: The Dwelling Lab
174 > World Premiere of Jeff Koons’ BMW Art Car
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189 > South African film wins at Tribeca
192 > Life, Above All: SA film a hit at Cannes
196 > SA’s ‘zef’ trio thrash music scene
PATRONS 205 > Investing in the rebirth of Braamfontein
27/2/09
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222 > PricewaterhouseCoopers: Creating sustainable value 5/25/10 12:48:00 PM
227 > SCAW Metals Group – a global footprint with African roots Fabform Graphics cc (011) 622-9917
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215 > Sanlam Private Investments is committed to investing in art
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CREDITS PUBLISHER >
ADMINISTRATION & ACCOUNTS >
Cameron Bramley
Claudia Madurai & Michelle Swart
[email protected] CREATIVE DIRECTOR > EDITOR >
Jacques Lange
Jacques Lange
[email protected]
DESIGN & LAYOUT > Bluprint Design
CONTRIBUTORS > Janine Erasmus, Bev Hermanson, Riason Naidoo,
Cover image by Anri Theron
Nosimilo Ramela, Nicky Rehbock, Stacey Rowan, Suné Stassen, Nosimilo Ramela
PUBLISHED BY > DESIGN>INFORMATION
SALES TEAM >
Tel: +27(0) 82 882 8124
Geri Adolphe, Rachel Harper, Chene Madzvamuse,
Fax: +27 (0) 86 678 8448
Jeff Malan
www.designmagazine.co.za
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT >
© 2010 DESIGN>INFORMATION
Charl Lamprecht
ISSN 1814-7240
DESIGN>ART is produced by DESIGN>INFORMATION. No material may be reproduced in part or whole without the express permission of the publisher. No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited material. The publisher accepts no liability of whatsoever nature arising out of or in connection with the contents of this publication. The publisher does not give any warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of its contents. The views and opinions expressed in DESIGN>ART are not necessarily those of the publisher, its endorsers, sponsors or contributors.
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Publishing DESIGN>ART is an idea that has been a
DESIGN> has since become a befitting media partner
brewing in my mind for many years. Puzzled by the
of JAG and we have collaboratively developed a solid
artificial barriers that often separate the design
and inclusive strategy that promotes JAG’s activities
and art industries, we introduced art and craft into
and rejuvenation programmes through our online
the editorial content of our stable of design publi-
resources as it celebrates its centenary of collecting
cations in 2008. Yet, I felt that this was not good
art in 2010 and the centenary of the landmark build-
enough because it still did not put art and design
ing designed by Edwin Lutyens in 2011. And so JAG
on an equal footing. And so the DESIGN>ART idea
no longer has any borders and all people, paupers,
kept on brewing … slowly.
pompous and the passionate are welcome. Where else in Joburg could we walk amongst an art collec-
As with most things, I needed an exceptional reason
tion that is that old, worth a billion Rand, housed in
or profound experience to make DESIGN>ART a real-
such a humble, humming and vibrant place? Perhaps
ity. My profound experience came on a Monday in
the Tate. Mmm.
the latter months of 2009 at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) when Antoinette Murdoch, the director
But, DESIGN>ART is not just about JAG. It’s about
and chief curator, walked me through the amazing
promoting art and its close relationship to design
collection of time-chilled art. I was fired-up by her
from all over South Africa, the African continent
passion to pull wonders out of the City’s cash-
and the world. This launch edition, spanning 21 arti-
wrapped priorities to fix the ailing building, restore
cles and more than 231 pages, is merely a glimpse
the invaluable collection and implement new projects
of what we are planning for the future. I thank all
that would give joy and intellectual stimulation to
who have contributed and supported our efforts in
the new demographic of art lovers that that live
launching this insightful and eloquently designed
around JAG.
launch edition. Art this way >
That fateful day was a turning point. DESIGN>ART
Cameron Bramley
was born with a roar in its throat, sounding out
Publisher
those who fear the run-down Joubert Park precinct where JAG is located, which for some is heaven and home.
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EDITOR’S FOREWORD FOREWORD This launch edition of DESIGN>ART has been a
Art , 1 910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective ,
work of passion for the publishing team and we have
SPace: Currencies in Contemporary African Art and
been working on it for the past nine months. During
eight others. We also look how the Everard Read
this time we grappled with many questions: Does
Gallery recently expanded its facilities to accom-
the arts community need yet another magazine and
modate the requirements of the 21st century.
how will it be different from others in the marketplace? How do we satisfy the requirements of the
Under the Collections theme, we focus on three
current readers of the DESIGN> stable of publica-
South African collections: Standard Bank, UNISA
tions who expressed a specific need for more editorial
and North-West University.
featuring the fine arts? How do we bridge the traditional gaps between design and art? More important-
Our Pop section focuses on popular culture. In this
ly, to whom and how should we pitch the editorial
section we address automotive art, film and music.
angles and writing style to satisfy the unique require-
The highlight is surely the feature on Die And-
ments of our diverse readership?
woord, which poses confronting questions related to stereotypical cultural categorisation and the
Our response: Listen to our current readers. Let the art
emergence of the ‘Zef-movement’.
speak for itself. Allow contributing writers to use the tone that they are most comfortable with. Don’t get
In the Patrons section we acknowledge companies
bogged down by conventions set by other publica-
that support the arts in a big way. These companies
tions – we are not interested in competing with others.
– of which four are featured – are not directly involved
Make art life and make it live.
in the arts, yet they commit substantial portions of their CSR budgets to benefit cultural development.
And so, DESIGN>ART became a reality. The 21 articles in this edition are structured to cover four areas:
We wish you a great read. >
Spotlight, Collections, Pop and Patrons. Jacques Lange Spotlight features current seminal exhibitions including Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban
Editor
By Stacey Rowan
In May 1994, Nelson Mandela, in his historic inauguration speech as president stated: “We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.”
It’s been 16 years since the end of apartheid yet, many sceptics still speculate about how long it would take South Africa to achieve the metaphoric ideals that Mandela so profoundly summarised. With racism and stereotypes prevailing in the minds of many, there are still a myriad of difficulties that need to be addressed. Failure to discuss and educate people about these
Juan Carlos Alom, Sin Palabras (Without words), 2008. Digital laminated on PVC .
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matters, pretending that they do not exist, and sweeping matters under the carpet, will result in the perpetuation of prejudice, othering and prohibiting the actualisation of the country’s rainbow ideals. Making its international debut at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), the Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art exhibition aims to address some of these societal disjoints by removing the artificial masks that often hide constructive debates. The exhibition explores two main themes that link the histories and cultures of Cuba and Africa. Firstly, it removes the mask on the ongoing issue of race within contemporary Cuban society and secondly, it removes the mask on African religious beliefs and practices which thrive in Cuba today, having been brought to the island by African slaves.
Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art, running from May to August, was initiated in late 2007. The exhibition is the flagship of an engaging and jam-packed programme of shows that JAG is staging during the next two months in celebration of the world converging in South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Considering that it is the first time that the World Cup is being held on African soil, the Without Masks exhibition’s themes of prejudice, racial stereotypes, racial discrimination and racism are very relevant. By selecting Without Masks as its flagship show, JAG made a brave choice and broke ranks with many other local cultural institutions and galleries who opted to focus on more popular curatorial themes such as soccer.
DESIGN>ART secured an inclusive interview with the renowned Cuban poet, art critic and curator, Orlando Hernández, and Antoinette Murdoch, director of JAG. Hernández believes, as the title denotes, that this exhibition is about removing our masks, showing our faces and discussing issues that are clearly existent in our society, but that are silenced or insufficiently disseminated.
Without Masks includes artworks that reflect controversial and conflicting aspects of the Cuban national reality – a supposedly egalitarian society – that has been silenced or ignored for a long time. Problems related to race, stereotypes and religion continue to affect the black and mulatto population of Cuba even to this day and indirectly affect the country’s society and culture. The same can be said about South Africans, and Africans alike. The exhibition, which aims to show how Cuba’s art landscape is influenced by its African heritage, also strives to fulfill its moral and political obligations to facilitate reflection, mediation and discussion of the problems related to issues that perpetuate othering. The purpose of the exhibition is to create a broader understanding whilst making a concerted contribution to finding future solutions to address these very issues. “With this exhibition, it was important for the viewers of the artworks to engage with the message that the colour of skin is
Armando Mariño, Reason, undated. Oil on canvas.
Douglas Pérez, Güiro (Gourd), 2007. Oil on Canvas. 70 x 50 cm.
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Jose Bedia, Kindembo Sarabanda Malongo Yaya Arriba Ntoto, 2009. Acrylic on canvas. 182 x 464 cm.
Installation. Bronze with different patina, perfume essence and sponge. 7.5 x 4 x 4.5 cm (each piece).
Yoan Capote, El Beso (The Kiss), 1999. 21 >
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TOP: Belkis Ayón Manso, Perfidia (Perfidy), 1998. Collography on heavy paper. 200 x 2520 cm (7 sheets of 100 x 70 cm each). BOTTOM LEFT: Rubén Rodriguez Martinez, Mantos, 2002. Lithograph. 70 x 100 cm. BOTTOM RIGHT: Rubén Rodriguez Martinez, Cortar los Paños, 2005. Oil and charcoal on paper. 70 x 100 cm.
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less important than the colour of culture. In life, nothing should be related to a skin colour. From my point of view, you can be a white woman who does things or make things that places or contextualises you in the framework of Afro-Cuban culture. No matter what race or skin colour you are, you can be in the Afro-Cuban culture,” says Hernández.
African empowerment. Hernández explains: “Funnily enough, many of the artworks in the exhibition were created by white people. The artworks do not represent, nor are they a representation of a ‘black movement’. It’s about everyone, blacks and whites, being a part of the Afro-Cuban culture. With people, it’s about a closeness,” adds Hernández.
Not only did South Africans, and Africans, especially the black population, experience the wrath of the apartheid era, but other countries like Cuba also suffered under racial segregation and racial discrimination. “Racism during the apartheid era was the most shocking situation in South Africa. Racism still exists today in South Africa and in Cuba. There is a stereotype implanted in the minds of people that black people have big buttocks and just play on drums. People do not realise that they are still perceiving the black population as a stereotype. The theme of the artworks [included in Without Masks] is not about ethnicity, it’s about politics. There is a relationship, a commonality, between South Africa and Cuba in terms of shared politics and racial issues,” says Hernández.
These themes have also been broadened to encompass other unusual
With the themes being of a controversial nature, it should not to be assumed that the exhibition focuses on black
aspects such as the artistic representation of the political-military presence of Cuba in wars in Africa, the incorporation of new African figures and ritual traditions in our religious practices. Not only do the themes connect Cuba with South Africa, but there are other distinct commonalities between these two places that are evident in the works on display. “The artworks address themes of racism, religion and the Angolan war, among others. South Africans and Cuban soldiers fought side by side in the Angolan war. It is something that the people of South Africa and the people of Cuba have in common,” says Murdoch. Supported and financed by South African-born businessman and art collector, Chris von Christierson, the exhibition was created from the idea that a collection of Cuban art would
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show the traces of Africa in Cuba’s culture. We cannot understand Cubans without taking into account their African roots and influences. Africanbased religious systems and rites have had a profound impact on Cuban music, linguistics, art and literature. The works shown in Without Masks all demonstrate some distinct intersection of the Cuban experience with African cultural beliefs.
Roberto Diago Durruthy, Carmen III, 2009. Mixed media on canvas. 200 x 150 cm.
The 26 contemporary Afro-Cuban artists represented in the exhibition reveal the diversity of Cuba’s culture, whilst they each capture their own point of view that reflect their own rich experiences. The artists come from various generations and movements expressing the widespread landscape of Afro-Cuban art. “Our interest when selecting the artworks, focused beyond the aesthetic, favouring the originality and profoundness of the discourse of sociological, historical, anthropological, religious, ethical and political nature contained in the works,” says Hernández. With only three female artists presented, the exhibition is male dominated. The 80 artworks in total, created between 1980 and 2009, showcase an array of styles and media including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, mixed-media, sculpture and video. “Another aspect of the artworks is that they represent a concept of a
nation. The exhibition had to be created with an understanding of the overall message: the idea of building a nation or a national culture. When people accept other people, it’s these little matters that build a certain kind of nation.” According to Hernández, “it’s about counting everyone in a nation.” “The artworks shown in this exhibition provoke reflection on the matters of stereotyping, racism and prejudice. They teach people and help them to discover different aspects of the subject matter. Some of the artworks are more direct than others in their teachings. In addition, I feel that art is not only about having a high-level cultural engagement for the elite only, but it’s about having all types of cultural exchanges available for everyone. In this exhibition I tried to break the ‘false’ limits between one kind of art and another and I tried to break the limits between different levels of culture like popular culture and high-level culture,” explains Hernández. Whether internationally well-known or practically unknown, some of the artists included in the exhibition are highly educated, whilst others are self-taught. The artists all have different backgrounds and come from different generations, resulting in a vibrant and multi-dimensional representation of the exhibition’s themes.
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The collection, according to Hernández, can be considered as a ‘work in progress’ in the sense that in the future it may also include works of more artists from different generations who either currently or previously focused on the theme. “The collection will still grow in the future as the concept of the collection grows,” adds Hernández.
of debates, panel discussions, walkabouts, seminars, workshops and an interactive publication that guides the experiences of young visitors in an entertaining and informative manner. Apart from the Without Masks exhibition, the Johannesburg Art Gallery is running several other exhibitions to coincide with the FIFA World Cup.
“The Johannesburg Art Gallery is the perfect venue for launching this travelling exhibition because the patron of the collection, Chris von Christierson, who now lives in the UK, was born in Johannesburg. It’s often difficult to find a venue that can accommodate such a large exhibition, so we were happy to bring the exhibition to JAG at a time when the world’s eyes are focused on Africa,” says Hernández. “All of our current exhibitions come from, and have, different angles. Between the four shows that the Gallery is presenting during this soccer season, the Without Masks exhibition is a representation of issues that we as South Africans, and Africans, need to address. It is specifically relevant because it is the first time that Africa is hosting the FIFA World Cup and we hope that large numbers of foreign tourists will come and view the exhibition and engage with the messages that it addresses,” says Murdoch. To facilitate active engagement, JAG developed a multi-dimensional education program for Without Masks that consists
I am not me, the horse is not mine, by William Kentridge, is an eight-projection installation that takes the short story, The Nose, written by Nikolai Gogolin 1837, as the basis for looking at the formal inventiveness of the different strains of Russian modernism. This work, one of the exhibitions running at JAG, will be showcased for the first time in Johannesburg from 2 May to the 1 August. Another exhibition that will be running at the gallery from June to August is Borders, an exhibition of selected works from the Barmako Photographic Biennale 2009. This exhibition explores the natural and artificial lines traced across the earth. Kader Attia, Jodi Bieber, Zanele Muholi, Riason Naidoo and Dinkies Sithole are some of the artists featured.
Deep play, running from the 6 June to 4 September, by the acclaimed German filmmaker, Harun Farocki, makes use of football as a metaphor for life. This ‘laboratory of football’ exhibits the most advanced
Pedro Alvarez, In the Reign of the Freedom of Necessity, 2003. Serigraph on paper with touches of direct painting by the artist. 108 x 79,5 cm. 1997 - 1998. 134 x 149 cm.
Ibrahim Miranda, Proyecto Cubrecamas (Bedcovers Project),
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canvas. 195 x 145,5 cm.
RIGHT: Alexis Esquivel, Árbol Genealógico (Genealogical tree), 2008. Acrylic on
Marta María Pérez Bravo, Jura (Oath), 1999. Photograph. 100 x 80 cm.
RIGHT: Santiago Rodríguez Olazábal, Oro Baba, 2002. Acrylic, collage, horsetail and fish. 200 x 180 cm.
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technology in the production and presentation of moving images. Over and above these temporary exhibitions, JAG is also showing a small selection of its most valuable works drawn from its permanent collection.
INSIGHTS ON JAG Located on the corner of Klein and King George Streets in Joubert Park, in the buzzing central business district of Johannesburg, JAG is one of the biggest galleries in Africa and home to some of the most prized artworks in the world. The gallery comprises 15 exhibition halls and sculpture gardens. It houses a collection of more than 9 000 artworks (one the largest collections on the Continent), including 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings, 18th and 19th century British and European art, 19th century South African works, and a large collection of 20th century and contemporary works by local and international artists. These include works by Salvador Dali, Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, James Rosenquist, Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, George Pemba, Gerard Sekoto, William Kentridge and Diane Victor, to name just a few. Additionally, the JAG collection includes a print cabinet containing more than 3 000 works spanning from the 15th century to the present, including works by Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt Van Rijn (43 original etchings),
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Honoré Daumier, Francisco Goya y Lucientes, James Whistler and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Reflecting on the current positioning of JAG, Murdoch says that apart from presenting professional exhibitions, the vision of JAG is to locate its activities within the area of Joubert Park and its immediate surroundings. “In the past, the Gallery has never really been in touch with its surroundings and it’s ever-evolving demographics. For a long time, JAG catered mainly to the needs of the ‘cultural elite’, most of whom are white and economically
Another challenge that that JAG is currently facing is that a big part of the building (a listed historical monument) requires urgent restoration. “Finding finances to restore the building and to maintain it is difficult. Our lack of funding is extremely challenging. Even though we receive core funding from the City of Johannesburg to maintain our core activities, there is a continual quest for finding additional funding to maintain the facility as a world-class cultural institution. Keeping up with high museum standards and making sure that the valuable artworks that JAG holds are well-kept costs an enormous amount of money, and therefore we constantly have to engage in fundraising activities.”
privileged. Currently, we are seeing a new demographic emerging which conRené Peña, Untitled, 2007. Digital print laminated on PVC. 133 x 100 cm.
sist of younger black people from the working class visiting JAG on a regular basis. For many of them, JAG has become is a haven of tranquility and intellectual stimulation situated in an area that can be described as hectic and constantly changing. As a result, we are exploring new ways to accommodate the expectations of both the new and younger visitors, as well as those of the long-standing patrons. Many of the traditional patrons believe that the Joubert Park area has become run-down and
The limited financial support that JAG receives from the municipal government is obviously due to the City government’s prioritisation of social developmental requirements such as housing, health care and education. Yet, there seems to be lack of political foresight to also consider substantial investment in cultural development and heritage preservation. “If people wanted to learn more about their cultural heritage and wanted to understand it more, they would be more open to donating sponsorships and helping the Gallery to achieve its goals and objectives,” adds Murdoch.
unsafe to visit which is an issue that we have been addressing through our revised programmes and operational priorities,” says Murdoch.
Education itself and within exhibitions is an integral component of JAG’s activities and its institutional vision. The JAG
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team perceives the Gallery as a learning environment in which curiosity, discovery and contemplation are encouraged. JAG aims to provide all visitors with inspiring and empowering experiences through tours, exhibitions and educational programmes. “Cultural education is very important to us. It is important to teach people that they can come to the Gallery and enjoy what we have on offer on many levels. Citi-
Kader Attia, Rochers Carrés, 2009. © courtesy Kader Attia et galerie Christian Nagel (Berlin & Cologne).
zens of Johannesburg, even though they are living near the Gallery or have access to it, often don’t bother to visit JAG and therefore they miss out on what we can offer them. There is an urgent need to create a culture of art appreciation in the city, a need to teach our young people to have a love for galleries and art, and specifically a need to foster a love for the Johan-
Harun Farocki, Deep Play at DHC ART Montreal. © Richard-Max Tremblay.
nesburg Art Gallery.” <
William Kentridge, I am not me, the horse is not mine, 2008. Video stills from installation.
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By Riason Naidoo
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The South African National Gallery’s initial schedule for 2010 was looking like those of many other art and cultural institutions: it was about football. We also received numerous requests to show foreign artists and exhibitions. With a store of a few thousand artworks, we cleared the schedule and decided to use the opportunity of the World Cup to turn the focus in on ourselves; that is to give visitors to the National Gallery, both foreign and local, a reflection of our own art stories. With a modest budget, made available by revising the annual budget, we set about conceptualising the show late last year. The exhibition should acknowledge some important artists and developments in
local art history such as the early articulations of a modern art movement, DRUM magazine, Polly Street, Rorkes Drift, Resistance Art under apartheid, and the rise of South Africa’s energetic contemporary art scene, the subject of much recent attention abroad. The exhibition should also be nationally representative, acknowledging works by artists beyond the Cape, recognising privileged racial access to art education and training opportunities, and highlighting different aesthetic value systems. With this in mind (and with limited time available) Joe Dolby – curator of works on paper – and I, travelled
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around the country visiting collections at the beginning of February. We visited the big municipal collections as well as university, corporate, and some significant private collections. We also looked to the main commercial galleries in Cape Town and Johannesburg for oversights in our contemporary collection. We scheduled the three major exhibitions, occupying the 12 gallery rooms, to all close at the end of February. The gallery closed its doors from 1 March to 15 April; allowing for the simultaneous deinstallation of all shows, arrival and unpacking of loans, re-painting of the whole gallery, and the curation of this extensive exhibition occupying
LEFT: Avant Car Guard, The Poor Man’s Picasso, 2009. Acrylic on canvas. Private Collection. CENTRE: Cyril Coetzee (1959 –), Ship of Fools, 1994. Oil on canvas. Durban Art Gallery. RIGHT: Dorothy Kay (1886-1964), Annie Mavata, 1956. Oil on Board. Pretoria Art Museum.
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LEFT: Vedant Nanackchand (1955 –), The Purple Shall Govern, 1991. Screenprint. Iziko South African National Gallery. RIGHT: View of the 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective exhibition showing the juxtaposition of narratives. Momberg’s Maquette for the Gandhi Memorial Statue is featured in the foreground with Pierneef’s Union Buildings behind it.
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LEFT: Maggie Laubser (1886 – 1973), Portrait of a Woman in a Pink Blouse, 1936. Oil on cardboard. Sanlam Art Collection. CENTRE: Duke Ketye (1943 –) The Plight of Soweto Platforms. Pastel and Charcoal on paper. Johannesburg Art Gallery. RIGHT: Simon Mnguni (1885 - 1956), Portrait of a Zulu Induna. Watercolour and black ink on paper. The Campbell Smith Collection.
the whole gallery – the first time, I’m told, the whole gallery has been used for one show – chronologically and thematically integrating the loans and the permanent collection. As we know, art does not exist in isolation so the intention was to simultaneously reflect on important moments as well as attitudes of different eras. Tretchikoff’s figure of the Herb Seller (1948) – the first time a Tretchikoff has been shown at the National Gallery – is set against a brick wall plastered with United Party and National Party election posters. The emergence of black photographers in DRUM magazine in the 1950s, documenting first hand
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experiences in their communities around the country, allow for more complex revelations in the representation of black people than the ethnographic and ‘objective’, ‘scientific’ studies of the early 20th century. This is reflected in the humiliating treatment of black prisoners for trivial offences at the Old Fort prison in Johannesburg, captured by Bob Gosani (1954), to GR Naidoo’s festive depiction of a dancing couple in the musical Mkhumbane in Durban (1960). Harold Rubin, Gerard Sekoto, Gavin Jantjes and Harold Strachan offer very different takes on the Sharpeville massacre; as do the reflections of Colin Richards, Tyronne Appollis, Paul Stopforth and Derek Bauer on Steve Biko’s murder.
Archival posters from the Community Arts Project (CAP), housed the University of Western Cape, provide context to the activism of the violent 1980s prior to Mandela’s release. Photography also plays a very important documentary role at this time as illustrated by the range from the Afrapix collective. Jackson Nkumanda’s charming work entitled The Presidential Inauguration (1994) and Progress Matubaku’s Something for Growth (1995) share the same room as Joe Ratcliff’s Vlakplaas (1999) and works by key artists such as Penny Siopis, Clive Van den Berg, Johannes Segogela and Noria Mabasa. While the intention of the show is to also showcase prominent artists and some iconic works of art in
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the permanent collection, such as Jane Alexander’s Butcher Boys (1985/86) and Ronald Harrison’s controversial work for its time entitled Black Christ (1962), a work for which he was arrested and tortured – depicting Albert Luthuli as the Christ figure on the cross and Hendrik Verwoed as a soldier – many of the loans are intended to open a window on some less known artists and pieces. Moses Tladi’s No.1 Crown Mines, was most likely the first time a black artist exhibited at the National Gallery in a group show in 1930, the same year the gallery opened. Jabulani Ntuli’s minutely detailed pencil drawings from the 1940s, offers remarkable insight into Zulu traditional life and customs of the period. And Lucas Sithole’s evocative sculpture
entitled Waiting too Long (undated) hauntingly echoes the pathos of the era. Recognising the perils of nationalism, and its manifestations, the idea was to also be critical of South Africa in the now. I am reminded of the graffiti painted on a wall on the corner of Hunter and Cavendish streets in Yeoville, Johannesburg. It quotes from Nelson Mandela’s 1994 inauguration speech, “Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.” Fourteen years later, the xenophobic attacks left many bodies in its wake and thousands mentally scarred. With this in mind, a selection from the exhibition US was included – curated by
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Bettina Malcomess and Simon Njami – featuring a handful of mainly young South African artists, including Gugulective, commenting on the issue and bringing the making of art in this country full circle. At the same time this opportunity to focus on local art also coincides with a new vision for the National Gallery, one that aims to be more inclusive in the audiences we appeal to, more critical in the selection of our exhibitions and in the work that we acquire, more diverse in the composition and views of the people that make up our committees, and more representative of a multicultural society in Africa.
LEFT: Helmut Starcke (1935 –), Clio, the Muse of History, 2001. Acrylic. Iziko South African National Gallery. CENTRE: Derek Bauer (1955 –), Steve Biko – In Memoriam, 1987. Pen and ink. Iziko South African National Gallery. RIGHT: Durant Sihlali (1935 –), Peace Wall, 1993. Oil on canvas. BHP Billiton.
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TOP LEFT: View of the 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective exhibition showing iconic South African sculptures by Anton van Wouw in the foreground. TOP RIGHT: Zanele Muholi, Katlego Moshiloane and Nosipho Lavuta, ext 2, Lakeside, Johannesburg, 2007. Lamda Print. Michael Stevenson Gallery. LEFT: Moses Tladi (1897-1959), No.1 Crown Mines, c.1930. Oil on canvas board. Private collection. RIGHT: View of the 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective exhibition showing Ronald Harrison’s controversial work for its time, entitled Black Christ (1962).
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LEFT: Enos Makhubedu (1938 –), African Herder, 1974. Oil on board. The Campbell Smith Collection. RIGHT: Lucas Sithole 91931 – 1994), Bitch with puppies. Oil and enamel paint on board. The Campbell Smith Collection.
Part of this challenge of how to broaden our audiences and invite communities to take ownership of the National Gallery also relates to our programming: the exhibitions and artworks that we show. Portrait of Ali Bhai (c.1950s) by Ebrahim Badsha and later works by Faiza Galdhari and Chris Ledochowski speak of, and to, the local Muslim communities. The Sun and the Moon (2007), by First People Pomegranate Quilters from the [Nieu] Bethesda Community Arts Centre in the Karoo, strikes up a conversation with Young Women’s Initiation (1996), a work by San artist Dada Coex’ae Qgam, and Walter Battiss’s work Beautiful Bitch Suzie (c.1972). Photographs by Santu Mofokeng and Guy Tillim, an astonishingly overt painting by
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Trevor Makhoba and a video piece by Churchill Madikida open up dialogue on Xhosa and Zulu initiations, acknowledging indigenous rites and practices. There is also no one clear narrative of history. So juxtapositions, multiple layers and narratives, and visual connections are the threads of the exhibition. In the introductory room for example, we have Robert Goodman’s Cape Town City Hall (1917), Frans Oerder’s Ladies in the Garden (c. 1900) and Pierneef’s Union Buildings (1938) adjacent to Anton Momberg’s Maquette for the Gandhi Memorial Statue (1992), Willie Bester’s 1913 Land Act (1995) and superb watercolour portraits by Gerard Bhengu
and Simon Mnguni. At the same time well known artists like Gavin Younge and Sue Williamson share limited hanging space with fairly obscure names like Richard Baholo and Vedant Nanackchand. Geometric abstract patterns in Ndebele beadworks and Zulu earplugs gossip with Kevin Atkinson’s large abstract, White African Land-
scape (1982). Deborah Bell’s Lover’s in the Cinema (1985) evocatively articulates a universal theme, something that we can all identify with. Zanele Maholi and Pierre Fouche express homosexual desires with works that are visually echoed by Tracey Rose’s iconic work, The Kiss (2001).
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Works by Brett Murray (Xhosa, 2002) and Sthembiso Sibisi (Going Home, 2005) use humour to poignantly reflect on the local condition. Stuart Bird’s tongue-in-cheek Zuma Biscuits (2007) encapsulates the moment preceding the 2008 national elections, a time of internal power struggles in the ruling party. For local art groupies, Ed Young’s Bruce Gordon [Torino] (2005) may have special significance recalling the conceptual piece from 2003, where a bar owner (a found object) was purchased by the National Gallery and the acquisition number tattooed on the artwork (or bar owner’s arm). This particular piece on exhibition is the suit made for the artwork, which it (he) wore when it was loaned to the Triennale in Torino. The artwork recalls three weeks of non-stop parties, alcohol and meeting lots of women.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Riason Naidoo is curator of the exhibition 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective and the newly appointed director of the South African National Gallery.
Of course no art show is ever complete without audience engagement and the critics’ responses. Miles Keylock in Cape Town described it as an exhibition built “on relationships, on contrasts and on ‘coming together, elaborating that its ‘nothing short of a revolution”. In what may have been a response to Keylock’s piece, the Art Times headlined its front cover with Lloyd Pollock’s review a little more than a week later entitled “SANG’s reputation trashed for 2010 show” exposing great divides in Cape Town’s art circles, between the established and emerging voices, between the old and the new and providing a wonderful opportunity for attention and debate. Maybe you should check it out for yourself. <
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art makes a difference Art breaks rules. It surprises, engages and provokes debate. It makes us think for ourselves. This is what makes art so special, and it’s why we can’t live without it. That’s why we’re proud of our role in supporting artists through the Sasol New Signatures Collection.
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Mary Sibande, The Reign, 2010. Mixed media installation. Dimensions variable.
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By Stacey Rowan Alluding to and embodying two notions, space and pace, the
SPace: Currencies in contemporary African art exhibition signifies sites or contexts and tempos or energies that are part of our societal make-up. Space is wherein ideas are negotiated and meaning produced through various human activities and social practices, while pace refers to speed, the rate at which change or advancement of such activities and practices takes place in society. Cur-
rencies refer not only to movement fluidity or rhythm but also to currency of an economic nature.
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SPace: Currencies in contemporary African art, held at the Museum Africa in Newtown from May to July, is hosted by the City of Johannesburg, with support from Operations 2010 offices and the Directorate for Arts, Culture and Heritage. The exhibition, is one of the many cultural events held during the month-long FIFA World Cup, creates a setting where soccer, culture and the barriers between different groups of people are explored on various levels. “Coinciding with the soccer event, the exhibition creates a wider audience comprising South African and international art audiences and a wider soccer fan audience,” says Melissa Mboweni, curator. “Art should be promoted and should form part of our world. This is an important opportunity to showcase African contemporary art to a massive global audience.
SPace shows the City of Johannesburg’s vision. It has been an amasingly fun journey. This exhibition is something very special,” says Craig Mark, project director of SPace. The curators, Thembinkosi Goniwe and Melissa Mboweni, acknowledge that while the cultural interactions and interventions alluded to in the exhibition title are not new to Africa as many dialogues have taken place in and about the continent. It is their hope that this exhibition provides the visiting audience with new opportunities to dialogue with art, and to appreciate and reflect on social issues and human experiences that are irreducible to ideology and instruments of bondage and misery. The artworks shown in SPace
David Koloane, Flashlights, 2010. Mixed media on paper. 105 x 107 cm. Photograph by John Hodgkiss.
C
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TOP: Gugulective, sisNtuthu, 2009. Performance.
CENTRE: Abdul Razaq Awofeso, The Lost Tribe, 2010. Installation. Dimensions variable. Photograph by John Hodgkiss. BOTTOM: Billie Zangewa, Troyeville Sundays, 2006. Silk tapestry. 61 x 51 cm.
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also provide moments for engaging with profound human qualities such as intimacy, beauty and pleasure. One of the themes represented in the exhibition is play. Just as an artist’s attitude play within his or her artwork, so do the players play in the sporting game of soccer. “In this exhibition, soccer meets culture in a sense that the play theme in the artworks is replicated within the play actions in the game of soccer,” says Mboweni. Other themes revealed in the exhibition are movement and migration – the movement from one African city to another African city. “The different artworks represent the different cultures within the city and the transitional movement from one cultural city to another. These cities are transitional places with constant changes. There is a constant change of intensity between different cities,” explains Mboweni. In order to create a narrative-like flow throughout the gallery, the team had to consider the physical space for the set up of the artwork. The floor levels, the in-between floor levels and the floor plans all had to be taken into consideration to create this story-like flow. “The exhibition seeks to create a narrative, a story. It is about finding your way through this space at a view.” Getting the gallery to where it is now in terms of function and appearance, required the construction of new walls, the installation of dry walling and new lighting, in order to create darker and lighter spaces. “Setting up the gallery was a manic period. We sometimes felt we did not have enough time, and sometimes artworks would just arrive. However, we did have our calm moments when everything was set up and lit up. At those moments we knew we were onto something,” says Mboweni. To accompany the exhibition, respected writers have written essays, poems and articles dealing with issues about Africa and the curatorial concept,
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TOP LEFT: Peterson Kamwathi Waweru, Untitled (ECK), 2008 – 2009. Charcoal and pastel on paper. 150 x 240 cm. TOP RIGHT: Godfried Donkor, Red Madonna with rainbow, 2010. Oil and gold leaf on canvas. 153 x 210 cm. BOTTOM LEFT: Willem Boshoff, Auxesis, 2009. Plastic ornaments and symbols, glass, wood. 197 x 120 cm. BOTTOM RIGHT: Avant Car Guard, Resistance Art in South Africa, 2009. Enamel paint, industrial foam, epoxy, bought objects.
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forming a rich, informative and interesting catalogue. The catalogue includes texts by Simon Njami, Abebe Zegeye, Elvira Dyangani Osse, Bogani Madondo, Bettina Malcomess, Jimmy Ogonga, and Raphael Chikukwa. The exhibition seeks to reflect the ideas, experiences and practices of the contemporary African artists it showcases, revealing the creative and intellectual ways in which they engage and reflect on a variety of personal, social, cultural and political matters. Participating artists come from various parts of African and include Berni Searle, Willem Boshoff, Gabrielle Goliath, Mary Sibande, Alison Kearnery, Zen Marie, Nandipha Mntambo, David Koloane, Berry Bickle, Godfried Donkor, Barthelemy Toguo, James Muriuki, Arlene Wandera, Nathalie Bikoro, Miriam Syowia Kyambi, Kudzanai Chiurai, Imad Mansour, Hassan Echair, Abdul Razaq Awofeso. Mary Sibande, Elias Sime, Dominique Zinkpe, Peterson Kamwathi Waweru, Steven Bandoma, Billie Zangewa.
RIGHT: El Hassan Echair, Untitled, 2008. Installation, iron, wood, charred stones on layer of salt. Dimensions variable.
LEFT: Gabrielle Goliath, Bouquet III, 2007. Archival print. Triptych; 26 x 130 cm each.
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FAR RIGHT: With white walls, and bright lighting, the gallery has a clean contemporary feel to it.
RIGHT: Kudzanai Chiurai, The Minister of Enterprise, 2009. From the series Dying to be Men. Ultrachrome ink on photo fibre paper. 150 x 100 cm.
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Included in the exhibition are pieces from the series Dying to be men by 29 year-old Joburger, Kudzanai Chiurai. Having started painting at the age of 11, he went on to obtain a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria and at the young age, his artworks have been shown locally and internationally. “It’s great to be a part of this exhibition and it was nice to be invited to participate with a lot of other interesting artists. When I heard about the SPace exhibition and the way they used the words ‘space’ and ‘pace’ in the title I knew that my work is linked to the exhibition’s meaning,” says Chiurai. He explains that Dying to be men is a contemporary photography series which mocks and ridicules public figures. In the eight extraordinary artworks shown in this exhibition, each piece depicts a man wearing
FAR RIGHT: Steve Bandoma, Tribute, 2009. Installation, ropes, plastic roses, rubbers plunger and balloons. Dimensions variable.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Nandipha Mntambo, Sengifikile, 2009. Bronze.
TOP RIGHT: Miriam Syowia Kyambi, Phase III: Release, video still, 2007-2009. From WoMen, Fraulein, Damsel & Me. Video projection. 8 min 02 sec.
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over-the-top attire and sporting exaggerated facial expressions. Each image is a representation of a political figure, each with a masculine and powerful undertone. “The images are done in a very theatrical way. Some of the images hold true to reality, they can be seen as reality. Some people really do see our political figures in this way. The artworks are futuristic in themselves. One of the images depicts a teacher with a gun. Will this not be the case in the future where teachers will need to carry guns because of the violence in schools?” Some of the artists in the exhibition that Chiurai admires include Abdul Razaq Awofeso, who presented an installation, The Lost Tribe 2010, and Mary Sibande, who presented a mixed media installation, The Reign 2010. “The SPace: Currencies in contemporary African art exhibition is of a continental class and has a world class brand. Audiences will see parts of art they would have never expected to see. Hopefully the news of the exhibition will travel, just as our ambition for this event has,” concludes Mboweni. <
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In June, acclaimed South African artist, Robert Slingsby, exhibited an evocative body of work titled CC – Unlimited
power, at the UCT Irma Stern Museum, in Cape Town. Two years in the making, it deals with the current and provocative subject of environmental or ‘green’ consciousness. This powerful exhibition communicates its point readily. Using the motor vehicle and bones – representing our carbon fuelled economy – as icons and painted on massive canvases, the point is driven home predominantly in the colour red.
Artist’s statement “Cubic Capacity Credit Crunch Climate Change Christ Consciousness Credit Card Conspicuous Consumption Carbon Credit Coca Cola Closed Circuit Cellular Communication Communist China Catholic Church Child Care Country Club Conscription Campaign Concentration Camp Cosmic Calamity Colonial Conquest Convicted Criminal Crime Control Central Control Critical Care Classified Content Corporate Corruption Crack Cocaine Cash Commodity Cloud Cover Collision Course Computer Crash Carbon Copy Currency Converter Closed Corporation Company Costs Competition Commission Calorie Counter, etc.” “CC – Unlimited power is my response to the credit crunch. It constitutes two years of work and a refinement of how I view the causal factors. It was through this process that I identified most to have c.c. as an abbreviation. In conjunction with the cc footprint, characteristic
FAR LEFT: Slingsby conducting a walkabout at the Irma Stern Museum. Featured is the sculpture, Car-bon(e), 2010. Forged mild steel & stainless steel. LEFT: Apathy of entitlement, 2010. Acrylic on canvas. 149 x 170 cm.
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Conspicuous consumption, 2009. Acrylic on canvas and crushed glass. 300 x 167 cm.
Blind rage at Rooiwal. Acrylic on canvas.
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of and underlying all my art, is my passion
Understanding Slingsby
for the Richtersveld, its ancient rock art & the remnants of a genus of humanity that live
“To understand Robert Slingsby’s exhibi-
there; the fundamental inspiration in my work
tion CC – Unlimited power one does not have
for over thirty years,” explains Slingsby.
to traverse the desolately beautiful spaces of the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape.
“I chose to use the motorcar as a powerful
But being there certainly illuminates and
metaphor for the 20th century. It represents
elucidates the pulling power of the place
democracy, the open road and freedom whilst
where the ancient Nama rock engravings or
its consequences entail devastating effects
petroglyphs provide an indelible reminder
on the earths’ ecosystems, its species and
of a once united, spiritually anointed com-
marginalised people through the consump-
munity. Today, throughout the Richters-
tion of carbon based fossil fuels. This relation-
veld, the polarities of ruin and renewal are
ship is represented by the Car-bon(e) whilst
present in equal force,” says acclaimed art
the marginalised community of the Richters-
critic and author, Hazel Friedman.
veld demonstrate the impact in a narrative manner. Concurrently, drawing from the sche-
Friedman did however take a journey to the
matic and geometric rock engravings of the
Richtersveld. She says: “I have journeyed to
Richtersveld, I have woven this linear abstrac-
this parched earth with Slingsby, on one of
tion into the paintings, using objects familiar
his scores of pilgrimages to the jagged lunar-
and particular to the region.”
like landscape that lures him like a ‘rusted blade to magnetite’. and which serves as
“Historically, cathedrals have adorned our
the chief source of his inspiration. The
skylines as manifestations of great architec-
Garies Orange River snaking through the
ture. This has [recently] been replaced by the
Richtersveld and into the pyramidal moun-
soccer stadium. It is through this observation
tains of Namibia is Slingsby’s River Jordan,
that I painted the Green Point stadium, titled
his site of baptism and spiritual crossing. It
Conspicuous consumption as a representa-
is a space where earth, sky and spirit align.
tive of the unlimited power of FIFA and soccer,
And its kloofs serve as Slingsby’s dictionary,
thus further representing the cc’s shaping our
the rocks as his syntax, while the geometric
lives. The significance of these stadiums on
signs and symbols engraved into their skins
land which continues to experience the mar-
have become the personal alphabet of his
ginalisation of its most ancient people is
visual dialect. For over thirty years he has
the juxtaposition between car/carbon and
made it his mission to record and transcribe
church/stadium.”
the shamanistic markings of the ancient
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TOP: Mechanical factor, 2008. Acrylic on canvas. 210 x 170 cm. ABOVE: CC Back fire. Acrylic on canvas. 205 x 167 cm.
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Nama community who still inhabit this region.”
incorporated them into his iconography in an effort
“The Southern African tradition of ancient art-
to uphold their alchemic properties, pay homage to
making – whether on cave walls or rocks – has pro-
their makers and advocate for the restoration of
vided us with a legacy that should be cherished, a
these ancestral lands into the hands of the Nama,
legacy driven as much by an empathy and interac-
whose forefathers the Khoisan first inhabited this
tion with the spirit world as with the desire to
part of the world.
manifest and make, literally, their mark,” says Slingsby.
”CC – Unlimited power follows this quest,” says Friedman. “The derivations of the exhibition title
“A profound humanism informs Slingsby’s work.
are numerous and unavoidably current within the
He remains committed to the welfare of the prog-
lexicon of a world recession, global warming and
eny of the ancient rock engravers who still inhabit
the ubiquitous presence of economics-speak: credit
the region, most of them in abject poverty. The legacy
crunch, closed corporations, climate change, carbon
Slingby wishes to impart is to preserve and celebrate
copy, conspicuous consumption; continuity check,
an ancient art form in danger of extinction, as well
credit card, cubic capacity, critical condition...the
as to assist a community marginalised by the greed
list continues.”
of the multinational gem industry and the vagaries of apartheid racial politics – the residue of which
“And indeed Slingsby’s iconography, although
remain in the Richetersveld, ” says Friedman.
rooted in the petroglyphs produced by the ancient Nama, is utterly contemporary in its literal and semio-
Drawing on these inspirations Slingsby addresses
logical referencing. CC – Unlimited power, like his
critical issues that face all citizens of the world today.
previous exhibitions, evokes the sense both of an
Friedman says: “As a South African artist Slingsby
archaeological and burial site, where the residue
feels an overwhelming responsibility to understand
– bones, stones and skeletons – of an ancient com-
the geography, history and alchemy that informs
munity are constantly being unearthed. Simulta-
not only the art of the petroglyphs but all aspects
neously it serves as the locus for a convergence
of Nama culture – both material and spiritual. To
between the past present and future. The past is
Slingsby, magic still resides in the misshapen
evoked through Slingsby’s arduous documentation
sometimes makeshift relics of this ancient com-
of the Richtersveld’s neglected history in works
munity.”
such as Blind Rage at Rooiwal; the present through the grandiosity of 2010 soccer stadiums, as evoked
Slinsby says: “I have needed to take these discarded
through Conspicuous Consumption; and the future
masterpieces, to document them, sleep next to them
through his depiction of carbon footprint-free
and revisit their shamanistic sites.”
modes of transport and alternative energy sources in Give a dog a bone.”
In the process, Slingsby has acquired an intimate and extensive knowledge of the petroglyphs’ geomet-
”CC – Unlimited power is a huge show in scale
ric markings. Since the 1980s he has obsessively
and ambition, rendered in his characteristically
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Butter side up, 2008. Acrylic on canvas. 200 x 120 cm.
In ten minutes, 2008. Acrylic on canvas. 200 x 120 cm.
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Give a dog a bone, 2009. Acrylic on canvas. 205 x 167 cm.
psychedelic palette with meticulous detail to minutia. And it speaks as eloquently of a planet irreparably compromised by gluttonous consumption, as it does about an ancient community displaced and dissipated by multinational avarice and political indifference,” concludes Friedman. < Sources: Artist’s statement by Robert Slingsby and the exhibition catalogue, Of consumption and consequence by Hazel Friedman.
The Midas touch, part of the Official Art Poster Edition 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. 70 x 100 cm.
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ABOVE: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Sugar Cane Series), 2003. Chromogenic print. TOP RIGHT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Interiors Series), 1995 – 2005. Chromogenic print.
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By Suné Stassen
Storytelling is part of the African psyche and mode of existence. In this article we get a glimpse into the life and extraordinary work of acclaimed South African socio-historical photographer and fine artist of note, Zwelethu Mthethwa. His work has received critical international acclaim and his fine art portraiture is of substantial sociohistorical value.
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Having had a pretty normal childhood – spending his early life in KwaZulu Natal – Zwelethu Mthethwa started going to the movies every Saturday from the age of six. He recollects: “When I grew up, we didn’t have real cinemas. We had a hall. Our neighbour had a projector and he was the projectionist. The hall had very high windows and my dad had a very high ladder, so the neighbour would borrow the ladder from my dad every Saturday to block the windows so that light didn’t pour into the room.
Because of that I could go in and out for free, so that’s how it started.” This was about the same time that he also developed a fascination with comic books and illustration. Already projecting the characteristics of a young entrepreneur with an intense intrigue into the world of photography, he bought himself a Kodak Instamatic camera at the age of 12 and started taking portraits of people in the neighbourhood. He would later
Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Interiors Series), 1995 – 2005. Chromogenic print.
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sell these to the sitters for extra pocket money. At age 15, he was given a Yashica medium-format camera, which further fueled his desire to take more and more pictures.
In 1987, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and was fortunate to expand on his education while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States where he obtained a Masters in Imaging Arts.
He always aspired to study Fine Arts at the University of Cape Town (UCT) but the realities of South Africa in the 70s and 80s provided him with limited opportunities. With the apartheid
After his participation in the second Johannesburg Biennale, curated by Okwui Enwezor, he was invited to partake in many more biennales,
system in full force, Mthethwa needed special permission to attend UCT.
which firmly introduced Mthethwa to the world stage.
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CONTEXT Enwezor writes in his prologue of the monograph, Zwelethu Mthethwa (published by the Aperture Foundation, New York, 2010), that “South Africa’s often-told story is always framed by the experience of apartheid.” Mthethwa explains that “traces of apartheid are still surfacing in my work simply because democracy is a complex process with no definite endpoint, the real meaning of which is continually being negotiated between the past, the present and the
future. It’s impossible to eradicate the deepseated imbalances of the past within such a short space of time…our first democratic election was only in 1994.” Mthethwa gives us an interesting take on the history of South African photography, especially if one takes black and white photography and places it in the midst of apartheid where black people were the washed out subjects of their own dompas (permit/ID document). Mthethwa explains, “…the photographs were
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highly underexposed and they used strong flash bulbs that deleted all the details that we [blacks] have on our faces. You were just left with the nose, eyes and the mouth. And most of the eyes would be shut because of the strong light. So, those pictures were ethnographic in a sense because it was the only record that you had. You had to have a permit or ‘dompas’ to exist in a specific zone. This was your passport to the city, nothing more. For most, this was the only photo they would ever see of themselves and that was the nature of
black and white photography during the 70s and 80s.” Mthethwa believes that documentary photography at this time failed to give the subjects – specifically blacks – any kind of voice and humanity. Early photojournalists mostly used black and white photography as their preferred medium. They often depicted their sitters within the context of poverty and such photographs were frequently used for propaganda.
FAR LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Coal Miners Series), 2008. Chromogenic print. LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Sugar Cane Series), 2003. Chromogenic print.
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In hindsight, Mthethwa made a conscious decision to focus on colour photography as his preferred medium. He says, “It is so easy to make poverty beautiful. It is so easy to idealise things.” In certain situations black and white photography exaggerates the reality of an impoverished background. In anthropology this is traditionally the preferred medium which obviously also denies the sitter being placed in a modern context. Mthethwa believes that through the introduction of colour, one can justify the now and give
the subject matter worth within a contemporary context. For him, colour photography also adds a different aesthetic language because it provides a tactile quality and an emotional complexity. Another aspect that characterises Mthethwa’s work is scale. The typical format for documentary photography is 8x10 inches, yet he is known for his large-format photographs, some of which are about 6x4 feet and this poses a new challenge to the viewer. It is impossible to
ABOVE: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Common Ground Series), 2008. Chromogenic print. RIGHT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Interiors Series), 1995 – 2005. Chromogenic print.
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ignore the gaze of a subject at such a scale and Mthethwa therefore ensures that his subjects transform into more than just passive images. They become more interactive experiences with a definite two-way conversation between subject and viewer. The scale emphasises intimate details that cannot otherwise be observed in a book, for instance. On this large scale the image has to be mounted on a wall, which results in the viewer being physically pulled into the picture plane, moving backwards and forwards while engaging with the image.
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ENGAGEMENT Mthethwa always first asks permission before engaging in conversation with prospective sitters. He gives them the opportunity to suggest how they would like to be presented, which could include their dress, the setting and backdrop and even the pose. In some cases they choose their church uniforms while others choose their ‘Sunday best’. Some even ask Mthethwa to return a bit later so that they can have time to wash up before the photographs are taken. This is a very
engaging way to include the sitter in the creative process and, at the same time, give them a voice. One can thus suggest that Mthethwa’s work empowers his subjects and gives them a sense of ownership over their own images. He furthermore enhances their relationship through handing them countless photographs so that they can see how they are depicted. This develops a strong collaborative bond and trust between the subject and the photographer, resulting in
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the photographs portraying the sitter’s humility and story more than that of the photographer’s interpretation.
mining companies to ask permission to photograph their staff. Once he had been given permission, the relationship building became more of a reality because he wasn’t invading their pri-
Looking closely at Mthethwa’s photographic projects over the years, the settings become important semiotic references. He would choose locations that portray a vast variety of informal settings and follow the same process
vate space and was always accompanied by a
of engagement with stakeholders as he would engage with sitters. For instance, for the series
owners to explain his intentions before com-
he did of mineworkers, he first approached the
with the individuals unfolded.
LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Churches Series), 2006. Chromogenic print. ABOVE: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Interiors Series), 1995 – 2005. Chromogenic print.
mining representative. It was therefore seen as a more ‘official act’. With the series focusing on sugar cane labourers set in the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal, Mthethwa first met with the farm mencing with the project. Then the usual process
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PORTRAYING POVERTY Much of Mthethwa’s work focuses on the economically less-privileged echelons of society such as migrant labourers and the poor living in rural and informal urban settlements. On the point of ‘beautifying poverty’, Bronwyn LawViljoen’s review of Mthethwa’s 2004 exhibition, Sugar Cane Series at Jack Shainman in New York, provides an interesting look at the way that he negotiates these kinds of issues. “With this series Mthethwa interrupts work quite literally, taking up time. These men are caught in their working garb, between lines of sugarcane,
against the backdrop of the rolling hills of northern KwaZulu Natal. They had no time to negotiate appointments or to dress up for photographs.” “But Mthethwa tells me, this series also had very little to do with the dignity of the working class. Here is an interruption that is both spatial and conceptual, acquiesced to the photographer who has seen the barrier of cane against the landscape, and the man whose glowering expression cuts off any sentimental attachment to the natural environment,” says Law-Viljoen.
ABOVE: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Quartz Miners Series), 2008. Chromogenic print. RIGHT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Untitled (from the Sugar Cane Series), 2003. Chromogenic print.
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With the chosen title, Interrupting Mythologies, Mthethwa never shows us the sugarcane men at work. He purposely put a halt to the swing of the machete, almost to suggest a break in history and the mythologies of these rolling hills and harsh realities of the sugarcane fields. During the process Mthethwa was surprised to find that being a ‘black photographer’, and being from the same background of KwaZulu-Natal, did not put him on an equal playing field, and the men quickly made their class and economic differences evident, which quickly shifted the political and social grounds of the issues.
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NEW WORK: Is it our goal …? and other related issues In his most recent exhibition, Is it our goal …? and other related issues at CIRCA on Jellicoe, Johannesburg, which ran 3 to 30 Jun 2010, Mthethwa not only exhibited photographs but also a captivating collection of intimate pastel drawings. In her preamble to the exhibition’s catalogues, Alexandra Dodd quotes Chinua Achebe, a longtime supporter of Mthethwa’s work: “The great thing about being human is our ability to face
RIGHT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, The Family’s prized possession, 2009. Pastel on cotton paper. 107 x 210 cm. FAR RIGHT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Begging for more, 2010. Pastel on cotton paper. 107 x 156 cm.
adversity down by refusing to be defined by it, refusing to be no more than its agent or its victims ... I could have dwelt on the harsh humiliations of colonial rule or the more dramatic protests against it. But I am also fascinated by that middle ground … where the human spirit resists an abridgment of its humanity.” Achebe’s statement contextualises this exhibition by highlighting the acknowledgement that the artist takes the middle ground in engaging with complex socio-economic issues and the periphery of society by not idealising these – he remains objective rather than becoming a
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commentator. And that is exactly the essence of Mthethwa’s impressive oeuvre: he documents rather than critiques. His work provides an honest reflection of reality, which leaves viewers to interpret at their own peril and context, and the artist only being a mediator, rather than a dictator of interpretation.
songs which were weird to me; traditional songs I wasn’t really familiar with. They danced differently, they spoke a different dialect and they always travelled in a group, so the dogs would bark when they passed by, creating a spectacle. As kids we were drawn to that noise, so we’d go there and check them out. Even as a kid, I was attracted to that idea of ‘us and
Dodd writes in the exhibition’s catalogue that
them’. It’s the same thing with the culture at
as a young boy growing up in Umlazi on the undulating hilly outskirts of Durban, Mthethwa remembers: “guys coming from the hostels into the township. They looked very different; more traditional and rural…And they sang
the outskirts of the city today.” He continues: “People come looking for jobs mainly, but city people always look at them with suspicion and say they’re different to us.” Mthethwa remains drawn to outsider communities, fascinated by
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the dissonance between people’s damning preconceptions and the realities of life within these communities. “The assumption about people who live in informal settlements is that they are dirty, that there’s a large criminal element there, but when you get there, you find that people don’t match up to your initial suspicions. Once you step inside, their houses look spectacular – they might be poor, but that doesn’t mean that they are not house-proud. I try to focus on the elements that are positive. It’s about looking at poverty very carefully and trying to avoid making sweeping statements.”
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Dodd continues: “As an African documenting the world in which he is intensely absorbed, Mthethwa’s images are not about disorder, plague, collapse, war or desperation. Never ignoring the landscape and environment, he documents domestic life and the harsh realities of labour, keying into the rhythms of modern South African life and the lives of those in our neighbouring states connected to this country via the currents of labour and migrancy that flow across our increasingly fluid borders. His images of families, relationships and people interacting with their environments document both urban and rural realities, capturing a range of different aspects of life in South Africa.”
“His work addresses the economic and political realities of present-day South Africa in a manner that does not conceal the hardships of workingclass life, but also infuses one with a sense of the almost zany hopefulness of a new nation in a phase of rapid growth and metamorphosis. In this sense, his works militate against what curator Okwui Enwezor refers to as ‘Afropessimism’, grappling instead with the compelling immediacies of post-apartheid life in South Africa.”
FAR LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, MaDlamini out bound to the Meat Market, 2010. Pastel on cotton paper. 107 x 150 cm. TOP LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, The Couple in the Next Room, 2009. Pastel on cotton paper. 107 x 150 cm. LEFT: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Born Free, 2010. Pastel on cotton paper. 107 x 155 cm.
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FINAL WORDS Contemplating on contemporary photography in South Africa Mthethwa says: “The onus is on artists to be honest and to do their research thoroughly. To do the right thing would be to be sensitive and understand the context that our communities have developed from. This, I believe, is the case with any country in the world.” He concludes: “I see a fascinating relationship between Africa and the West, with similarities in terms of how new communities are formed and the relationship between the rural and the urban. Out of this, there are many stories that still need to be told to the world.” <
Zwelethu Mthethwa, Red Wall, 2009. Pastel on cotton paper. 108 x 180 cm.
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By Stacey Rowan
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Art, as a vehicle for the expression of emotions, senses and ideas, seeks to not only evoke discussion and debate, but also dialogue – dialogue between artworks and dialogue between artworks and viewers. At the Arnaldo Pomodoro & Edoardo Villa: A sculptural Dialogue exhibition, a dialogue initially develops on a surface level as a result of the many stylistic similarities and parallels which can be drawn between Pomodoro and Villa’s work, but the dialogue intensifies as the subtext is revealed and a ‘confrontation’ occurs when viewers approach the substantive core underlying these powerful and imposing structures. The NIROX Foundation in association with the Embassy of Italy and the SMAC Gallery presents this sculptural dialogue, which runs from 5 June to 31 July 2010 at the NIROX Sculpture Park in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, Gauteng. “Arnaldo Pomodoro and Edoardo Villa are two of Italy and South Africa’s most important living sculptors. The opportunity to showcase a limited selection of major sculptures by these artists on the occasion of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is significant,” says Baylon Sandri, curator. Both Italian born artists represent an era of Modernist and abstract sculpture, symbolic of rapid Post-War industrialisation. The sculptures of Pomodoro can be seen all over Milan and the same applies to Villa and his artworks in Johannesburg. “Their imposing steel and bronze sculptures have, unintentionally, become monuments to capitalism and industry, generally and within their current home towns. Ironically, the appropriation of their art as a physical manifestation of the industrial-capitalist ideal, contradicts the philosophy underpinning the work of both artists.” 84-year-old Arnaldo Pomodoro is known for his large bronze spheres (or spheres within spheres), treated and polished to have a distinctly gold appearance. “These globes are cracked-open or
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dissected to reveal a complex inner core or layers upon layers of cores. Pomodoro’s sculptures draw on Spatialist theories, where the artwork reveals real concepts of space and time. Therefore, despite its large physical weight and presence, the work is not constrained by the vessel in which it is contained – it is a gateway to worlds within worlds, to space and time. Pomodoro’s spheres are smooth, polished and perfect on the exterior, but beneath we find a myriad of shapes and machine-like components, intertwined and inter-dependent cogs, gears and toothed pulleys which grind, pound and wrench. The metaphorical significance of these sculptures can be analysed ad infinitum, but one aspect of these works should be glaringly apparent, namely: Pomodoro’s undisguised and scathing criticism of greed, capitalism, industrialisation, mechanisation and exploitation of the planet, among other issues.”
In Memory of JF Kennedy (1963-1964), a large sculpture on view at NIROX, was inspired by the trauma experienced first hand by Pomodoro, by the assassination of John F. Kennedy. This historic moment represents a violent tremor and an abrupt end to the elevated ideals and aspirations of his generation. Doppia Porta (1979) is another well-known work on view at NIROX. “It is a door with two sides standing in an open area representing portals to unseen space or dimensions, or in this context – as double-sided barriers to free space. These are two major and historically important sculptures, which were specifically selected by Arnaldo Pomodoro for this occasion,” says Sandri. With this exhibition being the first time that Pomodoro has ever exhibited in South Africa, this occasion is a rare opportunity for locals and international visitors alike, to view his masterpieces. Born in Italy and trained as a sculptor, 94-year-old Villa came to South Africa as a prisoner of war and has remained in his adopted country, where he still lives and works. According to Sandri, Villa’s arguably most important sculpture was produced in 1978, entitled
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Edoardo Villa, Untitled, 1990. Bronze. 116cm.
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Arnaldo Pomodoro, Untitled (left) and In Memory of JFK (right), 1963-64, Bronze.
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The Confrontation. “This large public sculpture marked a conscious stylistic change from the use of smooth, rounded, tubular shapes to an aggressive, jagged, coarse, rusted vertical assembly of figures. Here, Villa addressed head-on the anguish and tension which had become pervasive in South Africa during the late 1970s, with the exemplification by the Soweto riots of 1978. Villa’s Confrontation demonstrates how the raw material of steel can express deep-seated angst and distress and convey profound social and political messages. The medium becomes integral to the message, enhancing it and giving it dimension. Herein lies the impact of the sculptures by both artists, where the viewer is confronted by the raw power of emotion and meaning contained in these uncompromising, immovable vessels,” says Sandri. Pomodoro, through his previous regular visits to South Africa, has developed a genuine affinity with the country. Sandri continues: “He recognises South Africa’s role as an example of change and tolerance and therefore wishes to ‘leave his mark’ on South African soil, having considered this an important part of his legacy and philosophy. He chose his artworks for this occasion due to their universality but also their specific historical and political connection to the upheaval in the USA during the 1960s civil rights era and therefore their relevance and connection to South Africa. Pomodoro was introduced to the works of Villa, where he became fascinated by his story and his art. He had no hesitation to the idea of placing his work in conversation with that of Edoardo Villa and appreciated the complexities that such a dialogue would explore and unveil.” In 1964, Villa was exposed to the work of Pomodoro. The exact extent of Pomodoro’s influence, if any, on Villa, is difficult to gauge but during the late 50s and early 60s, Villa made a considerable effort to travel to Europe and counted numerous sculptors of this era, including Pomodoro, as having made an impact on him.
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“The use of metal as primary media in the construction of their art cannot be over-emphasised. Pomodoro’s highly reflective polished bronze surfaces have the appearance of gold. Villa’s choice of steel and bronze is not coincidental, but as a direct consequence of the abundant mineral and industrial resources of his adopted country. South Africa’s economic strength and development is driven by its rich mineral wealth. Mining is the lifeblood of the country and Johannesburg is the ‘City of Gold’. The origin of the source material is an integral element in the process of both artists and the impact of their sculptures inevitably depends and draws on the sheer weight and strength of the material used,” explains Sandri. The exhibition is located in the perfect setting: The Cradle of Humankind literally becomes a crib where these transformed, moulded steel and metal creations are returned to Mother Earth, to Africa – their origin. According to Sandri, the artists’ hard, cold and uncompromising symbols of the urban, concrete and steel environment, which man has created on the back of extracting the natural and mineral riches contained deep within the earth’s core, are transfixed, transplanted and displaced. They are returned to a place which represents the origins of our species. Being strongly influenced by Modernism, Abstraction and other Post-War movements, Villa spent his entire artistic career living and working in Africa. The strong African spirit contained in Villa’s work is undeniable. It is an intangible which makes his art so fascinating. This intangible energy enhances the ‘confrontation’ between Villa and Pomodoro. “In this relatively small and limited exhibition of a carefully selected body of work, we are literally overwhelmed by the genius of two great masters. The conversation engages on so many levels, that numerous visits will not suffice,” concludes Sandri. <
Views of the Everard Read Gallery’s A View from the South exhibition.
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Foreigners often view African through the tainted lenses of its colonial past, poverty, underdevelopment, civil strife, corruption, famine, disease and things negative. Yet, in June-July 2010 South Africa had an exceptional opportunity to change international perceptions when the country hosted the FIFA World Cup. In a grand display of contradiction, the country not only hosted one of the best ever organised World Cup events, but also utilised the opportunity to showcase the rich diversity and depth of creative talent that the continent has produced. One such showcase was the A View from the South exhibition, which ran from 3 to 30 June at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg. A View from the South contextualised the African experience through South African eyes. It was through
By Stacey Rowan
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these home-grown artist’s views of their South, that pessimistic international lenses and obscure outlooks were changed to view South Africa and Africa as it truly is today. According to Gina Mollé, curator, the chosen exhibition title, A View from the South, “…simply indicates the various artists’ outlooks on South Africa.” The exhibition boasted a collection of the finest South African art spanning many generations, old and contemporary, and a mixture of sculptures, paintings and prints. Some of the artists included old masters such as J.H. Pierneef, Anton van Wouw, Gegoire Boonzaire and contemporary artists such as John Meyer, Neil Rodger, Walter Meyer, Simon Stone, Leigh Voigt and Vusi Khumalo, among others. A common thread that bonded the exhibition’s theme was the artists’ deep connections with South Africa and the African soil, through which they displayed their unique stories and symbolic meanings.
RIGHT: Bruce Backhouse (1950–), Imaginary Karoo No 3. Oil on canvas. 76 x 76 cm.
RIGHT: Angus Taylor (1970–), Being, Thinking, 2010. Cast bronze and Belfast granite. 250 x 180 x 40 cm.
CENTRE: Neil Rodger (1941–), Yokohama Rooster. Oil on canvas, 90 x 90 cm.
CENTRE: Edoardo Villa (1915–), The Friends (Standing Figure XIII Yellow, Standing Figure XII Blue). Steel and paint, 238 x 50 x 55 cm.
FAR LEFT: Gregoire Johannes Boonzaier (1909–2005), Street Scene with Figures. Oil on canvas, 78 x 98 cm.
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RIGHT: Vusi Khumalo (1951–) Emkhumbane, 2007/2008, Mixed media on board. 200 x 210 cm,
RIGHT: Brian Bradshaw (1923–), Burnt Mountain, Namib. Oil on canvas. 90 x 150 cm.
CENTRE: Beezy Bailey (1962–), Clowns going to Church. Oil on canvas. 170 x 90 cm.
CENTRE: Keith Joubert (1948–), Bicornis. Oil on canvas. 43 x 63 cm.
LEFT: Velaphi Mzimba (1959–), Nomphumelelo, 2010. Acrylic on canvas. 125 x 125 cm.
LEFT: Anton van Wouw (1862–1945), The Bushman Hunter, 1902. Italian cast. 49 cm (height).
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Contemplating on her favourite artworks in the exhibition, Mollé says: “There are so many pieces that I just absolutely love. If I really had to choose, I would be severely torn between the Angus Taylor sculptures and the Phillimon Hlungwane etchings. I would also never say no to a top Pierneef.” Much of the exhibition’s artworks portray the message that South African art is alive with talent today. “There are artists doing incredible and interesting things. Even though the contemporary art scene is so exciting, we also exhibit some historical work to represent what the art in this country has evolved from,” said Mollé. Another aspect that characterised this collection was its significance. According to Mollé, the curators selected artists whom they thought were important to showcase and signify the variety of different work that has emerged in South Africa over the years. “We truly attempted to give an overall impression of what has been done in South Africa, and what is in the process of happening now.” Looking closely at the different artworks included in the exhibition, it is evident that no one particular theme dominanted the collection. The South African context in which the pieces were embedded, together with the individual African stories that they tell, became more important than their themed references.
LEFT: Neil Rodger (1941–), Seated woman looking at the sea. Oil on canvas. 90 x 90 cm. LEFT: Sipho Ndlovu (1968–), Pulling Slash II. Oil on canvas, 78 x 118 cm. RIGHT: Phillimon Hlungwane (1975–), Kuverenga Himatimba Swahakerisa II, 2009. Etching 2/20. 88 x 121 cm. RIGHT: Simon Stone (1952–), Leeu Gamka. Oil on canvas. 117 x 92 cm.
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“There is no central theme aside from the fact that all the artists are South African. There are a variety of different artworks which show the diversity and multiplicity of styles, themes and mediums in which South Africans work” said Mollé. The Everard Read Gallery took an innovative approach to its education program for the exhibition and Mollé says that “We have sent invitations for the exhibition to many schools and we usually get a very enthusiastic response yielding troops of art classes marching through with great fever. The response to this exhibition was overwhelming and we saw hoards of local and international visitors attending.” <
John Meyer (1942–) Voices on The Wind (detail), 2009 Mixed media on canvas, 170 x 230 cm
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“The forgotten never simply disappears but eternally returns to haunt the present and disrupt presence.” – Mark
LEFT: Francois Jonker, Cains Conquest. RIGHT: Carla Crafford, Combo A$.
k C Taylor, Disfiguring: Art, architecture, religion. 1992.
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On two different occasions in 2009, art-
while living and working in a world me-
ists Carla Crafford and Francois Jonker had
tropolis, known for its cultural richness,
the opportunity to travel to Paris for two-
and to experience the cultures of, and inter-
month-long sojourns at the Cité Interna-
act with artists from all over the world.
tionale des Arts. Both stayed at what is known as Atelier 1731. Their experiences
With the Atelier 1731 exhibition, Crafford
resulted in a collaborative exhibition titled
and Jonker share with viewers the mem-
Atelier 1731, which is running at the UP
ories of their individual sojourns, con-
Visual Arts Incubator based at the Van
sidering also what preceded and ensued
Wouw House, Pretoria.
from their diverse and common experiences. Crafford and Jonker come from very
The Cité Internationale des Arts is intend-
different generations: Crafford completed
ed to provide a sojourn of limited duration
her Fine Arts studies more than 30 years
to professional artists who wish to develop
ago while Jonker graduated in 2009.
their artistic skills in France. The site, located at 18 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, in-
Crafford works mostly with photography
cludes 270 atelier apartments in the
and particularly with other artists and
heart of the Marais district, which is a
visual re-interpretations of their artwork
dynamic quarter of the city swarming with
as her inspiration. While photographs are
art galleries and a favourite destination
often considered as visual documents of
for Parisians and foreign visitors. Since its
places, people and objects of a particular
opening in 1965, the Cité Internationale
time, Crafford prefers to see photographs
des Arts has accommodated more than
as artworks in their own right.
18 000 artists from all over the world. For a long time she has been grappling In the early 1980s, the South African Nation-
with the question: Is this or that picture
al Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA)
an example of ‘visual documentation’ or
acquired three atelier apartments. These
are they ‘artworks’ in their own right?
assets are held in trust in terms of an
She ponders that the difference cannot
Occupational Rights Agreement by the
always be determined with clarity, but in
SANAVA Cité des Arts Trust, valid until
her own work, she relies primarily on the
22 March 2060. According to SANAVA,
intention of the artist/photographer. It
the apartments create golden opportu-
thus becomes a two-way collaboration.
nities for those who had already shown proof of their artistic merit to spend
Crafford says: “What is clear though, is
some time in Paris, to enrich their lives
that any sighted person has personal
TOP LEFT: Carla Crafford, Dubbel Diane Kleur. BOTTOM LEFT: Carla Crafford, Victor Kleur. TOP RIGHT: Carla Crafford, Artist’s work and tools. BOTTOM RIGHT: Carla Crafford, For the sake of art.
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LEFT: Carla Crafford, Cité Danse. TOP RIGHT: Carla Crafford, Mystére dans les jardins de Versailes. CENTRE RIGHT: Carla Crafford, Curt Vosges. BOTTOM RIGHT: Carla Crafford, Cité Neighbors.
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visual memories. Yet, those memories
no longer be recallable once a tangible
fade with time – almost as if the mind
photograph exists,” explains Crafford.
itself interferes with them, to become a pollutant of our ‘seen recollections’. So,
“After 30 of years of practicing my art I
one’s visual memory disintegrates, mak-
am less concerned about the purity of
ing it difficult to recall events and appear-
technique and more interested in the
ances. More often than not, photographs
aesthetics of the end result. Therefore I
are looked at as aide-mémoires: Those
‘cheat’ a lot.” With ‘cheating’, Crafford
images that make us travel back a little,
alludes to her various techniques of ma-
so that we can better recall what we may
nipulating images in her photographic
have forgotten.”
darkroom as well as recomposing images in collages as shown in the Atelier
“Similarly clear is that no person other
1731 exhibition.
than the photographer will have the same reaction to an image as the photographer
DESIGN>ART interviewed Crafford one
had when the scene had been captured in
day before the opening of the exhibition
the first instance; then perhaps re-worked
when she was still calmly working on
and shown in a specific collection or cir-
some of the artworks. This was not a
cumstance. Still, for any artist to put work
last-minute rush to complete works for
on exhibition, one assumes that the artist
the opening, but rather part of the theme
wishes to make his or her recollection
and process that brought about Atelier
known to some extent.”
1731.
“Whereas it is possible to photograph
This exhibition is an installation of mem-
one’s head, pointing the camera to one’s
ories and therefore a work in progress. The
mind to photograph a memory or mental
theme and space required her to continue
image is out of the question. The camera’s
the story of how Atelier 1731 influenced her
functions are limited to what is visible
life and artistic work and it was there-
– it cannot think, feel or make any judge-
fore natural for Crafford to add a few
ment. On the other hand, it is almost im-
current thoughts.
possible to give shape or substance to a mental image – especially one that does
Jonker’s contribution to Atelier 1731
not exist in the otherwise visible world. In
consists of two distinct parts. Firstly he
fact, should one imagine a previously
exhibits works from Testaments and
unseen image, then set up that scene to
monuments, a body of works produced
be photographed, the mental image will
in 2009 after his return from the Cité des
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Arts International. The second component (which actually precedes the first) is a series of prints from his personal diaries. These diaries, comprising mostly of images, give viewer an introduction to Jonker’s thought and work processes. He works with digital media and physical performance. He completed his BA (Visual Communications) in 2008 and a BA (Fine Arts) in 2009, which allows him to cross the barriers of art and design. Jonker delves into the subject of history with the Testaments and monuments series. These works aim to function as re-writings of his personal cultural history as a white Afrikaner raised within a Calvinistic heritage. The works are also inspired by Michel Foucault’s interpretation of history. For Foucault, history proves to be much more than a stable point of origin from which one emerges. On the contrary, history seems to supersede its function of describing the past, by always already actively inscribing the present. History thus becomes a process of archaeology in which one digs into the fabric of history with the aid of contemporary tools – yet those tools are always already a result of – or testament to – history. Jonker also quotes R. Bubner who says ject attempts to identify. Yet, that surface Francois Jonker, Testaments and Monuments, 2009.
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Francois Jonker, Cains Conquest, 2009.
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Francois Jonker, Still Waiting.
Still Waiting, Installation view.
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proves alienating even though it is projected by the subject itself, guided by his/her own present ideological framework. This sense of alienation, as well as the feeling of loss and even guilt, becomes central to how Jonker ‘re-writes’ history in an attempt to uncover his cultural subjectivity through the performance, documentation and editing of his history. <
COLLECTIONS South African art (particularly that of the Eastern Cape), British art, international printmaking, Oriental art (including Indian miniatures and Chinese textiles).
EXHIBITIONS Showcasing artworks from the permanent collections, supplemented by an active programme of temporary exhibitions.
EDUCATION AND OTHER SERVICES Guided tours, lectures, films, workshops, research library, souvenir shop.
1 Park Drive, Port Elizabeth, 6001, South Africa Telephone: +27 (0)41 5062000 Fax: +27 (0)41 5863234 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.artmuseum.co.za
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Everard Read leaps into the future with Circa on Jellicoe By Bev Hermanson
It’s a Saturday morning and the residents of Rosebank, one of Johannesburg’s elite northern suburbs, are flocking to the art precinct on the corner of Jellicoe and Jan Smuts Avenues to enjoy a coffee, browse through the book store and view the artworks on display. This is the vision of Mark Read of the Everard Read Gallery, whose brief to Pierre Swanepoel of StudioMAS architecture & urban design was to create a multifunctional space on what once was a narrow parking lot.
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The Circa building commands the corner while the Everard Read Gallery forms a demure backdrop. A walkway connects the Circa building with the fire escape.
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The Everard Read Gallery, Southern Africa’s most famous commercial art gallery was established in the young mining town of Johannesburg in 1912. Over the years the gallery has grown in size and sophistication with the emergence of Johannesburg as Africa’s business and financial capital. Everard Read has become synonymous with the finest art emanating from Southern Africa. Many of this region’s most celebrated painters, print-makers and sculptors, both traditional artists of the past and emerging talent, exhibit with Everard Read. The gallery has also become the agent for eminent artists from elsewhere in the world. In 1980, the Read family chose to relocate the gallery from downtown Johannesburg to Jellicoe Avenue in Rosebank, where a domestic residence was converted into a flowing, bright viewing space for various artworks and artifacts. Then in the later 80s, the Reads purchased the property facing Jan Smuts Avenue, across the road from the gallery. For the next 15 years the land was utilised as parking for the gallery, however, during this interval, the seed was sown to do something more meaningful with the site. Mark Read set about finding an architect that could share his vision and eventually settled on the award winning practice of StudioMAS. He briefed Pierre Swanepoel, the senior partner, to come up with a concept that would become a dynamic multi-functional building that would complement the existing gallery. “It was very challenging to conceptualise a building that would take best advantage of what was essentially a
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The concrete stairs which encircles the central structure.
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long narrow utility area. We came up with a triple storey building that is an elliptical shape, transparent, yet self-contained,” says Swanepoel. Known as Circa, which means ‘thereabouts’ or ‘approximately at that time’, the new building occupies the north western corner of the Rosebank precinct. It is within walking distance of the various malls, the Rosebank craft market, banks and the many hotels and restaurants in the district. With the building of a Gautrain station in the suburb, it is expected that this area will become a vibrant node and an attractive destination for visitors and residents of Gauteng to frequent. “Mark had initially wanted to extend the gallery across the street, but as the project unfolded he decided to leave the existing gallery as it was, merely paving the road between the two sites to create more of an ‘art in the street’ atmosphere,” Swanepoel continues. “The new building is a very theatrical space that has been split into three levels with a circular staircase that ascends around the perimeter. It’s a place where people can meet and interact in a highly inspirational environment.” “It was extremely difficult to piece the building together to achieve the elliptical shape,” says Swanepoel. Much of the structure had to be constructed virtually ‘by hand’ to achieve the uniformity desired. The central structure is made from concrete, which is encircled by gradually sloping concrete stairs. To ensure a level of privacy, this was then clad with aluminium fins that allow natural light to filter in during the day and artificial light to splash on to the surrounding pavement area at night. “The fins resemble the structures used for a Zulu kraal, shielding the interiors from the bright African sun.” The structure was conceptualised to become an integral part of the public spaces with a coffee shop and book store that will spill out on to the paving. The streetscape lends itself to the showing
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The top level lounge, known as the Darwin Room, designed by Christine Read.
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of large sculptures and two large glass sliding doors are the perfect answer to the need for security, while offering transparency and a feeling of openness to the space. The ingenuity of the design has given this landmark a triple storey structure with a top level lounge and deck that takes in 270 degree views clear across to Northcliff Hill. The lounge, designed by Christine Read, and adjoining kitchen area is large enough to cater comfortably for gatherings of 50 or so people and the west facing deck is perfect for sundowners. The first floor, covering around 177m2 is a multipurpose exhibition space with seven movable screens that can be dropped through the floor to the level below should the need arise for more exhibition space on the ground floor. Named Speke, after John Speke, the pioneer who sought the source of the Nile, this ground floor space is ideal for displaying treasures of contemporary art and artefacts, all things passionately collected by Mark and Christine from Africa and around the world. The top level, known as the Darwin Room, is linked to a fire escape via a walkway. This metal structure will eventually be covered by a vertical garden, allowing visitors the experience of descending through a green world of foliage, should they wish to do so. In addition to displays of artworks and crafts, Circa will be used for a variety of cultural events that will encourage gallery supporters to rethink the definitions
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of art and other cultural pursuits. “One can say that Circa is a small building with a big attitude,” says Swanepoel. “One that is inspired by a new world economy, where commercial gain is tempered by a concern for urban and natural environments.” <
The top level deck that takes in 270 degree views clear across to Northcliff Hill.
Circa’s multipurpose exhibition space.
We are delighted to announce that Everard Read is now officially
Deborah Bell’s primary dealer
Deborah Bell (1957–) Inflame 2008 and 2009 mixed media on paper 116 x 156 cm
CIRCA on Jellicoe will be hosting an exhibition of her latest work in November 2010
Tel: + 27 11 788 4805
6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg Fax: + 27 11 788 5914 Email:
[email protected]
www.everard-read.co.za
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Standard Bank’s long-term, sustained support and promotion of the arts role has been extensive and wide-ranging, and has enhanced its image as a South African institution that nurtures cultural development.
Makonde, Lipiko (Helmet Mask), undated. Wood, pigment, hair. 22 x 24 x 17 cm. Mozambique. Standard Bank Collection of African Art, Wits Art Museum.
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THE STANDARD BANK GALLERY The Standard Bank Gallery is an exciting and sophisticated exhibition space situated in the heart of downtown Johannesburg. Opened in 1990 and extensively refurbished in 2004, it is recognised as a world-class facility, one of the few non-commercial public venues for major exhibitions, and it has earned a reputation as one of the country’s foremost fine art venues. The Standard Bank Gallery has made its mark on Johannesburg – and the national art scene – with its skilful mix of highly relevant exhibitions. Shows such as Alexis Preller: Africa, the sun and shadows in 2009, Judith Mason: A Prospect of Icons in 2008, Willem Boshoff: Word Forms and Language Shapes in 2007, Karel Nel: Lost Light also in 2007, Gerard Sekoto: From the Paris Studio in 2006, Irma Stern: Expressions of a Journey in 2003 and Johannes Phokela: I like my neighbours in 2009 have created opportunities to reassess and review the work of established South African artists. Exhibitions such as Santu Mofokeng: Invoice in 2006 and Skin to Skin in 2008 have given viewers a unique insight into the artists’ reflections on South African society. Exhibitions by award-winning Standard Bank Young Artists, Nontsikelelo Veleko: Wonderland in 2009, Pieter Hugo: Messina/Musina in 2008 and Churchill Madikida: Like Father Like Son? in 2007 have demonstrated Standard Bank’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming young artists, while Picasso and Africa in 2006 and the Magical Universe of Joan MirÛ in 2002 brought the work of international luminaries
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The Standard Bank Gallery, established in 1990, is a world-class, non-commercial exhibition space situated in the heart of downtown Johannesburg.
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to South Africa. Furthermore, the groundbreaking exhibition, Marlene Dumas: Intimate Relations, was widely celebrated in 2007 as a ‘homecoming’ exhibition, the first solo show of this internationally acclaimed artist in the land of her birth. The Standard Bank Gallery serves a fundamental educational role in the Standard Bank Group’s operational strategy as a leading supporter of the arts. In addition the hosting of seminal exhibitions, the Standard Bank Gallery produces publications, educational materials, regular talks by resident artists, guided tours and workshops for all ages. Furthermore, the gallery regularly hosts lunch-hour concerts and recitals for Standard Bank staff and the general public, which play a critical role in facilitating the continued development and protection of South African culture.
STANDARD BANK YOUNG ARTIST AWARDS Marlene Dumas interacting with the press at the media preview for Intimate Relations at the Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg. Marlene Dumas, Fog of war, 1996. Ink on paper. 45 x 35 cm. Standard Bank Corporate Collection).
Last year, 2009, marked the 25th anniversary of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards. Established by the National Arts Festival (NAF) in 1981 and taken over by Standard Bank in 1984, these awards, in the disciplines of Dance, Visual Art, Drama, Film, Music and Jazz, are granted to young South Africans who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their field, but have not yet achieved national exposure and acclaim. One vital aspect of the award, which makes it different from others in the country, is that Standard Bank, where possible, endeavours to provide visual artists
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with a platform after winning the award. In the Visual Arts, winning artists are supported through a sponsored travelling exhibition to all the main centres in the country. Launched on the main programme at the NAF, this exhibition affords them national exposure. The bank also purchases an artwork from this exhibition for the Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection which is on display at its corporate head office and other provincial offices around the country. In sponsoring, unearthing and contributing to the development of young artists over the past 25 years, Standard Bank has made an enormous contribution to South Africa’s cultural wealth. Not only has it nurtured creative talent and propelled the careers of artists, it has also created role models for other aspiring artists and forged a rich cultural legacy.
THE STANDARD BANK AFRICAN ART COLLECTION The Standard Bank African Art Collection, developed in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, demonstrates Standard Bank’s longstanding commitment to the conservation of African cultural heritage. Established in 1978 with the aim of acquiring, maintaining, preserving and exhibiting a collection of African art forms, the collection is a unique collaboration between business and academe. This collection is of historical significance for the insight it offers into development in Africa’s culture. It
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Karel Nel, Stele, 2004. Red ochre with sprayed pigment on bonded fibre fabric. 220 x 50 cm. Karel Nel, On Earth, 2004. Yellow, red and brown ochre with sprayed pigment on bonded fibre fabric. 220 x 50 cm. Tsonga-Shangane, South Africa, Nhunguvana (Medicine gourd). Wood, beads, basket, metal, string 18 x 15.5 x 15.5 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). BOTTOM: Judith Mason, She-wolf, 1965. Oil on hardboard. Iziko South African National Gallery.
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Churchill Madikida, Virus 5, 2005. Lambda print. 72 x 99 cm. Standard Bank Corporate Collection.
Pieter Hugo, Pieter and Maryna Vermeulen with Timana Phosiwa. Musina, South Africa, 2006. C-print.
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includes pieces from all over Africa, but an emphasis on local art has helped to stem the flow of valuable artworks out of the country. The collection includes wood figurines, drums, masks, clothing and ritual objects as well as specialist areas such as beadwork, textiles and valuable ceramic pieces. In its 30+ years of existence, the African Art Collection has been widely used as an important research and teaching resource, providing actual examples of objects for students of Art History, Fine Art and a range of interdisciplinary subjects to study. As such, it is not only a major cultural resource which attempts to address some of the imbalances of cultural conservation in South Africa, it is also a major teaching resource, a stimulus for further research, an inspiration for aspiring artists and a legacy for the nation.
THE STANDARD BANK CORPORATE ART COLLECTION Formed over the last four decades, the Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection is a testament to the vision of its creators and the changes in attitudes by which it has been shaped: shifts in corporate culture, the visual art sector and the broader South African social and historical context. One of the oldest and most comprehensive of the South African corporate collections, it consists of more than 1000 works of art, housed mainly in the Standard Bank Centre and the Standard Bank Global Leadership Nontsikelelo Veleko, Screamblacklips, 2006. Pigment print on cotton rag paper. 40 x 30cm. Goodman Gallery Cape.
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Centre in Johannesburg. Components can also be found in other venues, such as Standard Bank offices in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Pretoria, London and New York. There is a strong pictorial focus in the collection, which includes artworks in diverse media by over 250 different South African artists. Significant artworks of local subjects by non-South African artists, such as the pioneer explorers during the colonial years, are also included. The collection spans more than 250 years, dating from 1755 to the present, with the majority of the works being from the last 50 years. The recently launched Signature Pieces, a catalogue edited by Julia Charlton of the Wits Arts Galleries, gives an insight into the collection, reflecting its growth and development. The high quality images provide readers with a sense of the scope of the collection, and the essays by specialists on particular aspects of the art offer additional insight. A chapter is also dedicated to the artists’ voices, and 12 invited artists discuss an aspect of their works in the collection, offering valuable perspectives on their sources, thought processes, methods or intentions. Contributions have been made by Willem Boshoff, Alan Crump, Bronwen Findlay, Robert Hodgins, Churchill Madikida, Colbert Mashile, Kagiso Pat Mautloa, Karel Nel, Sam Nhlengethwa, Doreen Southwood, Minnette Vári and Andrew Verster.
STANDARD BANK – LEAVING A LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE TOP: Irma Stern, Gardenias, 1940. Oil on canvas. 60 x 49 cm. Standard Bank Corporate Collection. ABOVE: Alexis Preller, Still life with gourds, 1953. Mixed media. 61 x 47 cm. Standard Bank Corporate Collection.
Standard Bank’s sponsorship of the arts goes beyond marketing, demonstrating the institution’s commitment to the development, promotion and conservation of South African arts, culture and heritage; its lasting legacy is a gift to the nation. <
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Johannes Phokela, The bean feast, undated. Oil on canvas. 168 x 198 cm. Standard Bank Corporate Collection.
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The Unisa Art Gallery is the contemporary gallery of the University of South Africa featuring established and emerging South African and African artists working in different media including painting, ceramics, photography, multi-media and sculpture. The Art Gallery is situated in Pretoria, at the University of South Africa Main Campus, Theo Van Wijk Building, B-Block, 5th Floor. Prof. Karin Skawran established the Unisa art collection in 1961. The Unisa Art Gallery was accommodated in the former Unisa Library in 1988 with the appointment of the first art curator. Since then the gallery has grown to be one of the most significant exhibition spaces in South Africa and is privileged to be in possession of a hugely relevant collection of predominantly contemporary South African art. This year marks a very significant point in the development of the Unisa Art Gallery, as the Unisa permanent art collection is moving into its first state of the art exhibition space and storage facility. These facilities can be found at the entrance of the Unisa main campus in Pretoria.
Gerard Sekoto, Four figures at a table. Oil on board.
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Nandipha Mntambo, LeLive Lami, 2006. Cow hide, cow tails, waxed chord, polyester resin & fiberglass. Alexis Preller, Still life, 1946. Oil on board. Cecil Skotnes, Untitled – 13/100, 1972. Woodcut. Maud Sumner, The garden party. Oil on canvas. Maggie Laubser, Landscape with pink house. Oil on board. Judith Mason, PANEL 2 (Triptych) Sandwich Board Man. Oil on canvas.
With its new curator, Bongani Mkhonza, the Unisa Art Gallery and the permanent collection will be moving into the new art gallery space which claims to be the biggest in Pretoria. The Unisa Art Gallery as a valuable cultural asset, aims at national and international relevance by promoting the culturally diverse manifestations of the visual arts. Within the spirit of academic excellence and
cultural relevance, the Unisa Art Gallery strives to collect, document and conserve primarily South African art. Exhibitions expose and focus on diverse and relevant aspects in the arts. These include regular exhibitions of the Unisa Art Collection, as well as
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exhibitions curated by the Unisa Art Gallery considering current research of historical, cultural and educational value, as well as significant travelling exhibitions curated by other institutions. Student exhibitions, community outreach exhibitions and international exhibitions also provide the opportunity for endless creative and intellectual stimulation. Opening events, presentations and walkabouts are arranged in order to engage with exhibitions and to provide a platform for interaction.
The Unisa Art Gallery is one of the most significant exhibition spaces in South Africa. The collection encapsulates the richness of our social fabric and
the creative potential of South African artists. Unisa’s permanent collection acquisition team has consistently been collecting historical and contemporary artists that are pushing the boundaries of creativity in South Africa. In terms of historical artists, the collection boasts artists like Cecil Skotnes, Durant Sihlali, Maud Sumner, Gerarld Sekoto, Alexis Preller and Maggie Laubser. It is crucial not to portray these historical artists and their contribution in a cosmos perception but to bring to light their interrelationships as workers, parents, educators and human beings. If you trace their histories most of these artists (through their careers) have crossed paths; worked together or even creatively influencing one another. Examples
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include Cecil Skotnes, who made a remarkable contribution to the art history of South Africa between the 50s and the 60s when he worked as a Cultural Officer at the Johannesburg City Council’s Polly Street. Polly Street offered adult education for black people at that time. Durant Sihlali, one of the students at Polly Street, was taught by Skotnes and was amongst the artists that started the trend called ‘township art’. Maud Sumner was born in Johannesburg of British immigrant parents from Warwickshire. She was educated at home and later attended Roedean High School for Girls in Johannesburg where she took art lessons from A.E. Gyngell, the curator of the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 1913. Sumner’s later work departed from the late-Impressionist style of the Nabi movement and became more intellectual.
Gerald Sekoto befriended artists Alexis Preller, with whom he exchanged a lot of ideas and Preller taught Sekoto to work in oil. Within a short time Sekoto started exhibiting his work and had built up a reputation in the Johannesburg art scene. However, Sekoto was unhappy in the racial and claustrophobic work environment in Johannesburg. In 1942 he decided to leave Johannesburg for District Six in Cape Town before he went abroad in exile. The contemporary collection includes works by artists such as Lawrence Lemaoana, Nandipha Mntambo, Lyndi Sales, Gwen Miller, Steven Cohen and many more. <
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Lawrence Lemaoana, Players of colour, 2006. Fabric. Gwen Miller, Earth Skin, 2000. Vilene, wax, oil paint, charcoal, plastic hair. Steven Cohen, Let the voice of the youth be heard, 1993. Hand Painted Chair.
Contact the gallery: Curator: Bongani Mkhonza, Tel: (012) 429 6255, Email:
[email protected] Administrator: Magda Botha, Tel: (012) 429 6823, Email:
[email protected]
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The North-West University (NWU) is a multi-campus university with a footprint spanning two provinces. The Mafikeng and Potchefstroom Campuses are situated in the North-West province and the Vaal Triangle Campus is in Gauteng. The NWU came into being on 1 January 2004 through the merger of two universities with very different histories, personalities and cultures – the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and the University of the North-West. The staff and students of the Sebokeng Campus of the former Vista University were also incorporated, adding further to the richness of the new institution’s heritage. Today, the NWU is recognised as one of the bestmanaged and most innovative universities in South Africa. As conveyed in its pay-off line, ‘Innovation through diversity’, the institution continues to celebrate and encourage multiculturalism, multilingualism and multinationalism.
Creativity Centre exhibition
Support of the arts forms part of the balanced approach of the NWU, realised through involvement in various initiatives. National arts projects are part of the social calendar and cultural groups span choir, dance and drama. On the academic side, the Graphic Design course has been
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named as one of the best in the country. Participation in – and celebration of – creative excellence in all forms, is at the heart of the NWU.
THE NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY ART COLLECTION The NWU boasts an extensive art collection that began in 1972 when some of the 66 artists that participated in the institution’s first exhibition donated works. Over the years the collection expanded in an environment that nurtured development of the arts. It currently consists of three, previously separated, collections: those of the old PUK, POK and the Ferdinand-Postma Library, with the addition of works acquired more recently by the Institutional Office. Works by Maggie Laubser, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, Judith Mason, George Boys, Robert Hodgins, JH Pierneef and Christo Coetzee are revered, with an appreciation for both contemporary artists and the old masters. Two galleries at the Potchefstroom Campus regularly exhibit South African art and provide different but equally worthwhile experiences. The Main Gallery, with its large exhibition space and storage facilities, is often the hub of the local art scene, enjoying an evening out at a new exhibition or a contemplative retreat during the working day. The newer venue at the NWU Botanical Garden provides a unique setting in which to enjoy a combined visual feast of nature and art. Having adopted the modified C1 building in Potchefstroom, formally known as the old POK library, the Institutional Office now houses contemporary works by Peter Eastman, Philemon Hlungwani, Stompie Selibe, Hanneke Benade, Sam Nhlengethwa, Claudette Schreuders and
Diane Victor, amongst others. Completion of the interior design of the Institutional Office forms part of the brand roll-out for 2010 and the art is offset by contemporary furniture and the restful presence of some greenery. Typographic design, signage and finishing touches will aim to supplement the existing environmental design and will hopefully provide an interesting and productive atmosphere for those working in or visiting the building. In 2009, sculptor Marco Cianfanelli was commissioned to produce a work for the Institutional Office, inspired by the NWU’s vision and values. As a result, an innovative spirit is reflected in the theme, ‘unity through diversity’. The sculpture is also a manifestation of actual geographic data of the North West province and the Vaal Triangle in Gauteng, which translates into the 76 steel sculpture profiles, of which the relief echoes the topography of the region. These profiles exhibit words pertinent to the NWU culture, in a multilingual celebration of Afrikaans, English and Setswana. The arrangement of the sculpture profiles is suggestive of embrace and connectivity, creating a form that is iconic yet not monolithic. The restored bronze statue of Totius, the name signifying the pen-name of Jakob Daniël du Toit, is an icon of profound importance to the NWU’s community, past and present. The statue has found a proud new home on the Potchefstroom campus after receiving approval in 2009 from the Town Council. Approval was granted for the wellknown writer and poet’s statue to receive a place of honour in the intended Writers’ Garden, which forms part of the campus’ initiative to honour the great writers and poets of North West, including Sol Plaatje and Herman Charles Bosman. The first of the Potchefstroom poets to be honoured
BOTTOM RIGHT: Claudette Schreuders, Public Figure.
BOTTOM LEFT: Peter Eastman, City.
LEFT: Philemon Hlungwani. Etching.
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BOTTOM RIGHT: Sophia Strydom, MK Bruce Lee poster.
BOTTOM LEFT: Emaria Gouws, MOT Gutenburg poster.
RIGHT: Sophia Strydom, MK Bruce Lee poster.
Design projects by 4th year. Graphic Design students.
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was TT Cloete, where his poems were recited earlier this year during a special occasion in the NWU Botanical Garden. Copper plates bearing extracts from his poems were then unveiled in the garden. Work on Sol Plaatje’s statue by Jo Roos is also progressing and will soon find its special place in the Writers’ Garden.
THE RENDEZVOUS ART PROJECT The NWU has been involved in the Rendezvous art project since its inception in 2007. Initiated to develop links between business, educational institutions and the arts, this non-profit organisation supports community projects and artist development on various levels. The first project was Rendezvous Focus Sculpture, which raised funds for some grade 12 students from Alexandra, enabling their application for tertiary education. The following project, Rendezvous Focus Wearable Art, raised funds for a bursary at the NWU in the faculty of humanities. The current project, Rendezvous Focus Original Lithography, consists of a series of travelling exhibitions at various venues throughout South Africa. This project aims to forge cultural links between South Africa and France through exhibitions. The French component of these exhibitions is a collection of lithographic prints from the Ateliers Pons in Paris and South African artists working in the medium of lithography. The project will give eight South African artists the opportunity to travel to Paris and to be part of a workshop on lithography at the Atelier Pons.
THE AARDKLOP NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL The NWU is one of the main sponsor’s of the Aardklop National Art Festival, which seeks to create the opportunity for upcoming talent to perform with established artists. The NWU plays host to some of the exhibitions on the visual arts program. Over the past 12 years, the festival has highlighted nationally and internationally renowned artists through the Festival Artist programme at the NWU’s Main Gallery. Past guest artists include Kevin Brand, Deborah Bell, Judith Mason-Attwood, Berni Searle, Louis van Rensburg, Jan van der Merwe, Robert Hodgins, Marco Cianfanelli, Willem Boshoff, Nicholas Hlobo, Diane Victor and Conrad Botes. In 2010, the festival artist is Angus Taylor. The Botanical Garden Gallery exhibits artists that focus on environmental work or environmentallyconscious works, such as Strijdom van der Merwe’s works in 2009. The Creative Quotient Festival (CQ-Fest) is held annually in conjunction with Aardklop and the Graphic Design subject group. It showcases the best of the advertising and design industries and includes the Cannes Lions and The Loerie Award road shows as well as student work from various design education institutions.
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ARTÉMA Artéma, the first institute of its kind in South Africa, is the Institute for Arts Management and Development at NWU, Potchefstroom campus. The Institute was established in December 2003 and focuses on the empowerment and training of people involved on the management and organisation of the arts environment and related disciplines. It serves the arts in collaboration with as many role players as possible by training managers and administrators in the arts through a variety of university-accredited courses. It conducts practical research within the arts environment and presents development projects in the field of arts management on all levels. Additionally, a state-of-art recording studio was also launched in recent years, making facilities available to talented musicians.
result, the department partners with the Student Council’s Culture division. Student concert groups form part of the stable of Puk Arts, providing wonderful opportunity for expression.
FACILITIES The NWU offers students, staff and the public with a wide range of facilities that supports cultural development and arts appreciation. Performances and concerts of all kind take place at the Sanlam Auditorium or the Cachet ‘Kleinteater’. Practice sessions, rehearsels, courses, administrative actitivies and smaller events are staged at various other venues, including the historic Totius hall, the Heimat hall, Uitspan building, Education Sciences hall, offices, amongst others. For mass gatherings, the Amphitheatre, now sporting a roof, suffices, and the Conservatorium, known for its excellent acoustics, is used for music recitals.
THE CREATIVITY CENTRE The mission of the Creativity Centre is to make creativity part of people’s daily lives. Since its inception in 2000, the Centre has been offering certificate short courses in graphic design, web design, computer software, photography, drama, creative entertaining, painting and drawing which are registered at the Institutional Committee of Academic Standards.
NWU-PUK ARTS NWU-Puk Arts is housed in the oldest building on the Potchefstroom Campus, which is a National Monument. The essence is to foster a healthy arts and culture presence on campus and deals mainly with the non-academic aspects of the arts. As a
ACTIVITIES The NWU also houses two national arts headoffices, namely Kuesta (choir festival and serenade comptetition) and Jeunesses Musicales South Africa (a branch of the international body that promotes music in the youth market). These organisations focus on the development of talent through support and exposure to new opportunities by hosting national and international artists and groups which provides opportunities for cross-cultural influences, inspiration and collaboration. Other arts and culture groups that form part of NWU activities include the internationally renowned Puk Choir; Boulevard Harmonists, a
BOTTOM: Clarice Bezuidenhout, MK Bruce Lee.
RIGHT: Emaria Gouws, Self promotion SOR, letterhead.
Design projects by 4th year. Graphic Design students.
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BOTTOM: Jaco Burger typography design poster.
TOP: Jaco Burger, typography design.
Design projects by 4th year. Graphic Design students.
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capella ensemble encompassing classical, popular and folk music; Puk Serenaders, promoting different traditional African arts and culture through music, dance and vibrant rhythm; Thalia Drama Society, responsible for annual pieces and an assortment of cultural offerings, including the popular inter-hostel campus theatre competition; Buzzin Brass Ensemble offering instrumental music for any occasion; NWUPuk Symphony Orchestra, playing three to four concerts annually; Divaco, Cape culture expressed in theatre, dance and music, and Disfunctional Beat, a dance group presenting a variety of ballet, freestyle, hip-hop and breakdancing. Annual offerings in partnership with the Student Council’s Culture division include the Alumni-Campus Talent Festival, First Years’ Concerts, Serenade Inter-Hostel Competition, Fine Art on Canvass, Interhostel Theatre Competition, and participation in the National Serenade-and Debating Competitions.
GRAPHIC DESIGN AT NWU The South African Communication Design Council (think) named the North-West University as the top Graphic Design educational institution for 2009, at the Thinkahead Awards. The NWU’s Graphic Design department has annually rated in the top 5 since 2006, and now offers a multimedia elective within the BA Graphic Design degree. Students and staff have scooped numerous awards in recent years, including ‘outstanding visual artists’ at the 2010 Woordfees, SABS Design Institute Design Achievers Awards finalists, South African Post Office Philatelist Federation Stamp Competition, Goldpack (Institute for Packaging South Africa) finalists and merits, Pendoring gold and silver, International Society for Typographic Design membership and a Sappi Ideas that Matter grant.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE NWU The Mafikeng Campus has distinguished itself in music, choral and multicultural drama, with the campus choir winning first place for three consecutive years in the regional championships of the Telkom/ Old Mutual choral championships. The Potchefstroom Campus hosts the renowned NWU-PUK Choir and the Boulevard Harmonists, the latter having won an international Christmas Choir competition in Prague. The Campus also boasts the Buzzin’ Brass Ensemble, the Thalia Drama Society, and the NWU-PUK Serenaders who took third place in the Old Mutual National Choir Championship and a special award at the ATKV Competition. In addition, this campus won the national debate competition for universities, also presented by the ATKV, for the fourth consecutive year. Marshell Lombard, a talented artist and music student of the of the NWU, was chosen as a member of the World Youth Choir in May 2010. Corporate Writer for Corporate Affairs and Relations at the Institutional Office, Nelia Engelbrecht, was awarded the prestigious Scheepers Prize for Youth Literature for her Afrikaans children’s book, Pandora se boks. The Vaal Triangle Campus’ Riverine Toast Master Chapter participates in public speaking events and assists learners from secondary schools in the area to improve their public speaking skills. Other culture endeavours include the campus choir participating in various competitions and the campus establishing a campus radio station and a brass band. <
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The Faculty of the Arts at the Tshwane University of Technology is home to an array of programmes in design, visual and performing arts. It is designed to support the creative process – a process of making, doing, thinking and problem-solving. The Faculty of the Arts offers you 15 internationally recognised programmes to choose from: Dance • Drama • Fashion Design & Technology • Fine & Applied Arts • Film & TV Production • Graphic Design • Interior Design • Jewellery Design & Manufacture Musical Theatre • Music • Multimedia (arts-based) • Performing Arts Technology (Entertainment Technology) • Photography • Textile Design & Technology • Vocal Art For more information Call: 012 382 6175 or E-mail:
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Live your life. Create your destiny.
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One of the main attractions at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2010, which took place in Milan in April, was the unveiling of the spectacular installation,
The Dwelling Lab, by star designers Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo, featuring the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.
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Blending their creative and technological expertise, the German carmaker and the Danish textile manufacturer commissioned a unique sculpture based on BMW’s innovative new car concept, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. BMW and Kvadrat chose their longtime favorites designers, Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo to execute their brief. Urquiola is an internationally acclaimed Spanish designer and architect and creator of sensual and compelling furniture, while Ridolfo is a distinguished Italian designer and colour expert with en enviable background in fashion and accessories. The four-party team also opted to partner with illumination company, Flos, who developed a bespoke OLED solution for the soft-lit features that Urquiola’s concept required. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, designed by the team of BMW Group Design Director, Adrian van Hooydonk, broke with conventions and explored a new vernacular, bringing together elements that are part sedan, part SAV, part coupé for the exterior design, while at the same time creating a visionary interior that is as luxurious as it is modern and functional. Urquiola and Ridolfo translated these concepts into a design sculpture whose most daring elements include huge cone-like structures that seem to be growing out of the car’s body, drawing the viewer inward just as they reveal the usually sealed-off interior to the outside gaze.
REFINED BEAUTY AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY The idea for this groundbreaking installation was born when van Hooydonk, who has long been an admirer and close follower of the Kvadrat collections, met Kvadrat CEO, Anders Byriel, at a fair and suggested a collaborative project. The Danish company known for its innovative curtain and upholstery fabrics was thrilled at the chance to enter new terrain by developing materials suited to the requirements of a car. Working on a car – the structured space of mobility – was also a debut for Urquiola who approached the commission with excitement and curiosity. Urquiola, saw the car interior of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo as a unique opportunity to experiment with soft edges and colours,
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Model of The Dwelling Lab by Patricia Urquiola.
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Urquiola created a special child seat for the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.
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whilst at the same time creating an atmospheric space inside the car, infused with the dominance of the textiles and the interaction between the various materials. The final result includes an array of innovative products and interior details in various hues and materials. Describing her inspiration for the design, Urquiola says: “Usually we perceive cars from the outside, and then the inside follows. However, our direct interaction is with the inside. It is the core that protects and comforts us, the space in direct contact with our bodies and our functions and needs in the process of travelling. I investigated this interface and tried to understand the possible evolution as a softer, dwelling experience.”
CHALLENGING BOUNDARIES For van Hooydonk, this project was an equally stimulating experience. “BMW contributed expertise in automotive design and construction. Patricia Urquiola approached this project from a different perspective and with a different perception. With her openness and creative vigour in finding innovative solutions, she allows people to see the car in a totally different way. And above all, underscores the emotional connection that people have to this very technical object that is a car.” He says that The Dwelling Lab “creates a daring shift in perspectives which challenges boundaries. The philosophy and character of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo were ideally interpreted in this unique design installation.” “The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo was designed from the inside out, and The Dwelling Lab allows you, for the first time in history, to see the interior of the car before you see the exterior. It highlights the growing importance of a car’s interior. Design is focusing ever more closely to people with their needs and desires; it is an expression of modern understanding of well-being – to be comforted and pampered in style.” Kvadrat as that textile partner in the project had similar experiences. The company actively engages in art and design projects that push the boundaries of textiles and its unique uses and The Dwelling Lab is the latest in a series of projects which illustrates how
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The Dwelling Lab by Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo.
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textiles can be used in innovative ways interior car design. Byriel, CEO of Kvadrat says: “Given the amount of time that most drivers spend in their cars, comfort, individuality and function are important. Currently, people think automatically about leather when they buy an expensive car. With this collaboration we want to show that by using high quality textiles you can create a very exclusive but also warm and personal interior, which is more in line with the atmosphere that people create in their homes.”
THE FINE ART OF TRAVELLING Patricia Urquiola is one of the few women to have established her firm in an area largely dominated by men. Magazines such as Wallpaper, ELLE Déco and the German magazines Häuser and H.O.M.E voted her as Designer of the Year and among the Best Designers of the Decade. She is known for her furniture designs such as the couch Antibody and for the chairs reminiscent of handbags called Smock. Together with Kvadrat she developed a lush, skin-coloured fabric with a special soft finish and a complex quilt-like stitched pattern for the interior of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. With the combined efforts of the specialists in BMW´s design department, Urquiola created inspired solutions dedicated to the art of traveling that dress the inside of the car in enticing elegance, extending even to the dashboard. As a mother of two, Urquiola also has a sharp eye for design that excels not only in wit but equally in functionality: she created a special child seat for the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and designed holders for baby bottles that are a part of the array of compartments and fittings on the backs of the two front seats. In collaboration with Flos, one of the leading manufacturers in design light known for its innovation and creativity, Urquiola developed an exclusive light concept including soft-lit features and Micro-Chasen, a mini version of her acclaimed Chasen Lamp which she designed for Flos in 2009. Piero Gandini, President and CEO of Flos say that “The Micro-Chasen is perfect for reading and makes this experience more alluring and emotional.”
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Details of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo by Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo.
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DARING AND DYNAMIC STATEMENT The spectacular ‘entrance’ to the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo by Urquiola is an ensemble of cone-like elements which Urquiola calls ‘diamonds’. Giulio Ridolfo created the colour concept for these geometrical structures –frames with stretched fabric by Kvadrat –. They seem to grow out of the car’s body like huge loudspeakers, beckoning onlookers to come closer and peer inside. A daring and dynamic statement that for Urquiola and Ridolfo demonstrates how mathematics, geometry and engineering can produce beautiful, balanced design. The result is a dynamic statement introducing unconventional notions about the worlds of inside and outside. For Ridolfo, colour is more than a ‘colourful’ selection – neither random nor simply decoration – but, rather, a form of applied art that helps relate the act of perceiving to an object as a whole. After he has selected a tone he usually begins by examining many similar shades until he has narrowed it down to only one – a complicated process which allows Ridolfo to include what he calls “the vibrations of other colours”. The Dwelling Lab was a novel and challenging experience, as he needed to focus on fabric and tones that would be adequate and expressive for the larger dimensions of a car. Ridolfo says: “To enhance the spirit of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, we have integrated several unexpected details and accessories to create sensory experiences and a mood of leisure and gentle surprise. Textile is the fundamental material: the geometrical cones are coated with 700 meters of Kvadrat’s Max in an specially designed colour, and the car’s interior is upholstered with various other Kvadrat fabrics.” For BMW and Kvadrat, this design collaboration is a premiere. However, both have a tradition in supporting design and art projects that explore the boundaries between creativity and technology. This visionary concept and the process of realising this challenge are of key importance to both premium manufacturers. Like Patricia Urquiola, they share a belief in viable aesthetics that allows customers to experience luxury and functionality in a forward-looking manner. <
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WORLD PREMIERE OF JEFF KOONS’ BMW ART CAR At the premiere of the 17th BMW Art Car Jeff Koons unveiled and signed his car in front of 300 international VIP guests on 1 June at the Centre Pompidou. It is the same place where Roy Lichtenstein, back in 1977, first presented and signed his BMW Art Car.
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In the spirit of Calder, Stella, Lichtenstein, Warhol and many others, BMW announced this year that the 17th Art Car, created by Jeff Koons, will race where the first rolling pieces of art by legendary artists raced – at the 24 hours of Le Mans in France on 12-13 June 2010. Koons’ canvas is a BMW M3 GT2, which was homologated to compete at this year’s running of the world’s most famous endurance race.
THE DESIGN PROCESS As part of his creative process, the artist collected images of racecars, related graphics, vibrant colors, speed and explosions. The resulting artwork featuring bright colours conceived by Koons is evocative of power, motion and bursting energy. Its silver interior along with the powerful exterior design, the Art Car will impart a dynamic appearance even when it’s standing still. “These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Koons. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to connect with that power”. Koons has been in an intense collaboration with BMW’s team in Munich for months – melding his skill with sophisticated BMW engineering – to ensure that the 17th BMW Art Car will be race-ready for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Travelling back and forth to Germany many times since the February, Koons has worked
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with the BMW engineering and design teams to
painstakingly applied to the entire car as well
conduct in-depth explorations of materials and
as onto individual spare parts.
application options that will prove crucial to optimising both the aesthetic and aerodynamic
Koons’ design incorporates many bright contrast-
attributes of the racecar. Working with actual
ing colors to communicate the aesthetics of
3-D computer-aided design models of the BMW
power. The concept design was transformed
M3 GT2, Koons could simulate the application
into hard-edged lines of color. Graphics of debris
of the graphic to the car’s surfaces and evaluate
were added to the rear sides and back of the
it from all angles.
car to simulate the power of the car. Furthermore, two graphic rings on the rear of the car represent
Koons even donned a helmet and joined BMW’s
supersonic acceleration.
US Le Mans Series race team for testing in Sebring, Florida, on 23 February where he was able to experience the M3 GT2 at race speed to further
KOONS AND BMW
inspire his design. As Koons describes it, he witnessed “the raw unfiltered performance” of
Koons’ collaboration with BMW began in 2003,
the M3 GT2 from the seat of a historic BMW M1
when he expressed his desire to create a BMW
racecar. Koons also drove a BMW M3 Coupe on
Art Car. His relationship with BMW started more
the circuit to further the dynamic exercise.
than two decades ago when he drove a BMW while residing in Munich, home to the BMW Group head-
Under Koons’ direct guidance and supervision,
quarters. Koons is known for his heartfelt appre-
his BMW Art Car was produced with assistance
ciation of cars. Earlier this year he was even recog-
of a team of BMW engineers and designers at
nised by music icon Bono of U2 as one of the
Schmid Design in Germany. The challenge for
ideal artists to design a car that would make
creating this latest BMW Art Car focused on uti-
the world fall in love with automobiles again.
lising a light material and a design that would not interfere with the racecar’s aerodynamics and
Koons’ creative process for the BMW Art Car
weight. Timing was also an issue, as there was
mirrors techniques, some borrowed from trans-
only a two-month window between the first design
portation design and development, which he
sketches and the Paris world premiere. There-
regularly employs for his artistic production.
fore the team opted for digital printing on car
For example, in the creation of his signature
wrapping vinyl covered by a double clear coat-
monumental sculptures, his studio uses 3-D
ing to enhance the colour of Koons’ design. To
CAD models to evaluate the surfaces, assem-
apply hundreds of dynamic lines of Koons’ design
bles them via methods found in bike chop
onto the car, CAD designs were translated from
shops, and paints them in a manner based on
3D into 2D for the printing process and then
sophisticated automotive painting techniques.
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For the comeback at 24 Le Mans, BMW Motorsport is supported by numerous partners such as Castrol, Crowne Plaza, Dunlop, Randstad, Sympatex, LuK, H&R, BBS and NGK for the race on the Circuit de la Sarthe.
BMW ART CARS Since 1975, artists from around the world have turned BMW automobiles into art signifying a particular period through the Art Car program. In 2007, the latest installment was revealed with Olafur Eliasson’s Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R project. Many of the cars designed by the likes of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Stella, Rauschenberg, Hockney and Holzer have been exhibited in renowned museums throughout the world including the Louvre, the Guggenheim Museums and the Shanghai Art Museum. They have been displayed at the BMW Museum in Munich, between 2006 and 2010 and many went on a world tour throughout Asia, Russia, Africa, India, the United States and Mexico.
“Ever since it was created back in 1977, the Centre Pompidou has acted as an interface and a platform of exchange between creative art and society, striving to expose the larger public to the art of our time in the firm belief that art can foster a more innovative and flexible society,” said Alain Seban, president of the Centre Pompidou. “For this reason the Centre Pompidou is glad to join BMW’s project which, I trust, can go a long way in bringing together creation and society by inviting the great artists of our time – from Roy Lichtenstein in 1977 to Jeff Koons today – to challenge the most mythical object of our era, the car, through a unique creation.” The home of all BMW Art Cars is the BMW Museum in Munich. Starting in September, Koons’ 17th BMW Art Car will be presented there together with some of its predecessors. With over 100 major projects worldwide, BMW Group cultural programs have been an integral part of the company’s contributions to society for almost 40 years. Besides contemporary art, architecture and design, classical music and jazz are key components of this engagement.
Alexander Calder’s Art Car, 1975, BMW 3.0 CSL.
Derived from the BMW M3 high-performance sports car, the BMW M3 GT2 boasts a 4.0-liter V8 engine with a maximum output of 500 bhp, an upgraded chassis, racing-caliber brakes and extensive use of lightweight materials. Able to reach 100 mph in 3.4 seconds, the BMW M3 GT2 is rapidly emerging as a real first year contender at this year’s event.
The Koons car number, 79, pays tribute to the 1979 Andy Warhol car. The Warhol car was assigned the number 76, a homage to the 1976 Frank Stella car, both of which raced at Le Mans.
Roy Lichtenstein’s Art Car, 1977, BMW 320i Group 5 Renn version.
THE BMW M3 GT2
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TOP LEFT: Andy Warhol’s Art Car, 1979, BMW M1 Group 4 racing version BOTTOM LEFT: Ernst Fuchs’ Art Car, 1982, BMW 635 CSi TOP RIGHT: Robert Rauschenberg’s Art Car, 1986, BMW 635 CSi BOTTOM RIGHT: Ken Done’s Art Car, 1989, BMW M3 Group A Renn version
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LEFT: Matazo Kayama’s Art Car, 1990, BMW 535i TOP RIGHT: Michael Jagamara Nelson’s Art Car, 1989, BMW M3 Group A Renn version BOTTOM RIGHT: Esther Mahlangu’s Art Car, 1991, BMW 525i
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Jenny Holzer’s Art Car, 1999, BMW V12 LMR, Marquette
A.R. Penck’s Art Car, 1991, BMW Z1
César Manrique’s Art Car, 1990, BMW 730i
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Music Dance Drama Design Visual Art
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New York’s prestigious Tribeca Film Festival has named the South African film Father Christmas Doesn’t Come Here its best narrative short film in an indigenous language. Funded by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) the film was chosen from 47 finalists as one of the Indigenous Language short film contest winners. The film was written by South African screenwriters Bongi Ndaba and Sibongile Nkosana, and directed by Bhekumuzi Sibiya. This is Sibiya’s first short feature film, and he received great praise for his work. “The director consistently foregoes sentimentality in favour of subtle debunking of myths based on culture. His frames are urgently alive with telling details. This film announces a persuasive and deep human directorial vision, one rich with authenticity and insight,” read a statement by the judges. The panel of judges who selected the film included Brooke Shields, whose most recent film is Lipstick Jungle, Justin Bartha from the movie Hangover, Peter Facinelli, who stars in the Twilight movies, and Jack Dorsey, creator and chairperson of the social site, Twitter. They described the film as being exceptional and touching. “It is a film of resilience and hope. It is an assured, original, and profoundly moving film, which perfectly executes its aims and is buoyed by a remarkable performance by its lead actor.” In 2009, the film won an award at the Tri-Continental Film Festival and it has also been included in the South African Line-Up event for the Cannes Film Festival this year.
View a trailer at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=feBHND LKjxw
w&feature =player_embedded
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The film looks at the life of a naive teenage black girl who writes to Father Christmas, requesting long straight hair as her Christmas gift. She has low self-esteem and hopes the hair will help her gain more confidence. Her hopes are shattered when a pessimistic man from her neighbourhood tells her that Father Christmas is not real. However, her grandmother is there to help her through her uncertainty, and teaches her to love herself. “I think this film hits home to all young black girls all over the world,’” said Mpho Setati, a film student at Afda film school in Johannesburg. “This is a great South Africa film that showcases the talent of our country, and the world is taking notice and rewarding our talent.” The Tribeca Film Festival was held in Manhattan, New York, from 21 April to 2 May. Currently in its ninth year, it was launched by well-known Hollywood actor Robert de Niro, film producer Jane Rosenthal and real estate investor Craig Hatkoff in 2002. The trio were motivated to start the festival after the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. “We hoped to use the festival to spur the economic and cultural revitalisation of the lower Manhattan district and to help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience while promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center,” they said in a statement. Republished courtesy of mediaclubsouthafrica.com The award for winning Best Narrative Short Film was R38 336 (US$5 000) in cash, film stock donated by Kodak, and an art award, A Box of Smile, 1967/89, by Yoko Ono. <
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By Janine Erasmus South African production Life, Above All was the talk of the 2010 Cannes Festival after receiving a 10-minute standing ovation at its world premiere there on 18 May. The film delivers a powerful message about the country’s HIV/Aids burden from the perspective of a young girl whose family is deeply affected by it.
In fact, only three African films have ever taken honours in this section – Morocco’s A thousand months which took the Prix Le Premier Regard or First Glance Prize in 2003; Moolaadé from Senegal, which scooped the big prize in 2004; and Burkina Faso’s Delwende, which took the Prix de l’Espoir or Prize of Hope in 2005.
The movie is competing in Cannes’s Un Certain Regard (translated as ‘a certain outlook’) section for world cinema. This has been a part of the festival’s official selection since 1978, and takes place at the Debussy Auditorium.
Life, Above All is the only South African film showing as part of the official selection this year. It received its second and third screenings on 19 and 20 May.
With a lot of Cannes’ attention going to the forthcoming Winnie Mandela movie, unjustly in the opinion Introduced two decades after the section’s inclusion of some as it stars American actors, it is hoped that in the festival, the top prize is the Prix Un Certain the increasingly popular local drama will wrench Regard, which rewards innovative young talent with back some of the focus onto the real South African invaluable exposure and financial assistance for distri- film industry. bution in France. The prize, worth €30 000 (R293 000), has never been won by a South African film.
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SOUTH AFRICAN TALENT Life, Above All, based on best-selling Canadian author Allan Stratton’s young adult novel Chanda’s Secret, is about a 16-year-old girl dealing with HIV/ Aids and the accompanying stigma. The subject is particularly poignant in light of South Africa’s huge HIV/Aids burden, which has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands and has left countless children orphaned. The screenplay was adapted by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Dennis Foon (The Longlight Legacy trilogy, Little Criminals). The film is marketed in France as Le Secret de Chanda. Stratton has since written a standalone sequel titled Chanda’s Wars, which focuses on the humanitarian issue of child soldiers in Africa.
Life, Above All is a South Africa-German collaboration, directed by Cape Town-born Oliver Schmitz, the son of German immigrants. Schmitz is no stranger to Cannes, with two of his earlier films, Mapantsula (1988) and Hijack Stories (2000), making it to the prestigious competition. The former film was banned in South Africa at the time, but Cannes was eager to view it. Schmitz was humble about his achievement. “It is the fourth time I am in selection in Cannes but you don’t get blasé about it because it’s the cream of what’s happening every year in the film world,” he said. His previous works have featured the talents of wellknown South African entertainers such as Rapulana Seiphemo, the late Dolly Rathebe, Darlington Michaels, Robert Whitehead, and Tumisho Masha.
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However, this time it was the young first-time ac-
favour – or displeasure. Ebert added that even the
tress Khomotso Manyaka who stole the show with
renowned Jean-Luc Godard, whose latest offering
her portrayal of Chanda. Manyaka’s performance
Film: Socialisme showed before Life, After All, man-
has caused a sensation and has been described as
aged only a trickle of applause.
“commanding” (ScreenDaily), “stellar” (Times Live), and “stunning” (film distributor Bavaria Interna-
The lengthy ovation bestowed on Life, Above All is
tional).
a sure sign of approval – “At Cannes, audience satisfaction can be measured by the length of ovations,”
The cast is entirely South African and includes Lerato
blogged LA Times journalist, Steven Zeitchik.
Mvelase (Chanda’s mother Lillian), Harriet Manamela (the neighbour Mrs Tafa), and Keaobaka Makanyane
“The film is about deep human emotions, evoked with
(Chanda’s friend Esther).
sympathy and love,” wrote Ebert in his glowing review.
Accompanying Schmitz to Cannes were South African Minister of Arts and Culture Lulu Xingwana, National
A MODERN SOUTH AFRICA
Film and Video Foundation CEO Eddie Mbalo, the film’s co-producer Grieg Buckle, and cast members
Life, Above All is set in the community of Elandsdoorn,
Mvelase and Manamela, as well as young Manyaka.
near Johannesburg. In the book, the action takes place in the fictional town of Bonang, somewhere in
Renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave the film two
Southern Africa. Lead actress Manyake is from the
thumbs up, noting in his Cannes blog that it was
real town of Groblersdal, which is located in the
warmly received by the notoriously difficult Cannes
Sekhukhune district of Limpopo province.
audience, who are not known for holding back their
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View the trailer at http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/mediaPlayer/10599.html
The film’s central character, 12-year-old Chanda, is
Mbeki government’s inexplicable denial of the link
first seen as she makes preparations for the burial
between HIV and Aids, and the delay in rolling out
of her baby sister Sara, who has died. Her grief-
antiretroviral treatment.
stricken mother takes ill and her stepfather is drinking heavily, although nobody talks openly to Chan-
Children, whose parents have died of HIV/Aids, are
da about these problems. The child is left with no
often left to look after the younger ones in the fam-
choice but to take over the care of her two younger
ily, trying to survive through any means they can
siblings.
find. In the film, Chanda’s best friend Esther, for instance, sells herself into prostitution to earn money
Rumours begin to spread through the close-knit
for herself and her siblings, becoming infected in
community that the baby died because her mother
the process.
and father have HIV/Aids – which nobody wants to acknowledge – and the family is shunned. Chanda’s
However, with President Jacob Zuma’s new HIV/
mother flees the village and the young girl looks for
AIDS action plan, announced on World Aids Day and
answers but finds none. She courageously decides
brought into effect in April, the situation in South
to tackle the situation head-on, leaving her home
Africa is looking somewhat brighter. Patients will
and school to seek her mother, challenge the gos-
receive more extensive treatment, and all pregnant
sip, find healing in truth, and restore her family’s
HIV-positive women will receive anti-retrovirals at
name.
14 weeks. Zuma also urged South Africans to get tested for HIV, and to live responsibly. <
The film paints a tragic picture of the devastating effect that HIV/Aids has had on many families in South Africa, particularly because of the Thabo
Republished courtesy of mediaclubsouthafrica.com
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By Nicky Rehbock. With catchy and crude beats, prepubescent bodies, gold teeth, tattoos and mean-looking mullets, hilarious trio, Die Antwoord, have become one of South Africa’s hottest – and most unlikely – exports, landing a deal with a major US label that represents superstars like Eminem and Lady Gaga.
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Images from The Secret Chamber featuring Die Antwoord members Ninja and Yo-Landi along with Leon Botha
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And all this since February 2010, when the group emerged from relative obscurity with a series of YouTube videos and their debut album, $O$, posted as a free download on their official website. Within days it went viral and the unexpected swarm of hits, amounting to more than a terabyte of data, crashed the group’s server, forcing them to switch their hosting to the major US-based blog site Boing Boing. A quick look at YouTube today, four months on, shows that their Enter the Ninja video has amassed 5.1-million hits, while Zef Side has 2.2-million views, which clearly attests to Die Antwoord’s cult-like global following. Their curious name is Afrikaans for ‘the answer’.
Photographs by Sean Metelerkamp.
‘Zef’ refers to the group’s X-factor, which seems to simultaneously embody white Afrikaner working-class trashiness and, according to them, “the ultimate style.”
South African newspaper Beeld says the term comes from an old make of car, the Ford Zephyr, which small-town folk here would pimp up with modified engines and bulging tyres, to rip through deserted streets during late-night dicing sessions. Disapproving neighbours called these rough types ‘real zefs’. Koos Kombuis, one of the country’s best-known alternative Afrikaans musicians and authors, said earlier this year that ‘zef’ is a word from his childhood, and means ‘common’. But, “these days it’s not necessarily negative. I like being common. It’s like wearing high heels with a tracksuit. Being truly zef takes guts.”
INTERNATIONAL HIT And guts are certainly what Die Antwoord had in March and April, when they made their first two overseas trips. They began with a mini tour of Europe
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and the US, and then returned to North America to perform at the prestigious Coachella music festival in California, with a crowd rumoured to be as large as 85 000. Joining a line-up that included world-famous Jay-Z, Beyonce and Gorillaz, the South Africans sent shock-waves through the audience and earned instant praise from well-known celebrities and respected publications. Burlesque star Dita von Teese wrote on Twitter that the South Africans were among “the best of Coachella”, and later the New York Times commented that Die Antwoord “fully lived up to its reputation”.
The LA Times was also taken by the “deliciously trashy” trio, reporting that the “suspected novelty act proved they had an overwhelming magnetism and a ferocious, deadly serious lyrical flow.”
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS But who exactly are Die Antwoord, and why has their particular brand of music and brutal image created such a stir? The group call themselves a “fresh, futuristik rap-rave crew from the dark depths of Africa” (sic). Its members are conceptual artist Watkin Tudor Jones, who performs as the roughed-up gangster ‘Ninja’ alongside slinky blonde soprano Yolandi Visser, aka ‘Yo-landi Vi$$er’, and a rather quiet, portly chap known only as ‘DJ Hi-Tek’. By opting for cleverly crafted, cryptic media interviews, the trio maintain an air of bizarre intrigue. It’s never quite clear whether they are indeed the portrayed bunch of poor, low-life pals from rundown suburbia, or a slick assembly of manufactured personas created to thrill and shock audiences who’ve grown weary of conventional music genres. Either way, it works.
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Writers following the craze have their own opinions about the group’s strategy: “Well, let’s just say that there’s a whole lot more method to their darkly surreal live shows than such seeming slapstick might suggest,” reviewer Miles Keylock writes in the Mail & Guardian Online. US-based music guide Pitchfork goes a bit deeper in its offbeat analysis Who the hell are Die Antwoord?, calling the outfit “Jones’ latest identityskewing art project, which, on the surface, is just the most recent in a never-ending line of ‘did ya see that?!’ blog-hopping music memes”.
Photographs by Sean Metelerkamp.
But, “considering the mix of absurdity, genuine talent and impressive production values, you can’t help but think: are these guys for real?” Pitchfork’s Ryan Dombal writes.
GANGLAND TIES The group’s heavy use of slang and irreverent lyrics emanate from the culture of the Western Cape’s coloured people, who were forced to settle on the dusty plains outside Cape Town during the apartheid years, so authorities could too make space for more white families within the city. Most communities on the so-called Cape Flats are descended from slaves brought to the country from east and central Africa, the Khoisan who lived in the region at the time of colonisation in the 1800s, and other indigenous African, and white people. This complex racial mixing – combined with a legacy of cross-over culture, displacement and oppression – still haunt the area today, and crime, drug abuse and gangsterism are rife. But there are also likeable things that stem from this notorious place, like a highly expressive and
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often-impersonated dialect – a mix of mainly English and Afrikaans that’s often very funny if you get the gist – and a thriving hybrid of hip-hop music from groups like Brasse van die Kaap and Kallitz. It’s this that Die Antwoord has picked up on and, perhaps, parodied to blow the minds – and ears – of fans.
SO BAD, IT’S GOOD For those who may not immediately appreciate or understand the group’s skilful fusion, Richard Poplak, of Canadian publication The Walrus, offers an artful description of zef rap: “an ungodly potpourri of top-40 hip-hop, chintz house, rave music, DIY beat-making and bad techno.” In other words, a combination so wacky and disturbing you can’t help but be drawn in by it.
Jones’s bad-ass alter-ego, Ninja – who has metallic incisors, heavy gold neck chains and a patchwork of prison-gang tattoos – is also straight out of the Cape Flats. In fact, “this is where Ninja spent years, mining for meaning among the violence, the misery, the strong familial bonds – developing not just a style, but an entire persona”, Poplak writes. Jones has been compared to Eminem in this regard, posing as a “white-boy rapper who successfully appropriated the energy and anger of the black ghetto”, editor Kevin Bloom comments in The Daily Maverick. But Die Antwoord themselves put it best in their $O$ album intro, implying they embrace even more than just “zef-ness” and Cape Flats street cred: “I represent South African culture. In this place, you get a lot of different things … Blacks. Whites. Coloureds. English. Afrikaans. Xhosa.
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Zulu. Watookal,” says Ninja. “I’m like all these different people, f****d into one person.” Yo-landi chips in, in her little voice: “Whateva, man.” Poplak believes this makes Ninja “the ultimate South African”. The idea is “thrillingly, gloriously radical”, and an essential step towards racial cohesion in South Africa, he writes. Well, we’ll never quite know whether Die Antwoord are actually out to unite an entire nation – or simply cause a bit of controversy and entertaining hype along the way – as they’ll probably never tell us, but that’s okay. Their rise to fame has been a gritty and fascinating study, and has carved out new, brave arenas of performance and expression. Let’s hope there’s a lot more to follow ... <
View Die Andwoord’s website at www.dieantwoord.com
Photographs by Sean Metelerkamp. This article is republished courtesy of mediaclubsouthafrica.com.
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South Point was established in 2003 to meet the growing need for student accommodation in South Africa. “When we entered the property business we found the majority of students were unable to find a place in the university residences and were forced to live in poorly maintained and expensive accommodation – hardly conducive to promoting a successful study environment. We therefore sought to focus our efforts on providing a differentiated offering to the student market, with an emphasis on safety, cleanliness and affordability.” What began as a vision to aid communities of aspiring professionals in achieving their study goals has resulted in so much more. Instead of simply providing safe precincts for students, the beginnings of an urban renewal are evident, particularly in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Surrounded by the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg, the Labour Court, major corporates, icons of history including Constitution Hill and The Nelson Mandela Bridge, theatres, local businesses and eateries, a student village has emerged. With it, a rebirth for the Braamfontein area. Braamfontein, spring by the brambles, began its life in 1853 as a rather large farm covering Parktown, Melville, Greenside, Roosevelt Park and Northcliff. By 1889, the farm had been sub-divided several times and Braamfontein officially became recognised as an ‘official extension of Johannesburg proper’.
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According to GA Leyds’ History of Johannesburg, the area along Smit and Wolmarans streets became known as Wanderers’ View, looking out across the Wanderers Ground with its plentiful trees. But, by the 1950’s the rich had moved over the hill to the sunnier slopes of Parktown and the middle class to Hillbrow, Yeoville and Bellevue. What remained was a “low income white working class area. Braamfontein was then an area of semi-detached cottages, small flats, cheap hotels and canteens,” says Keith Beavon, Johannesburg, the Making and the Shaping of the City. Leyds stated that the up market houses “ended their existence, which had started so full of hope and promise as second rate lodging houses, but is now being replaced with blocks of flats”. Then in the 1950’s, two things happened that would see the beginning of change for Braamfontein: the relocation of the City Council from the CBD to Braamfontein Hill and the rezoning of land in Braamfontein to commercial rights – welcoming the likes then of Eskom, Shell, SAB, and today, Liberty, South Point, JD Group and Sappi, among others. The area has blossomed as a home to a successful corporate culture, students, upmarket restaurants, sought after flats along the northern ridge and thriving local retail. Sadly in the 1990’s, the general decline in the CBD resulted in the neighbouring areas declining alongside the CBD. The Northern
suburbs became favoured for business with some core business relocating along with Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Braamfontein alleyways became dark, dirty, polluted and home to crime. The University of the Witwatersrand closed its doors to the surrounding Braamfontein area and became almost self contained, dealing a significant blow to the already struggling retail and restaurant business in Braamfontein. Then, in the early 2000s we saw the initiation of the Braamfontein Regeneration Initiative – with the objective to “re-establish Braamfontein as an area that is well managed, vibrant, physically attractive and well-lit with a growing evening economy” driven by the University, the City Council and the private sector. Today Braamfontein is flourishing and a new energy abounds. The streets are filled with students, the formally dressed Labour Court participants headed to lunch in one of the many restaurants and street cafes emitting glorious aromas of curries, biryanis and samoosas. The streets are sunny, almost in defiance of the area’s history, and everywhere you look buildings are being torn down, rebuilt and renovated. Alleyways have opened up, widened and removed altogether, whilst piazzas are created and urban greening is in progress. Entertainment venues are making their appearance too. Local businesses such as Fatima’s, R. Janas, Mzithos and the famous Narina Trogon are being revitalised and Braamfontein is re-emerging as a colourful
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South Point’s contributions to the rejuvenation of Braamfontein.
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vibrant student village, business centre, cultural district and seat of learning. Much of this is thanks to South Point, who, with their visionary approach seven years ago, have been core to the rejuvenation of Braamfontein. Beginning with student accommodation, to assist the plethora of students unable to find safe, clean and wellpriced abodes, the business has naturally extended to professional accommodation, penthouses, a smart hotel, student bars, cafes, an exclusive cocktail bar and a piazza, all at the very heart of Braamfontein. Auckland House, ONE Biccard and Skyline penthouses have opened the doors for young professionals who want a taste of city living, furnished and safe, and more importantly the start of a community living in Braamfontein. With over 700 apartments for young professionals living and working in Braamfontein, the impact on local business could be phenomenal. Streets are no longer deserted as a nightlife naturally begins to flourish and with that, increased economic activity. Randlords, at South Point Towers, is a development that is situated on the 20th floor of South Point Towers. An extraordinarily beautiful rooftop bar has been created for the city’s well-heeled. A sandstone and glass construction creates an architecturally beautiful shell with 360 degree panoramic views of the city. Open till late and serving an exotic array of tapas; shellfish, caviar,
fois gras and beautifully designed cocktails one hopes that this might be the start and continuation of a vibrant night life in Braamfontein – perhaps even persuading some of the Northerners south to experience Braamfontein. The S Bar and #1 Bar contribute to the variety of nightlife on offer, with what are typically ‘student joints’. The S Bar, a prime example of pop-up retail, is positioned in a rugged shell of brick and concrete. The bar could be dismantled overnight and replaced with something new and fresh, accommodating the fickle nature of our trendy populace. Constructed using recycled materials, the interior is intriguing, industrial and bound to become a dedicated student haunt. South Point’s latest venture, or adventure, is the Hotel Lamunu. Lamunu, the Zulu word for orange, is a smart hotel offering valuefor-money accommodation. There are no frills or fuss, only the necessities of modern hotel living. Spilling out onto The Grove, the newest Piazza on the block, the Hotel Lamunu is everything a Braamfontein hotel should be – down to earth, great value and your ticket to Braamfontein by night. No self respecting urban development would be complete without a coffee bar and a SP Café which brings great coffee to Braamfontein, and hopefully another reason to gather in the village.
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Randlords, a rooftop bar, is a development that is situated on the 20th floor of South Point Towers.
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Views of Hotel Lamunu.
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It really does seem that all the ingredients are in place for a true urban rejuvenation and a transformation of Braamfontein, with its good residential accommodation, students, businessmen, academics, the Labour Court, eateries, theatres, open areas to gather, beginnings of retail, all which are very accessible by foot. Braamfontein, with amentieis not being more than a ten-minute walk away, is linked easily to the CBD and has easy access to highways. In addition, the Gautrain and Rea Vaya station are on its doorstep. The great divide between the corporate north and dilapidated south has decreased and the future for Braamies is looking good. South Point’s building refurbishment programme which is currently underway hopes to increase capacity from 8 500 student beds in 2010 to 20 000 in 2013, in the major centres of Braamfontein, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Nationally, there are currently 40 buildings for student accommodation. South Point is a majority black-owned company, with Lereko Metier Capital Growth Fund being a 67% shareholder in the company. LMCGF was formed by its principals Popo Molefe, Valli Moosa, Thierry Dalais, Anthony Hewat, Paul Botha and Lulu Gwagwa, who have all had successful careers in business, private equity fund management, community leadership, politics and public service. <
Interior views of Hotel Lamunu.
World Architecture Festival Barcelona 3-5 November 2010
Architectural excellence – LIVE!
Meet hundreds of architects from all over the world
Partner Sponsor:
“WAF is amazing! At a critical time for architecture, this event is essential in promoting new and well established firms who set the benchmark for innovation around the world.” Rafael Viñoly, World-renowned architect & 2009 Super-Jury Chair
t! ou h iss wit m t m k ro n’ or ts f ies Do tw ec ntr Ne chit ou c ar 80
ices t c pra tered 0 0 10 ve en AF ha the W ds! ar Aw
World Architecture Festival offers architects from all over the world the chance to meet, share and learn. Since 2008 we have welcomed architects from over 80 countries, and urge you to take advantage of this three day opportunity to network and gain information and inspiration. Last year’s winners included: World Building of the Year Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, Peter Rich Architects, South Africa Future Project of the Year Spanish Pavilion, Shanghai Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, Spain Interiors and Fit Out of the Year Corian Super-Surfaces Showroom, Italy Amanda Levete Architects, United Kingdom Structural Design of the Year Arena Zagreb, Croatia Upi-2m, Croatia Judges this year include: Arata Isozaki Barry Bergdoll Stefan Benisch Richard Hassell Sophia van Ellrichshausen
To book your place, and for information on planning your whole journey visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com Quote BLUPAF
Expert judging panel Includes
Arata Isozaki Super Jury Chair Japan
Vladimir Djurovic Lebanon
Manfredi Nicoletti Italy
“I think it’s been very successful, it’s given me a chance to make contacts from abroad, but it’s not just that, I’ve met incredible people and I’ve found it really great.”
Peter Rich, Peter Rich Architects, Winner of 2009’s World Building of the Year. Murat Tabanlioglu Turkey
Ken Tadashi Oshima USA/Japan
Lorcan O’Herlihy USA
Akihiko Hamada Japan
John Patkau Canada
Saija Hollmen Finland
Isay Weinfeld Brazil
Kjetil Thorsen Norway
Shane O’Toole Ireland
Daniel Bonilla Columbia
Barry Bergdoll USA
Stefan Benisch Germany
Ralph Johnson USA
Wang Lu China
Dan Meis USA
“WAF is a great idea, it’s a great organisation that’s putting together people from all over the world. I was really impressed to be here, to be in touch with people from the same profession from every part of the world. Most of the projects are fantastic.” Benedetta Tagliabue, Miralles Tagliabue Embt, Spain, Future Project Of The Year Winner 2009
The quality of the event - from its organization to the composition of the jury - makes WAF a very unique meeting. Being awarded a prize at that competition is, therefore, a major achievement and recognition. Isay Weinfeld, Architect, Brazil, Shopping Category Winner 2009
GET IN TOUCH TODAY! Enrique Norten Mexico
Sofia von Ellrichshausen Chile
Richard Hassell Singapore
Call us on: +44 (0) 20 7554 5800 Email us at:
[email protected] Online at: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com
To book your place, and for information on planning your whole journey visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com Quote BLUPAF
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Sanlam Private Investments (SPI), one of the fastest growing businesses within the Sanlam Group, has forged a very close relationship with art and investment in art during recent years.
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Taking the Sanlam Art Collection around the country
social entities which were closely involved in family life. Sanlam showed movies every Friday night, hosted Christmas parties and had numerous sporting
As part of its ten-year anniversary last year, SPI
teams. It was a natural progression, then to also
participated in a road trip where 83 pieces of the
invest in art – a cultural investment aimed at bring-
Sanlam Art Collection were taken around the country.
ing joy to employees and beautifying offices. In
The event also marked the celebration of a decade
addition, the investment in the culture of South
of curatorship by Stefan Hundt, who is responsible
Africa also strongly drove the decision to collect.”
for the Sanlam Art Collection. As the only corporate art collection exhibited broadly in public art galleries last year, the exhibition offered South Africans the opportunity to view this truly representative and important collection. For more than 40 years, the Sanlam Group has actively engaged in corporate art collecting and continues to do so passionately. It currently owns a collection of about 2 000 pieces, including an eclectic mix of past and present, which is valued in the region of R120-million.
Kriel says that the group has remained deeply committed to investing in art because it is a powerful tool to develop links between the corporate and cultural world, build brand awareness and raise company pride among employees. “Art is a wonderful way of engaging with both our clients and employees. We hope that it can play an important role in stimulating interest in South Africa’s cultural and artistic history and can raise curiosity to follow the continuously changing art landscape in our diverse country.”
Daniël Kriel, CEO of SPI, says that the Sanlam board took a decision to begin collecting art at a time
He adds that, as with all investments made by
when the employer played a pivotal, long-term
Sanlam, each art purchase is a business decision
role in a person’s life. “In the sixties, companies
which is taken extremely seriously. “Each must be-
were more than just places of work, they were also
come a valuable and appreciating asset for the group.”
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Stefan Hundt, Sanlam Art Collection curator, says the collection strategy has not changed significantly since inception. “We have always aimed to build a ‘representative’ collection which reflects the art from all sectors of society from the late nineteenth century until now. The collection is guided by the principle of collecting exceptional and meaningful images from career artists of status who are committed to art in South Africa. Stephan Welz, Director of Strauss & Co, on the right, with two of the many art lovers that attended the opening event of the Sanlam Art Collection exhibition at the iArt Gallery in Cape Town on 26 February 2009. Welz delivered the opening address. The event was sponsored by Sanlam Private Investments.
“We acquire more than one piece from each artist, so that a picture of their career can be told,” says Hundt. “No other strict rules govern our choices. The collection comprises contemporary and classic pieces including photographs, sculptures and paintings. The thread which binds them together is the significance of each image we select. It should clearly reflect the integrity with which the artist has pursued his or her concept and the degree to which they engage the eye and the mind of the viewer.” A public gallery at Sanlam’s Bellville headquarters is open to the public permanently.
Elana Brundyn, Curator of the iArt Gallery in Cape Town, welcoming guests at the opening event of the Sanlam Art Collection exhibition at the iArt Gallery in Cape Town on 26 February 2009. The event was sponsored by Sanlam Private Investments.
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INNOVATION AWARDS 2009
TO THE NEXT LEVEL
As part of their ten-year birthday last year, SPI
Their involvement in art and art investment and
awarded South African students who demonstrate
the positive response from their clients and other
exceptional innovation, a quality that SPI consid-
stakeholders to these initiatives has prompted SPI
ers central to their business. The winning students
to take their relationship with art to the next level.
were those that challenged the status quo within
In this regard, the business has incorporated an
their fields of study by producing truly unique ide-
art theme into the design of its new offices in Stel-
as, thoughts and concepts which are practical and
lenbosch with pieces from the Sanlam Art Collec-
add value.
tion that will be on permanent display. All of these works of art are from artists from in and around
The purpose of the awards was to promote and
Stellenbosch.
encourage innovation within areas of study which are of particular interest to their clients – high-net-
SPI is also planning some further initiatives to ce-
worth individuals with an appreciation of rarity,
ment their relationship with the fine art commu-
beauty and the finer things in life. For this reason,
nity, some of which will be launched later this year.
students eligible to enter were pursuing studies in art, jewellery design, wine-making, architecture, culinary arts, music, fashion design, interior design, photography, outreach programme. SPI elected to run the awards exclusively among institutions, which their research had identified as being among the top in their respective areas of specialisation. The campaign ran from 1 March to 31 July 2009 and the winner in each category received a cash prize of R10 000 at an awards ceremony that was held in Cape Town in October 2009.
ABOUT SANLAM PRIVATE INVESTMENTS (SPI) Part of the Sanlam Investment Group, SPI is a private client portfolio management and stock broking business, serving high net worth individuals, charitable trusts and smaller institutions. With some R50 billion of assets under management, it is the second largest South African private investment manager, with branches in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Durban, George, Knysna, Johannesburg, Sandton and Pretoria.
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For more information, visit www.spi.sanlam.com
The Potato Shed (Newtown)
A sustainable and unique place where people will shop, eat, relax and linger... Atterbury has incorporated a strong heritage component in the Potato Shed - designed to attract a mixed population of visitors, complementing the built environment in a dynamic, vibrant and cosmopolitan space and boasting some of the best cultural offerings in Africa. Historical landmarks in the immediate vicinity include the poultry shed, the original Station Master’s residence, the Mary Fitzgerald Square, Market Theatre and Museum Africa. The Potato Shed at Newtown is ideally located in the Johannesburg Inner City with easy access to highways and the site provides excellent exposure to the M1 freeway, the
Nelson Mandela Bridge and intermodal transport facilities such as the Park, Metromall, Westgate and Gautrain Stations. The original Potato Sheds on the Museum Africa and Mary Fitzgerald Squares will house retail areas of 40 000m2 and restaurants at the Market Theatre corner. The focus is on convenience goods and services aimed at catering for the inner city office workers and tourist market, supported by exclusive restaurants, coffee shops, open air restaurants, personal care, boutiques, a City Lodge hotel and ample parking available for convenience makes the Potato Shed a winning development.
It’s a matter of association www.atterbury.co.za Contact: 012 483 86 76,
[email protected]
You have a vision. Make it a reality.
Whatever the size of your company, our people can use their skills, experience and industry expertise in assurance, tax and advisory services to help you realise your vision. Working with you to find fresh approaches and long-term, smarter solutions. Giving our clients the confidence to succeed in a world of complexity and opportunity. To find out more about what we can do for your business, please visit www.pwc.com/za.
© 2010 PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. All rights reserved. PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc is an authorised financial services provider.
10-07516
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PricewaterhouseCoopers provides industryfocused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for our clients and their stakeholders. More than 163 000 people in 151 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, we apply our industry knowledge and professional expertise to identify, report, protect, realise and create value for our clients and their stakeholders. The strength of this value proposition is based on the breadth and depth of the firm’s client relationships. Networks are built around clients to provide them with our collective knowledge and resources. Our international network, experience, industry knowledge and business understanding are used to build trust and create value for clients. PricewaterhouseCoopers is not only bigger than many professional services firms but our structure and culture enable us to be fundamentally different as well. Our people are focused on issues that matter to our clients and all our stakeholders, namely building trust, creating sustainable value and providing leadership.
BUILDING TRUST Building trust matters deeply to all stakeholders. It underpins everything we do at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Building trust is obvious in public company audit work and it also underlies significant and innovative projects in financial regulation, reporting and control. Investors demand information that will enable them to judge the value of a company relative to the risks that it takes. Investors rely on us, as the auditors and advisers to those companies, to provide assurance that attests to the reliability and relevance of the information companies are providing. In this way, we build public trust.
CREATING SUSTAINABLE VALUE Creating sustainable value is at the heart of the matter for companies and their stakeholders. As members of the accounting profession, we play an essential role in making sure that appropriate systems and controls are in place to report accurate and timely information, and provide sound advice that does not put reputation at risk for short-term gain. Developing and maintaining trust, whilst creating wealth with the advice we give, being a trusted business adviser, is where we seek to differ from the competition.
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PROVIDING LEADERSHIP Leadership is one of our three core values; to us it means much more than having the biggest market share. It means advising and leading the way forward on difficult issues for our clients and their investors. In addition to being a leader in our profession, within the many markets and industries within which we live and work, we have endeavoured for many years to provide leadership on the need for greater transparency and corporate reporting. Working with organisations such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Global Reporting Initiative, as well as being involved with developments in corporate reporting such as the King Committee, we are leading the debate with regard to transparency, good governance and reporting.
A TEAM TAILORED TO OUR CLIENTS’ NEEDS PricewaterhouseCoopers is defined and shaped by the way our clients like to work. Their organisations and the way in which they operate are varied and never static. Instead, they evolve constantly, requiring different skills and knowledge. Over time they will grow and so will their needs. Our depth, diversity and geographical spread means we have the ability to meet their needs with the perfect team of people.
AN INTEGRATED GLOBAL APPROACH We are not bound by traditional barriers. Our people and knowledge are deployed wherever they are needed, across financial, political and geographical boundaries. In this way our people develop both a broad overview of global issues and an intimate understanding of their own sectors. Those with global experience work alongside others with deep local knowledge.
A CHANGING INDUSTRY Professional services are undergoing rapid change through a transformation driven by regulatory restrictions, as well as clients’ demands for better service. PricewaterhouseCoopers has taken a leading role in meeting this challenge.
GLOBAL REACH, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Being global is not the only competitive element that counts. Local knowledge and capability are extremely important as well. Business success is never achieved in the same way in two different places. To gain a commercial edge globally, a business must replicate its local successes over and over again in various environments, each with its own sensitivities and characteristics that are tailored to specific goals and conditions. That is why local knowledge and capability are so impor-
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tant. This is the reason why we focus on understanding national linguistic, regulatory and cultural differences, and for adapting our services to our clients’ local customs and working styles. This means all our services involve a careful balance between our global expertise and local experience, and between global trends and the local business environment. We strike this balance by taking the most relevant and innovative ideas from wherever they arise and apply them as workable, practical solutions in a local context. We follow this approach in every one of the countries in which we work. It is a strategy that underpins our close involvement in the life of local communities. This attitude fosters the rich cultural diversity within PricewaterhouseCoopers. And for our clients, it gives access to expert advice, anywhere, at any time.
COMMITTED TO QUALITY A strong and durable reputation is among the most valuable assets any organisation can possess. Such a reputation can only be sustained by embedding quality deep within the organisation. Our reputation depends on adhering to the highest standards of quality. That message starts at the top of the organisation and touches every aspect of our work, including the clients and organisations with whom we do business, our approach and methodologies, and our quality assurance and performance management processes.
A WORLD OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Across PricewaterhouseCoopers, our people have a firm grasp of business principles and processes. Our wide range of services are designed to assist a diverse client base to solve complex business problems and enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance. Globally, we provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services for public and private clients, primarily in four areas: >
Corporate accountability
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Risk management
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Structuring and mergers and acquisitions
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Performance and process improvement
TRANSFORMATION As one of the largest professional services firms in the world and in South Africa, we believe that we have a responsibility to play a role in empowering all the people of our country, starting with our staff. We strive to be a transformed firm that represents the demographics of South Africa, and also to create an environment that will enable growth and economic empowerment for all our people, in particular, those that were previously disadvantaged. <
Fabform Graphics cc (011) 622-9917
SPECIALIST PRODUCTS FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY
The Scaw Metals Group (Scaw) is an international group, manufacturing a diverse range of steel products. Its principal operations are located in South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. Smaller operations are in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Scaw’s Specialist products manufactured for the shaft mining and surface mining industries include: Haggie® Steel Wire Rope Products: • • • • • • •
Double drum winder ropes Koepe / Friction winder ropes Shaft sinking ropes Mine hoist ropes Scraper and haulage ropes Dragline and hoist- and drag-ropes Face shovel ropes
Scaw has produced these products for the mining industry since 1921 and is a technological leader in this field and manufactures to national and international standards.
Chain Products:
Scaw provides a full range of customer support services. A team of qualified engineers with extensive experience in all aspects of steel wire ropes, chain and cast products are available to advise on the selection, handling, installation and maintenance of products as well as provide on-site inspection of products and equipment.
• Round link welded chain and chain fittings in grades 3 to grade 8 to national and international standards.
Scaw supplies globally and also offers nationwide distribution in South Africa through its strategically located branches throughout the country.
Cast Products: • • • • • •
Mantles and bowl liners Mill liners Rope sockets Track shoes Dragline parts Ground engaging tools (GET)
Website: www.scaw.co.za
Haggie® Steel Wire Rope:
Tel: +27 11 620-0000
Chain Products:
Tel: +27 16 428-6000
• Fax: +27 16 428-1212 / 1089
Eclipse East Foundry:
Tel: +27 11 747-5000
• Fax: +27 11 421-4943
Cast Products:
Tel: +27 11 749-3600 (GET)
• Tel: +27 11 842-9303 (Other)
Fax:+27 11 421-8032 (GET)
• Fax: +27 11 842-9710 (Other)
• Fax: +27 11 620-0009
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