News Bytes
- habitatJAM
- Mahlatini Party
- Kuoana Trust Launch New Website
- VANSA's national conference

Artist News and Exhibitions
- Visiting Artists: Jean Christophe Lanquetin (France)
                          Fred Koenig (France)
                          and Claudia Wegener (UK)

November/December

It is always exciting to see new cultural initiatives and this December the South African contemporary art world turned its gaze upon Cape Town for Sessions eKAPA the preliminary talks for mega art event CAPE. The event is a confident and industrious project but one that is fraught with multiple conceptual problems as was seen at some of the chaired events. Poet, Lesego Rampolokeng summed up what on many accounts was a total 'intellectual?' bun fight in his speech at the session entitled Messy States of the Art: Transgressing the Boundaries of Art Practice and Activism by saying that 'we don't have a culture of criticism, just a tradition of bitching' and it is probably because of this fact that the organizers have tried so hard to validate their motives in making this event happen.

Sessions eKAPA sets up a wonderful platform for debate as it seeks to question art making practices in Africa. It is in the spirit of this debate that I am critiquing their motivations and vision and I do not wish to discourage what has obviously taken a lot of time and energy to realise. By expressing concerns, I wish to extend the discussion beyond the event itself and encourage arts practitioners who were unaware of, or unable to attend the Sessions to enter into the debate.

The planned strategy for CAPE is this first series of talks entitled Sessions followed by what is referred to as the Manifestation - the practical art event itself which will be implemented in September next year. For me, there is something highly problematic in discussing a theory and then having a practical manifestation of the theory in the form of visual or performing art. This order of things renders the practical a mere illustration of the theory rather like a text book diagram. Is a picture not worth a thousand words? Should we not then be concentrating on making that picture instead of spelling out each one of those thousand words and then arguing which words are appropriate and who is allowed to use them? The website for CAPE is www.capeafrica.org. Please visit this site to view further details of the project.

One City to rule them all, One City to find them, One City to bring them all and in the darkness bind them?

CAPE challenges the centre-first, fly-in-fly-out formula of the international biennale system by creating an African-based platform to explore the multi-layered diversity of art and culture on the continent.http://www.capeafrica.org/about_overview.html

CAPE situates itself in Cape Town, South Africa. One city and one city only. One centre for all events. At the first public meeting of Sessions, the question was asked: Why Cape Town? Cape Town is often derided as not being an 'African' city and so it was a question that instantly popped up when CAPE proposed to examine an African context. At various junctures on its website CAPE tries a little too hard perhaps to explain how and why Cape Town is an 'African' city. The concept of an 'African' city is something that can be debated at length without any finite definition. Cape Town is situated at the tip of the African continent and so, geographically at least, it is indeed African.

By using the local as a microscope on the global, CAPE embraces the complexities of an African identity based on roots and routes; one which finds itself along the routes of exile, diaspora, creolisation and hybridity, while never losing the roots of its claims to home and belonging. http://www.capeafrica.org/sessions_vision.html

The issue here, I feel, is rather the statement that the platform for the event is African. I am unsure how this platform of discussion is uniquely African (geography aside) nor do I see how it is possible for one city, any city, to be a synecdocal representation of an entire continent when it comes to examining identity. To examine the art practices of the whole continent in one city is to assume there is some kind of homogeneity in African arts practice that can be examined in one geographical space and whilst there are similarities in the constraints that practitioners on this continent experience, we need to dig a little deeper than the overused terms 'exile, diaspora, creolisation and hybridity.'

The rapid acceleration of globalism, the rise and rise of the international biennale system and the subsequent increase in international exhibitions and conferences of African contemporary art have all turned the global eye onto Africa while, ironically, drawing the African gaze increasingly towards the global. http://www.capeafrica.org/about_history.html

In response to the question posed at the first public meeting Why Cape Town? CAPE CEO Susan Glanville-Zini stated that it was important to observe where the project came from "CAPE didn't come out of an arts base but rather out of a tourism base." This in itself is problematic. Tourism is in essence advertising and advertising always presents what the customer wants in order to sell the product. Is this then not a high-brow capitulation to the vision that the international contemporary art world has of a so-called African contemporary arts practice? That we should be all consumed in an intellectual examination of our 'African' identity and that there is a set definition of this term 'African'?

What's in a name?

The first statement CAPE makes about this mega art event is that it is not a biennale and by so doing immediately set itself up in comparison with such events. As a large scale art event it is inevitable that such a comparison would be made, but by positioning the project in opposition to a biennale, attention is drawn to the similarities rather than the differences. To confuse matters even further, all other references in the media including the press release announcing the appointment of Gavin Jantjes as art director CAPE is referred to as a biennale. So which is it?

Why should we 'relocate' anything? Because perhaps, even in the face of globalisation and the international art circuit, we can reorient the gaze, relocate our selves, without moving from where we are. http://www.capeafrica.org/sessions_brief.html

"Mzantsi: (Re)Locating Contemporary African Art" is the subtitle for Sessions and the website enters into a long explanation of the use of the word Mzantsi. The use of a South African word and the very naming of the event CAPE, locates it in the Cape Town context.

"The idea is to post the question of Cape Town as a city that isn't an African city and to think through those ideas without being deterministic about what the answers to the questions are," was Sessions Coordinator, Julian Jonker's response to Why Cape Town? Board of Director member Mokena Makeka added: "Cape Town was the Mother City and at the centre of the birth of colonialism, it therefore presents an opportunity to convert those negative connotations to the city into an opportunity for discussion."http://www.capeafrica.org/blog.html#publicmeeting

Both these statements bring up interesting motivations for a large scale art event in Cape Town. There is so much in one city to examine, to discuss, why is it that they felt the need to extend this debate to include all African art practice especially when what is being discussed is issues of identity and history (which are unique to smaller groups and spaces) rather than economic constraints (something which all African and developing world contexts experience)?

That other city.

Using Cape Town, South Africa as its vantage point, CAPE views these cultural, political and theoretical shifts as an opportunity to challenge the balance of power within the contemporary art world superstructure. http://www.capeafrica.org/about_history.html

For a long time there has been a push-pull relationship between Cape Town and Johannesburg in a struggle to claim dominance as the Contemporary Art centre of power in South Africa. For the moment it would seem that Cape Town is winning this contest as the city is home to both of the country's major contemporary arts publications: art south africa and the website artthrob and he who controls the media….. Of late both these publications have given limited coverage of events in Johannesburg and the Spring edition of art south africa ran a myopic two page story on Johannesburg entitled JOHANNESBURG, THE OTHER GREATEST CITY which completely failed to engage with many of the difficulties presented by the current regeneration in the inner city. And so a mega-exhibition in Cape Town reaffirms rather than challenges the current imbalance of power within local contemporary arts.

In revisiting CAPE's ardent claim that it is not a Biennale one needs to consider this power struggle as it is not simple the Eurocentric understanding of a Biennale from which CAPE wishes to distance itself. It positions itself in contrast to this mega exhibition model for fear of being seen as a reinvention of the discontinued Johannesburg Biennale.

"…take a step back and ask how a context like Cape Town can look at the challenges that came out of the Joburg Biennale and how can we make a mega-exhibition differently. And I think what's exciting about Cape Town is that it has got this incredible diversity of communities that allows this idea of routes to evolve." - Susan Glanville-Zini; first public meeting of Sessions eKAPA. http://www.capeafrica.org/blog.html#publicmeeting

Please see the artthrob article for an interview from 1999 A third Johannesburg biennale, yes or no? In this interview with a few art world people connected with the last biennale in 1997 the general feeling, though at times critical, is generally positive toward a continuation of the event. http://www.artthrob.co.za/99oct/news.html#3joburg

The potentially perceived failure of the Johannesburg biennale was the result of many factors yet its subsequent discontinuation was more likely relate to pressures outside of the contemporary art world. The positioning of the exhibition in Newtown, at that point perceived to be dangerous by many, discouraged many visitors from attending the exhibitions.

Any similar event in another city can not possibly hope to engage these kinds of pressures which were present in Johannesburg in 1997. And whilst Cape Town is also a city of diverse cultures, I would argue that currently - in the South African context at least - Johannesburg has a far greater diversity. The large immigrant population in parts of the inner city, Hillbrow, Yeoville, Bertrams - many of them illegal - reflects a much more resent sense of routes than the historic colonialism of Cape Town. This is not to say that such concepts are not also evident in Cape Town but in setting up a contrast or attempting to validate a choice of this city for an 'African' event CAPE are suggesting that CT is unique in this diversity.

African Art practice… the real problems?

The practice of contemporary art in South Africa has constantly been dogged by politics both historically and at the present time. Our complex and traumatic past is something with which, in many spheres, we as South Africans are still trying to come to terms. Unfortunately, this status quo leads arts practitioners to constantly feel the need to justify what they are speaking about or the context from which they speak. Art in essence is an opinion and a constant need to justify or apologize for one's opinion renders many artists voiceless as they would rather be quiet than cause unintended offence.

Sessions eKAPA concentrated heavily on issues of identity and many of the speakers at these conferences spoke about justifying 'whiteness' or justifying 'blackness.' Both these terms are as indefinable as a search for a finite Africaness. We need to accept these terms as the gross generalizations that they are and try move past them - not so that we should forget them but rather that we refuse to allow unsolvable issues of identity to be so all consuming that they cripple production altogether.

The inequalities of the developing context - a lack of funding and education - are far wider reaching on the African continent (and elsewhere) than any generalized concept of identity can be, yet CAPE does not grapple with this. An expensive entry fee to the conferences and the positioning of the event in a highly tourist based (and therefore expensive) city does a lot to exclude art practitioners from elsewhere in Africa.

In conclusion, large scale art events based in African cities are important for 'relocating' art making on the continent but it is ludicrous to imagine one can create a platform for this kind of event which is uniquely African. We are operating in a globalised world whether we like it or not and we need to concentrate on the factors that make this playing field uneven rather than trying to reinvent a game and a playing field that looks very much like the old one and calling it a different name.

A culture of debate allows new and interesting ideas to emerge provided the debate is forward moving and not regressive or stagnant or simply missing the point. Cape Town is an interesting space and I hope that the coming CAPE Manifestations will explore this rich and contentious space. It is this chosen city and not a search for a finite African identity or a long winded intellectualized apology or justification that should be the focus of CAPE. More exhibitions mean more exposure and no arts practitioners can disagree with that.

Do you have a submission for our newsletter or a topic you would like to suggest for an informal discussion session at the Bag Factory?

Please mail comments and suggestions to rat@bagfactoryart.org.za. We welcome your feedback.

This online debate, in English, French and Spanish, saw contributions from many developing world countries including places in Columbia and Brazil where youth centres set up chat rooms so that the youth of various slum areas could contribute to the JAM. The habitatJAM ran for 72 hrs from the 1st to the 4th of December and illustrated a very exciting way in which people from distant and disadvantaged communities can also be given a voice to contribute to online debate.

World Press Photo contest 2006
World Press Photo is currently accepting entries for its 2006 contest. To download a copy of the rules, guidelines and entry form in pdf format please visit their website at www.worldpressphoto.com. The information is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. For any comments, questions or suggestions, please contact contest@worldpressphoto.nl

Triangle Artists' Workshop Invites Applications
Applications for the Triangle Artists' Workshop Programme (scheduled for October 2006) are now being accepted. The intense two week studio session for an international group of 25 - 30 professional visual artists will take place in Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York, USA. The workshop culminates in an Open Studio exhibition, free and open to the general public. During the workshop, artists will receive organised studio visits from critics, writers and curators, and two organised panel discussions.
Applicant must be a professional artist and not be enrolled in any degree programmes. Artist's media may include painting, sculpture, digital art, mixed media, photography, and film and video. Applicants must be 18 years or older.
For more information on application:
Email: info@triangleworkshop.org or visit www.triangleworkshop.org
Deadline: 13 January 2006
Triangle Artists' Workshop
Triangle Arts Association,
20 Jay Street,
Suite 318,
Brooklyn,
NY 11201
USA