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News Bytes
- Outsiders Exhibition
- Visiting Swiss Artists
- Insaka Launch Newsletter
Exhibitions
- Paul Emmanuel Solo Exhibition
- David Koloane and Madi Phala:
Solo Exhibitions at the AVA
- Crossing Borders: Zenzele Chulu, Jesus
Macarena-Avila and Mathius Nyaungwa
Workshops, Outreach and Community Projects
- Informal Discussion at the Bag Factory.
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Artist News
- Arrival Of New Residency Artists
- Afronova Art Gallery Now Open in Newtown.
- Gallery in Walter Sisulu Square
Opportunities
- Melville Peepshow
- The Philip L. Ravenhill Fellowship
- Call for Residency Applications at Gasworks
- Calls For Submissions: Anima 2006, Brussels
Mixed Bag
Call for Newsletter Submissions
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September/October
It is interesting, when one's mind is focused to a specific area of
interest or way of seeing, how so many things seem to slot into that
theme. This month my attention was focused on Power and the Individual.
Firstly, in September, Art South Africa launched its Spring edition which
included an article entitled The Power Game: Art South Africa Discusses
Power and Influence in South African Art. This article divides these
perceived spaces of power into the following sections Gallerists;
Artists; Curators; Theorists & Writers; Patrons and Governance.
Under these sections are listed various undoubtedly prominent
individuals. I find it interesting to note, however, that these lists are
made up of individuals rather than groups, networks, institutions,
competitions or publications. Artist Nathaniel Stern remarked on his
website:
I can't decide whether I find it amusing or enraging that in art |
south africa's big issue on "power and influence," they've
almost completely written themselves out.
www.nathanielstern.com
11 September 2005
Curious also because Art South Africa editor Sean O'Toole remarked on the
jhbLive website, and in my mind more perceptively that:
I have often suggested that the art world is best understood by
comparing it to the Olympics logo; it is a number of discrete yet
intersecting communities, some of which overlap, some not. Those closer
to the middle enjoy more crossover (and hence power) than those on the
edge.'
www.jhblive.co.za Interview with Sean O'Toole
In the past year the local art scene has shown a bias toward the
modernist concept of artist as individual genius with Johannesburg Art
Gallery hosting three major retrospective shows Dumile Feni; William
Kentridge and David Goldblatt. Art South Africa also ran an article on
Goldblatt and he and Kentridge both had solo shows this year at the
Goodman Gallery.
www.goodman-gallery.com/frame1.html
The month then ended with the violent and tragic death of mining magnet
and art patron Brett Kebble. Brett Kebble was no doubt a generous funder
and many an opportunity was made available to disadvantaged artists
through his patronage of the Kebble Awards. The question on everyone's
minds then was would the awards go ahead. The one man individual funder
is seen as the awards.
Tribute articles on
www.artthrob.co.za
Official Kebble
Award site
Yet The Kebble awards is in some ways the South African art world's
answer to reality TV's Pop Idols (they even have their own Simon Cowell
in the shape of Jeff Koons this year.) Whilst the actual show provides a
platform for various artists, the press, documentation and hype following
the overall final winner is like Highlander - there can be only one (or
two or three should the judges be undecided again.)
It seems that this is a time when the super star individual is the focus
in all fields of art making.
This power debate leads me to examine the Bag Factory's role in the
larger art game and the important role it plays in offering opportunities
for multiple artists, not only through residency programmes for
non-Johannesburg based artists, but also outreach workshops; education
programmes and discussion forums. We have the capability if not the
responsibility to provide a greater platform but we can only do this
through the strength of our network - both locally and abroad. For this
reason we continuously welcome new people to the network so that we can
maintain a space of fresh ideas and a platform of support to various
kinds of practitioners in a greater art world.
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.
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News Bytes
Outsiders Exhibition
Outsiders, the residency artists' exhibition by Indian artist Vibha
Galhotra Barbadians, Ras Ishi Butcher and Ras Akyem-I Akin-Yemi Ramsay
and an exhibit of the proposals by British outfit Public Works, opened at
the Bag Factory on the 7th September.
Unfortunately, as the show was opening, a massive power failure plunged
the Bag Factory and surrounding suburbs into darkness. The blackout was
quite far reaching and encompassed much of the east side of the city
which possibly deterred many visitors from attending the exhibition.
However a medium sized group of people gathered around the brazier in the
street outside to hear introductions and a few words from the artists.
Later, an intimate group lit by a solitary candle formed around the
artists as they led an impromptu walkabout of their work. Whilst
inconvenient, the blackout was a unique experience and attendees had the
benefit of the walkabout which may not have happened had there been
power.
The show was reopened on the Friday in conjunction with a presentation by
visiting Swiss artists.
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Visiting Swiss Artists
On the 9th September, two visiting Swiss artists, Anna Geering & Jo
Dunkel presented their video artwork 'couple files' at the Bag Factory.
Geering and Dunkel have been in Johannesburg for three months and have
now moved on to Cape Town.
Whilst in Johannesburg they made a new series of works entitled urban-suburban-rural-tourist
which involved members of the community of Kliptown. As a prelude to
their new Johannesburg work, which they presented at the Drill Hall on
the 16th of September, they presented their European project 'couple
files.'
For this project they offered the brief : 'Provide us with a task,
an idea or a dramatic situation for a couple.' They bought 5 instructions
from different artists the result was this collaboration is a series of
five short films. The evening screening was well attended by a diverse
range of people and the film shorts were well received as was the
subsequent presentation of urban-suburban-rural-tourist the
following week at the Drill Hall.
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Insaka Launch Newsletter
In September Insaka, Zambia launched its first artists' email newsletter
- ARTimes. Congratulations to Zenzele Chulu who compiled the letter which
features brief articles of local interest as well as Zambian Artists'
activities abroad. To receive a copy of the newsletter by email contact insakartist@yahoo.com
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Exhibitions
Paul Emmanuel Solo Exhibition
Award winning printmaker and Bag Factory artist Paul Emmanuel mounts his
fourth solo show at Gallery Hall, Villa Arcadia, Hollard House, Parktown,
Johannesburg.
This solo exhibition - the first in the executive head offices of Hollard
Insurance Company and the newly refurbished Villa Arcadia - introduces
Emmanuel's ouevre to a broad corporate audience.
A recent major work of Emmanuel's career - the monumental after-image -
an original drawing (dimension 2 m x 4,8 m ), incised into exposed colour
photographic paper was acquired as one of the first pieces of the
prestigious new Hollard collection. In this magnificent work, hung in the
executive lounge at Villa Arcadia, Emmanuel explores the politics of
South African militarism, power and patriarchy and their relationship to
the male identity.
Other works on exhibition include his unique handmade artists' book
Cathexis (7yrs in the making) as well as two editioned photographic works
from The Lost Men site specific memorial installation, launched to
acclaim at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in July 2004. An
information video of this installation project will be on view.
The exhibition is open to visitors and the public until mid January 2006.
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David Koloane and Madi Phala: Solo Exhibitions at the AVA
At the beginning of this month David Koloane and recent visiting artist
to the Bag Factory, Madi Phala, exhibited new solo shows at the
Association For Visual Arts (AVA), in Cape Town. Koloane exhibited
paintings, drawings and watercolours, while upstairs, Madi Phala
presented new works in mixed media and collage entitled Herdbooyz.
Both exhibitions run until Saturday, 22 October at noon.
David Koloane's exhibition is funded by the National Lottery Distribution
Trust Fund.
Enquiries: Tel: 021 424 7436,
Fax 021 423 2637,
Email > avaart@iafrica.com
Website> www.ava.co.za
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Crossing Borders: Zenzele Chulu, Jesus Macarena-Avila and Mathius
Nyaungwa
Zambian artist Zenzele Chulu from Insaka recently exhibited with Jesus
Macarena-Avila (USA) and Mathius Nyaungwa (Zimbabwe) at the Spaza Art
gallery in Troyeville.
Each artist presented works on paper and/or sculptures exploring borders
within their chosen themes of ancestry, ancient cities, human
relationships and landscapes. Chulu's series of drawings entitled,
"Afrotechnography" centred on the investigation of the ancient
structures of African cities and Macarena-Avila's new series entitled:
"Kavuluvulu" depicts the Zambian landscape and were created
during at the 2005 Insaka International Artist Workshop in Lusaka,
Zambia.
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Workshops, Outreach and Community Projects
Informal discussion at the Bag Factory
In an effort to extend our network of debate and feedback within the
local art community the Bag Factory hosted a small informal discussion
group on the 23rd of September. Various prominent members of the local
art community as well as foreign visiting artists were invited to attend
this session.
Through these discussion groups, the Bag Factory hopes to be able to
provide a much needed platform for informal debate and for the
introduction and exchange of ideas and new concepts in contemporary art
practice.
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Artist News
Arrival Of New Residency Artists
This month we welcome a new group of artists to the Bag Factory. Frenchman
Fred Koenig who works diversely in photography, video and performance (www.fredkoenig.com)
and Claudia Wegener, a sound artist based in London have already joined
us while J-Christof Laquetin, also from France will join us this week.
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Afronova Art Gallery Now Open in Newtown.
Afronova, a new Pan African gallery for modern and contemporary art
created by Billie Zangewa together with Henri Vergon has opened in
Newtown. Located in the Market Theatre Precinct, Afronova presents
exhibitions of modern and contemporary art from the African continent and
represent artists. Here one may view a selection of works by South
African and African artists including Samson Mnisi, Robert Hodgins, Cheri
Samba, Billie Zangewa, Wayne Barker, Jackson Hlungwane, Birame Ndiaye,
Gonçalo Mabunda, Nhlanhla Xaba, Gera, Sinclair Beiles, Dinkies Sithole
and others.
The gallery has a specialized bookshop with a catalogue of local and
international publications on the art of the continent. Currently on show
as the first exhibition of the season, are works by Johannesburg artist
Samson Mnisi and Gera Mawi Mazgabu from Addis Ababa.
Read an online interview with Henri Vergon
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Gallery in Walter Sisulu Square
Local art lover, patron and collector, Oupa Morare has acquired a space
which he intends to use as a gallery at the Walter Sisulu Square of
Dedication currently under construction in Kliptown, Soweto. The square
is being erected at the same site where the Freedom Charter was founded
and a small monument has already been constructed opposite Morare's
proposed gallery space. The space is quite challenging as it is narrow
and so Morare invited the Bag Factory Artists to view the space and
advise him in his words 'how to exhibit art works without cluttering'.
Morare hopes to launch the space in November.
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Opportunities
Melville Peepshow
The Melville Peepshow is an evening of cult, underground and unusual
movies hosted on the first Tuesday of every month at the New Melville
theatre Main road Melville. From 7 - 8pm the Peepshow first screens
exclusive short films and documentaries, courtesy of the film club at
Atlas Studios. (daziggy@webmail.co.za
for details)
The main feature follows at 8pm. Entrance is R20 and all proceeds will be
used to benefit the local film industry. This is also an opportunity for
local film makers to show their work.
For more information, contact garth@viruscorporation.co.za
or 083 289 7556.
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The Philip L. Ravenhill Fellowship
As the founder of the West African Museums Programme (1982-87) and Chief
Curator of the National Museum of African Art (1987-97), Philip L.
Ravenhill was a major creative force in the study, collection,
preservation, and exhibition of African art.
The Philip L. Ravenhill Fellowship is awarded to an African art
historian, cultural anthropologist, museum curator, or visual artist. The
Fellowship is intended to give deserving individuals the opportunity to
travel, conduct research, or practice their art in North American or
European museums or educational institutions. Preference is given to
young or mid-career scholars or artists who have not recently had the
opportunity to travel internationally.
Applicants must secure the agreement of a potential host institution in
advance of their application to be considered for the Ravenhill
Fellowship. Such affiliation could also provide the recipient with
matching funds.
Support may be requested for periods of one to three months, and
applications will be funded up to US $7,500. Successful applicants will
have demonstrated accomplishment in research related to or practice of
contemporary or traditional African arts. Fellowship recipients will be
expected to deliver one lecture or give one critique and to make
themselves available to staff, faculty and students at the host
institution.
All applicants must be citizens of an African country, although not
necessarily current resident of Africa. The following materials must be
included in support of the application:
1. Resumé or curriculum vitae.
2. An official letter written by the department head or administrator of
the proposed host institution (museum, art school, college, or
university) confirming approval of the applicant's proposed residency at
that institution.
3. A description of no more than one thousand words clearly explaining
the project to be undertaken and the expected outcomes (e.g. monograph,
chapter, article, exhibition).
4. Three letters of reference from professional employers, mentors, or
colleagues.
5. Projected dates of travel and length of residency.
6. The name, phone number, and email address of a contact person at the
proposed host institution.
7. A detailed budget including travel expenses, living expenses, and
supplies.
8. For visual artists, ten to twenty 35mm slides of recent work, digital
prints, or CD. (jpgs sent via email are not acceptable).
Applications should be sent to Marla C. Berns at the UCLA Fowler Museum of
Cultural History, Box 951549, Los Angeles, California, 90095-1549. All
applications are due by mail by March 31, 2006. Email applications are
not acceptable.
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Call for Residency Applications at Gasworks
Gasworks continue to welcome applications from outside the UK for their
residency programme in 2006 and 2007. The next selection committee meets
mid-October. If you are interested in applying for a three month
residency in London, please visit the Gasworks webpage.
www.gasworks.org.uk
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Mixed Bag
Call for Newsletter Submissions
The Bag Factory would like to report on any opportunities that will
benefit the community of artists that reside in the Johannesburg area.
Please forward any relevant materials to Rat Western at the Bag Factory
at rat@bagfactoryart.org.za
Please note that there will be no compensation for submissions to the Bag
Factory newsletter.
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