EXPERIENCE IT
  OPPORTUNITIES IN RESIDENCY, COMPETITIONS & EXHBITION OPPORTUNITIES

• Call for applications for position of trainee curator of contemporary art at SANG... (read more)

• The Caribbean Contemporary Arts invites artists to apply for International Residency... (read more)

• Triangle France (Marseilles) calls for applications for a 3-6 month residency... (read more)

• The Kansas City Artists Coalition invites artists to participate in an international exchange... (read more)

• Call for applications for an artist/curator residency programme in New Zealand... (read more)

• FOSAJ invites artists to apply for an international residency in Haiti... (read more)

• SASOL New Signatures invites artists to submit work... (read more)

• Exhibition opportunities in Barcelona, Spain... (read more)

• CAPE 2006 launches Multimediations, a free course on contemporary African art... (read more)

• Call for applications for position of Director of AVA gallery... (read more)

DIARISE IT

• AFRICOM hosts 2nd conference, Intangible Heritage: African Museums & Living Cultures’... (read more)

EDITOR’S LETTER

This issue marks TAG’s fifth month in circulation and a great achievement it has been. Thank you to our readers, it has proved that there is still room for another kind of art newsletter.

June finds the atmosphere at Greatmore Studios electric, with all the artists and our staff in the office busy running around trying to meet deadlines. From putting final touches to the collaborative exhibition of visiting artists, ‘The Journey of 4’ at the end of the month, to wrapping up of personal projects, the cold and wet weather is not slowing any of our artists down! Through this month’s read I hope the energy and life at Greatmore will spark some inspiration in you, to go out there and just do what you do best.

Once again if you have any comments on the contents or articles featured in this newsletter please don’t hesitate to contact the team at tagnews@gmail.com. TAG apologises to all concerned readers about the absence of images in this and following issues. A democratic decision was made at the end of last month at a regional Triangle Arts Trust meeting to remove all images from electronic newsletters as some artists are unable to download large mail. The team at TAG will remain committed, however, to providing a newsletter that is as rich and full as ever. Enjoy!

   
TAMBU LAVERNE SIBANDA
 Editor in Chief

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to tagnews@gmail.com & you will be kindly added/removed from our mailing list.

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NEW & NEXT @ GREATMORE STUDIO

The Journey of 4

Friday, June 23, 2006 (17h00 to 19h00), marks the opening of a colourful celebration of four artists’ narration of their individual journeys, in a three day exhibition at Greatmore Studios, Woodstock. The exhibition entitled, The Journey of 4 will exhibit works by Capetonian artist Xolelani Pat Matshikiza, Avhashoni Mainganye from Limpopo Province, Yeul Byung Lee from Korea and Gabriel Rueda Pacheco a New York resident boasting Puerto Rican heritage. The works will range from sculpture to paintings in acrylic and watercolour.  This exhibition is sponsored by The National Lottery Trust Fund and Hivos.

The exhibition opens at 5pm to 7pm. The visiting artists' studios will remain open to the public during the weekend from 12-3pm. For more information contact Celina on (021) 447 9699.

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Arrivals. Departures: 2 minutes with Paula

TAG extends a warm welcome to two new faces at Greatmore Studios, Mambakwedza H. Mutasa aka ‘Mamba’, a visiting sculptor from Zimbabwe whose residency was kindly sponsored by Pro Helvetia, and Michaela who is serving a two month internship in our administration sector.

Michaela Müller is currently a student at Fachhochschule, a tertiary institution in Germany whose concentration is in business administration. Commenting on why she came to Greatmore, she makes reference to a deep passion for painting that she cultivated in her youth .Of particular interest to Michaela at present is the “relationship between the office and the artist”, she says. Since her arrival, Michaela has been working closely under Jill Trappler and André Barnard, providing the visiting artists with logistical assistance for their collaborative exhibition, The Journey of 4 due to open this month.” Since arriving at Greatmore Studios, I have learnt the different ways things are done in Africa,” she says.

Mamba our new artist on the block, is a seasoned sculptor, whose pieces were recently exhibited at Dak’Art 2006. He arrived at Greatmore Studios wanting to expand his skills as a sculptor, receive inspiration and hopefully inspire others. ”Artistic exchange,” Mamba comments, “keeps the fire burning!”

“Artistic exchange...keeps the fire burning!” -Mamba

For every action there is an opposite reaction. June also marks the departure of one of our resident artists, Paula Reissig, who has completed a five month residency at Greatmore Studios. TAG spoke to her about her experiences.

Departures: 2 minutes with Paula Reissig

TAG: Tell us a little about your first group exhibition at Artscape earlier this year.
Paula: It was a very personal piece, my first exhibition ever!! It was entitled White girl eating all the grapes, and basically was a series of photographs mounted on a circular mobile. I concerned myself with the notion of ‘white privilege’, a concept that I was made aware of when I came to South Africa. Prejudice and racism is very real here.
TAG: What informs your work as an artist?
Paula: I want my art to be deep. I like to work with ideas, text and philosophies. I want my work to be a response to the world around me.
TAG: What are you taking away with you from your experiences at Greatmore Studios?
Paula: I had an opportunity to get a good look at the life of an artist- an experience that I would never have had otherwise. I don’t think I am an artist. I have realised other things concern me. I would like to explore film, music and cultural studies in the future...I also learnt a lot about being focused and serious about the work I do from some of the older artists.

From TAG, we would like to wish you all the best Paula in your future endeavours and studies. Bon voyage!

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The legacy of Rorke's Drift

Although recognised as a strong influence in the training of black artists in South Africa during the apartheid era, scholarship on art emerging from Rorke's Drift it is still very thin. Greatmore Studios is proud this month to highlight the work and efforts of two Rorke’s Drift alumnae, Velile Soha and Avhashoni Mainganye who are currently artists working at the studios. These two men who have received numerous accolades both locally and abroad, share with TAG a few of their thoughts on art making and their recent projects.

TAG: Avhashoni, you are originally from Tshivhasa, Venda in the Limpopo Province. You were part of the last generation to graduate from Rorke’s Drift. Tell us a little about your experiences there.
Avhashoni: I was at Rorke’s Drift from ’81 to ’82, where I was taught printmaking, linocut, water colour painting and sculpture. My years there really formed a firm base for my present work. I studied together with Velile. We started together and finished together! I enjoyed most the critiques we used to have.
TAG: Many graduated from Rorke’s Drift. What has made you different?
A: I always believe in trying something different - breaking the mould. Challenge ceases when we work in the same way. At Rorke’s Drift we were encouraged to work from our imagination. A lot of my work is birthed from life references. I have always been very interested in landscape. Presently I am working on a few landscapes using water colour, a medium I find very sensitive.
TAG: Why does printmaking form a large part of your medium?
A: It was the medium of the place. It was cheap and easy to use.
TAG: Past profiles have called you a ‘poet, a photographer, a painter, a printmaker and sculptor! What don’t you do! Tell us a little about you poetic dimension to your art.
A: I paint poetry. My paintings, many have said, are very poetic. I do have a lot of written poems that still are unpublished.
TAG: And your passion for photography?
A: I love documenting the events in my world. I am currently compiling work for a photo essay called ‘I was there’.  I often carry my camera to the most obscure areas and events. To see how a Venda man managed to capture events as they were happening in Cape Town is a mystery for many!

TAG: What strikes people most about you, is your incredible humility despite the obvious depth of insight you possess. You are well traveled the world over. Why do you feel you have to teach?
 A: Teaching comes naturally to me. Prior to my time here at Greatmore Studios, I had been teaching a group of students in formal/informal classes during the week. I also have a vibrant Saturday class .Teaching gives me an opportunity to reflect on my own work and skills. The students are such a great source of inspiration to me.
TAG: Where to from now? What are your thoughts on the upcoming Thupelo workshop?
A: Art like life is a journey .I am not so certain of the destination .Where there is a vacuum, I will fill it. One must continue expanding one’s artistic network. About the Thupelo workshop at Rorke’s Drift later this year, there is a very strong feeling about it. 

Readers can view Avhashoni’s latest work in an upcoming exhibition at Greatmore Studios entitled the ‘The Journey of 4”

TAG caught up with Velile Soha, one of Greatmore Studios’ committee members and a resident artist, hard at work…

Velile: The technique I am using, I was taught at Rorke’s Drift .I am using linocut ‘reduction cards’ for a series of commissioned work. At Rorke’s Drift I was taught sculpture, art history, printmaking techniques. We were strongly encouraged to use our imagination.
TAG: It is known that you describe yourself as a ‘realistic’ artist. What do you mean?
Velile: I like to depict real life in my work. There are a lot of references to rural life; my life in King Williams Town where I am from. I grew up with two brothers who were musicians and a mother who used to sing. I taught myself to play the piano .The vibrancy and energy of music and the life it gives finds strong reference in my work.
TAG: You are man always known to be teaching? Tell us a little more about this.
Velile: I love workshops because as much as I am teaching, I learn so much from the students. I currently have a workshop that I oversea in Langa .I enjoy teaching the students about creativity.
TAG: You are one of the veterans at Greatmore Studios. What do you feel you contribute to the fabric of art making here?
Velile: Greatmore Studios is important because it inspires young artists. I hope that my longevity in the practice inspires the young ones not to give up.

A Thupelo workshop, with alumnae from Rorke's Drift, will kick off in November 2006, coordinated by Tami Jali, in partnership with the Rorke’s Drift Fine Art Centre. Stay posted to the newsletter in future months for further details.

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A man on the move

Greatmore Studios is a space rich in artistic talent, and has been home to some of South Africa’s strongest emerging artists. In this June issue, TAG takes some time with resident artist Madi Phala and mines his thoughts on art-making, exchange with other artists in the space and his current unquenchable passion for his work.

TAG: How are artists in your mind’s eye changing?
Madi: We are learning that this is a business - we have been forced to be highly professional, work with appointments and keep time.
TAG: Tell us a little about your own work…your own developments over the last couple of years.
Madi: I trained as a teacher in Jo'burg and worked for 10 years, then I went into business as a shopkeeper! During my years as a teacher I started a project at my house teaching young kids art after school. I always loved art because it related to me in a very real and special way. It is so personal. I moved to Cape Town from Jo'burg in 2004 and I have been able to invest a lot of time in my personal work. I can say my work has really become a part of me. I am on a journey that opens up with each day. There is often no plan. I enjoy humor and my work encourages that. I want people to have a dialogue with my paintings; I want my paintings to open up conversation between me and the viewer. I love telling people stories!
TAG: You are obsessed with your work, what do you mean?
Madi: I can’t stop painting! It is highly therapeutic ...there is so much locked away in the human psyche and somehow painting helps to unravel this. I spend 7 days a week in my studio. I am always sketching in the train, in bed. I am obsessed with my paintings!
TAG: Tell us a little about your experiences at Greatmore Studios
Madi: I am enjoying the freedom I have at Greatmore. I am a very open person and I have been able to make so many friends with artists from the country and abroad.
TAG: Where do you see yourself in the next couple of years?
Madi: There is a definite need to raise role models in the arts. I want to develop people, in the arts, fashion industry, drive them to a certain level of independence. I am secure enough to know that being an artist who travels all over the world is not everything .I have been there, done that. At my age, I am hoping to build a legacy that goes beyond myself in my own country. I hope to go where others have not ventured. I would like in the future to continue venturing in fields others have not dared to go!

Madi Phala is a regal man, who exudes a strong feeling that he is relaxed and confident in his own skin. He is an artist whose buoyant gait and vibrant coloured shirts brighten any dull day! Mr. Phala has been at Greatmore Studios for the past 3 years as a resident artist and is  currently working on a group exhibition initiated by Renault South Africa due to open in Johannesburg early July.

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Making the connection

Jill Trappler one of Greatmore Studio’s most active committee members speaks about an upcoming collaboration between local artists from Durban and Greatmore Studios

“A regional workshop is in the pipeline in August with a few artists from Greatmore joining up with fifteen to twenty Durban artists at African Art Centre. Yvette Dunn will oversee the project with a committee working alongside her. The workshop will be the foundation for an International workshop at Rorkes Drift in November 2006 and in Venda in 2007”

A second collaboration with the Matsikama district and Greatmore Studios will see a workshop in September on the north west coast of the Western Cape.  Watch this  space...

Artists lead a youth workshop in Khayelitsha

June 16, 2006 marks Youth Day, and a team of both visiting and resident artists from Greatmore Studios will spend the day in Khayelitsha with youth between the ages of 17 and 19 watching a play called Journey and Home. Following this a series of workshop will emerge on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June 2006 led by the artists that will hopefully reflect the themes brought up during the play. Visiting artist, Gabriel Rueda Pacheco, comments that “These kids never had visual art teaching in the past-it has always been poorly acknowledged.” The workshops will be very loose and fluid and hope to expose the youth to a few art techniques and skills through which they can find expression in the future.

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IN THE LOOP...BEYOND GREATMORE

The lowdown on family affairs

TAG managed to catch-up with Jill Trappler, a TAG board member, for the lowdown about her recent trip to our sister studio Bag Factory in Johannesburg. Commenting on how other studios are progressing regionally, Trappler says that,

“The network is buzzing and we need to keep the artists moving and interacting”.-Jill Trappler

So here are a few new developments in our greater family to keep you in the mix!

• Sam Nhlengethwa and Pat Mautloa were recently elected co-directors at the Bag Factory in Johannesburg.

• Tulipamwe in Namibia is being re-launched and will be up and running soon. Visit http://allafrica.com/stories/200605190666.html for more details.

• Thapong in Botswana has launched an exciting visiting artist program

• BataPata in Zimbabwe is still in the process of securing a home base. Despite instablility and an economic crisis in the country, the project is doing very well and efforts are being made to secure computers to enhance their networking capacity.

• The Kuona Trust’s landscape workshop in Kenya, which encouraged artists to create work from naturally found materials in Ngong Forest Sanctuary, was a huge success. For  more details visit http://www.kuonatrust.org/readMore.aspx?#3

Trappler returned to Greatmore Studios effervescent, full of energy and determined to foster more projects and engaging exhibitions with the artists. Watch this space!

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Improvisation workshops

On 27th June 2006 Garth Erasmus, a committee member on the board of Thupelo Cape Town, brings to a close a 3 week workshop with selected high schools at the White Space Gallery in Axminister, England. Erasmus’ workshops entitled Improvisation couple teachings on music and art-making.

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 EXPERIENCE IT

OPPORTUNITIES IN RESIDENCY, COMPETITIONS & EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES