April May TAG Newsletter

TAG is a professional visual artists’ newsletter providing a global platform to the artists in residency at Greatmore Studios, Cape Town and also to art practitioners within the network of Triangle Art Trust. As a compliment to a regularly updated Web Site, www.greatmoreart.org TAG provides artists with relevant updates about the studios, artists work and opportunities in the arts arena both locally in Cape Town, on the continent and abroad.

With my torso tightly embalmed in three layers of clothing, and my feet wedged deeply in my winter boots, my mobility has become severely compromised. Could it be the bitter cold or just the ebb and flow of life, that has caused artists at the studios to appear somewhat incubated in their individual projects and seemingly disengaged from each other .Its is a quiet season at Greatmore, admittedly dull at times, and I notice myself often wandering where all the soul of the space has gone to? Notions of ‘cultural exchange and interaction’ that we desperately desire to be fleshed out in the space, appear only that –abstract concepts.

Having worked at Greatmore for the short time I have, I have drawn the conclusion that putting a group of high caliber artists together in one space does not always guarantee the birth of new ideas, innovation and creativity. The magic of Greatmore Studios can only exist when the artists themselves take the courage to move beyond themselves, carving the time from often overscheduled lives to peek into each others cold studios and engage with the next artist, exploring the possibilities of partnership. It takes a great deal of vulnerability and patience to step out of one’s own world, ethnicity, gender and complex background to not only tolerate, but embrace another artist’s thoughts and ideas, to engage them in meaningful conversations.

As for me, in this issue of TAG, I would like to make a public commitment to try and extend myself more as an artist, beginning with attending more gallery openings and viewing current exhibitions across the city, as well as reading more current reviews. Of course it is tempting to stay under the cozy covers of our own lives; for us to grow and mature as artists however, those suffocating covers demand to be pealed away. We need to stop being so incestuous with our own work, and explore the myriad of possibilities all around us, taking the time to contextualise our art practice against other artists locally and internationally. It is necessary to keep our minds open. The winter blues are only a state of mind, let’s refuse to play it safe and just let go of well thought of, contained art practices.

This June, I hope we can be inspired by initiatives like the Positive Project held at Sun City that saw artists of various disciplines extend themselves to collaborate on a project that pulled large sums of money together for disadvantaged children across South Africa. From 28^th June to 7 July 2007 the Grahamstown National Art Festival in a vibrant display of music, film and visual and performing arts, will unite cultural lovers from all corners of the continent in a spirit of friendship and understanding to bring up pertinent issues about the social evils of this nation.

So from the team at TAG, keep warm and be inspired to keep connected and engaged in an art practice bigger than ourselves! If you are feeling isolated take the opportunity of seeking out other like minded artists at www.greatmoreart.org or other similar art networks the world over.

We always welcome your contributions to the content of this newsletter. Please e-mail us your comments at tagnews@gmail.com

#South African art luminary donates generous sum to the artists at Greatmore Studios

This May Greatmore Studios was truly honoured to receive a generous amount of money from a well recognised South African art luminary. The very timely donation will go a long way in serving our mission and community at Greatmore Studios, to ensure that local artists across the country are provided with an opportunity to come to the studios and create work amongst an ever changing pool of international artists. It is most encouraging to know that South African artists, who are succeeding in their individual art careers, are committed to seeding into art initiatives that benefit another generation of artists.

From the depth of our heart we are truly grateful and pledge to use the funds wisely to uplift the artists at Greatmore Studios to a greater level of professionalism. This marks the second time that a South African artist, who having gained international status, has provided seed capital for progressive initiatives at Greatmore Studios. Our hope is that as artists emerge from our studios, more established in their professions, they will assist their fellow artists to progress and advance in the same tradition.

This July Greatmore Studios’ committee member, Jill Trappler, will unveil some of her most well kept work, a retrospective of paintings and drawings accumulated since the late 70’s to the present. The exhibition,opening from 9 July until 20July 2007 at the Orange Street Studios (Gardens Presbyterian Church) forms a visual journey of the artist’s life over the past three decades. Promising to be interactive ,Ms Trappler invites the community to visit the exhibition and engage her in discussion around various approaches and materials that she has used over the years. Commenting on her body of work Trappler said,

“Most of the paintings and mixed media images have been made in Cape Town in the studio at my home. Some pieces are from workshops that I have attended…I would like visitors to the exhibition to look at these images as poems rather than prose, as experiences or places rather than paintings. Images are open, inclusive spaces, they happen in time, as movies and music and reading do. There is no need for technical vocabulary or previous art experience when looking at this work.”

Previously resident at Greatmore Studios for three months in 2006 famed Venda artist Avashoni Mainganye this month was invited to attend the Scottish Triangle Arts Trust 3 Islands Workshop on Tanera Mòr, off the West Coast of Scotland. The two week international workshop afforded Mainganye the opportunity to participate in an experience removed geographically and conceptually from his usual practice in Venda. This particular workshop sits under the umbrella of the Triangle Arts Trust of which Greatmore Studios is also affiliated

Such workshops provide artists with an opportunity to engage in cross-cultural collaboration and exchange as they live, work & create art in a shared, non-structured environment. The participating artists are asked to interact with the local population, initiating educational workshops as well as work towards an open day to showcase their work at the end of the workshop. For further information about projects and workshops initiated by the Triangle Arts Trust visit www.trianglearts.org .

The second of its kind, this year the two week International Forest Workshop hosted by the Kuona Trust(a similar network of artists as Greatmore Studios), looks to invite the Kenyan community to “re-look” the issue of deforestation in the hope of re-igniting a desire to keep these sites healthy and alive. By encouraging Kenyan artists to work alongside international artists, it is hoped all participating artists will be challenged to adopt new approaches and techniques to their artistic practice as they unpack environmental issues. Interested artists are invited to submit an application with six images of most recent work, an updated c.v. and a letter of intent to Michael soi on smichael@kuonatrust.org . Artists are expected to support their own travel to Nairobi and should organise their own medical and travel insurance. Accommodation, food and transport within Nairobi will be provided by organisers of the workshop. The workshop will take place at Ngong Forest Sanctuary in Nairobi from the 24September to the 6 October 2007.Deadline for applications is 15 August 2007.Visit www.kuonatrust.org for more information about more opportunities available at Kuona Trust.

Congratulations are in order to Ben Bekeunya in Uganda for compiling a very informative newsletter entitled Ngomanews that seeks to provide news and information about visual arts in Uganda, the region and beyond. The newsletter hopes to become a major platform for Ugandan art practitioners and the wider Triangle Arts Network of which Greatmore Studios is a part.

The first Ngoma Workshop was initiated in 1997, in a response to a critical need to bring artists together in a greater spirit of cooperation, as well as provide participating Ugandan artists with exposure to the global contemporary art arena. Visit www.artshost.org/ngoma/ for more information on opportunities offered though Ngoma workshops. To keep you up to date with happenings in east Africa subscribe to the newsletter at ngomaart@yahoo.co.uk

Existing as a well kept secret among crafters for some time now, the Fablab (fabrication laboratory) at the Craft and Design Centre for Innovation is quickly becoming a useful resource for visual artists. With a strong emphasis on play, the laboratory provides a well-resourced space for designers and crafters to 'play' and experiment with a collection of machines, software. At present the Fablab has a laser cutter, a plasma cutter, a medulla mini mill in addition to a vinyl cutter. Artists are encouraged to visit the laboratories to be familiarize themselves with the opportunities on offer. A guided tour of all equipment and their appropriate use will be provided. The FabLab is open from 9-5pm, Monday-Friday and from 9-12 on Saturdays. There is no cost to using the lab. For more information about booking a tour of the equipment call Mr. Ntombizanele Donker at 021 460 3982.

The Kansas City Artists' Coalition seeks applications from mature artists who would be keen to participate in an international exchange programme in Kansas, USA. The programme is prepared to fund travel and residency expenses of successful candidates coming from Africa, Asia and South America who have previously never worked in a foreign country. Applications can be downloaded from www.kansascityartistscoalition.org and should be submitted by 15 August 2007 for artists to be considered.

#Association of Visual Arts (AVA) calls for proposals

With the 2010 World cup looming and sport a major priority in many sectors, The Association of Visual Arts (AVA) invites artists working in various media to produce original work that engages different notions of culture through the Ball Sports Exhibition to be curated at the AVA. Interested artists are asked to submit proposals for work to be exhibited to avaart@iafrica.com or post to

8018.

Proposals should include an updated c.v., images of proposed work with the name of artist, title of work, medium, date, and selling price which must include AVA's commission of one third of the selling price. Closing date for submissions is the 15 October 2007.