African time_ on time
3 - 7 December (This show closed early due to a burglary)
Train delayed. Meeting starts an hour late. Electrician tells you your phone will be fixed now now. People nod their heads sagely and say that's African Time.
There is a perception that Africans have a loose relationship with time. So much so that African Time has become a synonym for being late. But is there more to it than that? What if it is Western concepts of timekeeping and timetables that hinder, while African Time frees us from constraints?
In the first resident curatorship at Greatmore Studios, curator Yvette Dunn brings together a dynamic collective of artists to unpick the concept of African Time. What emerges from the exchange is the sense that African Time is the time in between: in between and outside clocks, diaries, calendars, alarms, schedules and the other ways we measure out our days.
John Lennon said life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. African Time represents the space created for the really important things in life - the life that happens to you regardless of the day-to-day routine.
The 13 artists participating in African Time play with elements such as Stop, Rewind and Fast-forward to challenge visitors to the exhibition to step outside the boundaries of linear time-keeping and observe for themselves what happens when they become immersed in African Time.
Exchange between artists is an integral part of the exhibition. South African artists are joined by artists from Scotland, Portugal, Mexico and Germany; each exploring different interpretations of time. Though each artist has a different perspective, the works are united by their willingness to explore the free space both physical and metaphorical - created by African Time.
Greatmore Studios has established the programme of resident curatorships to maximise the potential of its new exhibition space but more, to build on its unique role as a conduit between different sections of the Capetonian art world. The ongoing exhibitions programme will challenge and experiment, with thought-provoking curated exhibitions acting as the starting point for dialogue.
TRILINGUAL
19 - 24 November 2009
From Left to Right: Ana Teresa Fernandez, Linda Shongwe and Portia Zvavahera
TriLingual was an exhilarating exhibition that brought together three artists who participated in Greatmore's three-month visiting artists programme. The artists all reflected on the unique opportunity Greatmore offers for exchanging ideas and experiences.
The artists were:
Ana Teresa Fernandez, from Mexico/San Francisco. Ana's work documents performance through painting. She has also created a site-specific installation based on her Cape Town experience. Ana is inspired by the vibrancy and energy of Greatmore and the beauty of Cape Town.
Linda Shongwe from South Africa. Linda is an artist who works across many media particularly paint and music. He describes his work at Greatmore as two parallels: one building on his existing knowledge, the other experimental. For Linda, Greatmore is somewhere that brings you to a common place. As artists we are all equal.
Portia Zvavahera from Zimbabwe. Portia has created a series of paintings and prints based on her own life experience as well as the dreams she's been having during her residency. Portia speaks of the challenges and the huge benefits of sharing a space with other artists who provide ideas and feedback.
The exhibition opened on 19th November and ran until 24th November.
AN EXHIBITION OF ZIMBABWEAN PRINTS
29 October - 13 November 2009
Greatmore Art Studios, in association with Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions, launched an exhibition of thought-provoking prints by Zimbabwean artists. The exhibition, reflected Greatmore's atmosphere of cooperation, interaction and cultural exchange and showed the connections between 12 artists currently working in Zimbabwe and the arts community in Cape Town. The exhibition has been developed through Greatmore's association with the Triangle Arts Trust, a global organisation that initiates and facilitates an international network of artist-led workshops and residencies.
The 12 artists featured are:
Jonadi Marembe
James Jali
Chikonzero Chazunguza
Gareth Nyandoro
Munyaradzi Mazarire
Togara Nyakapanga
Doris Kampira
Prosper Mutukura
Portia Zvavahera
Fungai Mwale
Semina Mpofu
Virginia Chihota
GCAMAGWINI
1 October - 7 October 2009
A video installation by Maksaens Denis, Greatmore's Visiting Artist from Haiti.
GCAMAGWINI“ is a term of agreement in Xhosa.
The idea for using this title came from a meeting Maksaens Denis had with a Nyanga or as he refers to, a Mambo. Coming from Haiti were Mambo's or traditional healers play an important part of the culture and of everyday life, it was only natural for Maksaens to investigate this practice here in Cape Town.
He describes how at his meeting, she cast small bones, consulted their arrangement, found a solution and ended the prediction with Gcamagwini. There is no direct translation but in effect it means do you accept?
In response the recipient should answer back with Gcamagwini I accept!
Maksaens Denis, a well known contemporary Haitian artist came to Greatmore Studios, Cape Town on a six week residency programme sponsored by Culturesfrance. During his time here he has collected a lot of video footage using small digital video and still cameras. After laborious amounts of time editing and manipulating the imagery, he has constructed pieces of film to form unique and beautiful stories which are then projected and integrated upon powerful sculptures made from bones, metal and old television screens. There is no denying that his aesthetic is both appealing and mesmerizing and his imagery is by no means random. His stories are commentaries of social issues including, cultural belief systems, politics and day to day existence. They are mixed with powerful sculptures to place these issues into a cultural and artistic context. For example, a porcupine TV that speaks about politics.
Maksaens had to say about his work, my installation speaks about reality and spirituality, about life and death. It is perfectly fitting to use both iron and bone to represent these polarities.
Maksaens has been a great addition to the studios and according to a fellow visiting artist, the bringing together of different cultures from different continents has been an eye opening experience as they discovered the similarities in their cultures.
The exhibition was very much enjoyed by all who attended.
Special thanks to Culturefrance, FOKAL, Ministry of Culture in Haiti, Kathy Coates, Linda Shongwe, Gavin and Dinault for helping me find the bones!
Five Seasons
27 August - 2 September 2009
From Left to Right: Khaya Sineyile, Hendrick van Heide, Tess Metcalf
An exhibition of works produced by the Fine Art Mentoring Month
Five emerging artists have worked in a professional studio environment for the past four weeks under the guidance of a variety of mentors and other professionals in the field.
The works displayed in their exhibition were the results of the young artists efforts to engage in a self driven journey.
The mentees received mentorship from the artists of Greatmore, Heidi Erdmann, Kirsty Cockerill, Zhane Warren, Jeanette Unite,
Jill Trappler, Danda Jaroljmek, Willie Bester and Beezy Bailey.
As with other mentoring months, the structure remained fluid allowing the mentees to direct the workshop according to their needs.
The exhibition featured:
Sam Macholo from the Vaal Triangle. Sam's work explores the themes around Witchcraft and Ambiguity and is driven by the desire to face the fears resulting from traumatic experiences since childhood.
Kilford Telcie from Zimbabwe. Inspired by African portraiture painting, Sam incorporates different African tribal styles to reflect the beauty and cultural affinities found throughout the continent.
Tess Metcalf from Cape Town. Drawing subjects who are close to her, Tess uses art to explore the human form, especially the way that hands and faces capture emotion and personality.
Khaya Sineyile is from New Cross Roads and his work is set against a line of people waiting for their bus to arrive who, despite having different backgrounds and destinies, are rendered equal by the activity.
Hendrick van Heide from Wellington likes being realistic because you can't change what is.
This mentoring month was sponsored by Pro Helvetia, Swiss Agency for Development and Artsource.
An Exhibition of Artworks Facilitated by Anthony Cawood
8 - 20 August 2009
Douala, Durban, Harare via Cape
21 - 24 July 2009
From Left to Right: Joel Mpah Dooh, Sibusiso Duma, Mukudzeishe Muzondo
An exciting exhibition by three mid-career artists who participated in the three-month visiting artists' programme. This exhibition reflects what Greatmore studios has to offer in terms of cultural exchange, enabling artists to follow new directions and push themselves beyond the boundaries of their own practice.
The artists whose work was on display:
Mukudzeishe Muzondo normally resides and works in Harare where he has a studio space at the polytechnic. His work is inspired by man and his psychological being towards society.
Sibusiso Duma's work reflects his perspectives on Umlazi Township in Durban, where he grew up and lives.
Joel Mpah Dooh, from Cameroon, has gained much attention with his mobilelike wire sculptures and drawings on metal sheets. Through his medium he explores the fragility of individual human identity and how it reinvents itself while moving and evolving in the city. He will be holding an exhibition with the Joao Ferreira gallery shortly after his exhibition at Greatmore.
Open Studios Exhibition
11 June 2009
An exhibition of works by the current artists at Greatmore:
Velile Soha, Dathini Mzayiya, Ndikhuuumbule Ngqinambi, Jade Gibson, Suzanne Duncan, Lebeoana Lefuma, Maria Van Grass, Joel Mpah Dooh, Sibusiso Duma and Mukudzeishe Muzondo
Molo Lomo
23 - 30 April 2009
An exhibition by 8 young artists who participated in the latest mentoring workshop. The workshop introduced the photographic technique of Lomography a new take on an old style of analogue photography.
We are 8 individuals given the opportunity to experience and explore Lomography during a three-week introductory mentoring workshop. We will be presenting our work to give a glimpse of what we gained, at Greatmore Studios.
The word MOLO means HELLO in Xhosa and is used to welcome the audience to the wonderful world of LOMOGRAPHY.
The 8 individual were from very diverse backgrounds and have different interests related to creative work and personal expression. They were: Janet Botes, Nicholas Coutts, Tess Dmitrovsky, Siyabulela Gxekwa, Ali Jacobs, Alex Mamacos, Motsamai Moloi, Esti Strydom.
This exhibition is a great example of what Greatmore studios has to offer in terms of mentored workshops and aiding young artists in the production of art-making. It also leaves an exciting tangible result of the financial support received from generous sponsors.
The workshop, and the experience that they had during the three weeks created an interactive space where each of these upcoming creatives showed their individual worlds through the art of Lomography.
