I am approached by at least 3 or 4 charities a year to donate an artwork for fundraising. Most of us are all for giving, assisting those ill or less fortunate, but artists in the Eastern Cape are probably the poorest in the country and it is them that are probably in need of the support and charity! I know that to give, it will probably come back ten-fold, but to continuously give artworks to charities, I am not so sure. The canvas, the materials and precious time?
Some have provided a canvas and some tubes of paint, this is a winner and very difficult to say no! Another even better is that on auction the sale of the work, 50% of the selling price goes to the charity and 50% to the artist. This is a win-win situation and the artist will not be entirely out of pocket and with this type of proposal artists will probably support the cause!
Obviously it is different with reproductions, prints or photographs which usually are multiples or editions already, which are easily distributed or donated. It is the one-off which has the higher value and cost to create, especially painting.
One also wonders why always the artists? What % do the fundraisers take from the sales? What about other professions? What do you think?
The Ann Bryant Art Gallery has a classic new Shebang website, created by Mogridge Design, worth keeping an eye on for updated local art news, exhibitions, events, as well as the permanent collection: www.annbryant.co.za
The first thing I felt was that poetry exists in these series.
Firmly rooted in the tradition of art making, not only the materials used but also in the images, although the four artists are different from each other, the overall show does not blow my hair back, maybe I expected too much, (being an overseas/international traveling show), the work is conveniently of a scale that can be easily transported and hung. When I think Contemporary International, I think BIG, powerful, impressive, impact, new media, new concepts and etcetera!
The adherence to mainly one basic size does hold the exhibition together though, along with variations of the same theme/subject or colour and the media utilized. Repetition is a modern idiom, which can become boring. Extension of themes or ideas can assist in pushing boundaries, rather than merely shifting the composition of similar elements around to create another image and another…
The poetry I think is mostly evident in Zengmin’s Lucky series of a naked man with a bird, reflecting a relationship and communication with a mediator, contemporized with the use of a repetitive stamp to create the half-tone in the ink and wash drawings.
Guangbin’s Window Lapse series seems like a strong wind blowing not only through the trees, but also through the paint itself. Gerard Richter’s ‘squeegeed’ or smeared paintings come to mind. A spark is missing though in these images, the smeared paint, mixing while wet, could resonate more by being partially smeared and veiled, without totally sacrificing the underlying structure and broaden the subtle ranges of colour and tone.
Thanks to SANAVA and the Ann Bryant Art Gallery for getting the show to East London, it is always a treat to see artworks ‘in the flesh’ from abroad and recognize our place in the world, without having to travel.
Images:
Zhang Zhengmin, Lucky Series No.9, ink and wash on paper, 68 x 65cm (figure and bird drawings)
Cai Guangbin, Window Lapse Series No.4, ink and wash on rice paper,
69 x 69cm (face drawings)
Liu Guofu, Untitled No.48, oil on canvas, 68 x 58cm (wind in trees paintings)
Lu Yunha, Back Garden Series, oil on canvas, 80 x 80cm (abstract paintings)
The Ann Bryant Art Gallery is hosting the regional Annual ABSA L’Atelier Competition for young artists between the age of 21 and 35 years. The selected artworks will go to Johannesburg for the finals and stand a chance to win part of the prizemoney worth R400 000 and a trip to Paris to the Cite’ Internationale des Arts for a period of six months.
This is one of the highlights for East London’s Art calendar, between March 20 and April 4, 2009, where young emerging artists who have engaged with Contemporary art practice, can measure their talents on a national level. It is not unusual for a small number of works to be selected, usually about five out of thirty to forty entries submitted in this region which includes Grahamstown (on par with both Bloemfontein and Durban). Not all the selected work is ‘cutting edge’, there are works that still embrace the great tradition of art making.
I am always excited to see new talent and disappointed to see so few entries, knowing of at least ten young artists who have the potential to have their work selected and help launch their career, but who are unfortunately not taking part in the competition. It is hard enough to make it in the art world, every opportunity should be taken, this is one, every artist who qualifies should submit their work every year, whether selected or not and “go for their badge”. There will be wall-space in the main gallery for your work, it is an exhibition opportunity, a notch for your c.v, possible publicity, possible sales of your work, it is not a lot of effort to deliver your work to the gallery (it is hung or installed for you according to your instructions or plans) and fill in an entry form…
The selection includes the following five young artists work:
1. Artist: Genevieve Chorn
Title: An Unstable Identity (chair and lampstand)
Media: CrystalCal & found objects
2. Artist: Maxiniva Wonga-Letu
Title: “Black Diamonds” (Couple toasting a drink)
Media: Oil on canvas
3. Artist: Lindi Nyaniso
Title: Tribute to Noria Mabaso (Print of life cycle with crocodile)
Media: Colour Reduction Print
4. Artist: Brent Arthur Meistre
Title: The stranger who licked salt back into our eyes
Media: stop-frame animation in locker case, DVD
5. Artist: Lucy Bena Stuart-Clark
Title: Domestic Confrontation
(Embossed print edition on wall next to staircase)
Media: Blind Embossing with digital print
Congratulations to these artists, their work will be on show at the ABSA Towers North Gallery in Johannesburg. Other than being in line for cash and Paris, their work will be published in a full colour detailed catalogue with about 95 other young artists in South Africa.
There was a misprint in Tuesday, March 17th’s Daily Dispatch, (page 12, with picture) where it was stated that Ntembeko Bonkolo’s painting: Fruit of Labour, was selected as one of the regional artworks for the competition, it actually, was not selected.
Ryan Arendse comes to mind, his work was not selected for nine years in a row and his tenth submission, he won the national award. This is perseverance, which did eventually and deservedly pay off; Arendse’s work is now in demand by numerous galleries, and both corporate and private collectors.
We all have to ‘up our game’, if we are to get anywhere or to be taken seriously in this world today. Living in the East London area is no different and probably even more necessary, because of the complacency that exists. We do not have to be considered the ‘backwaters’ of the art scene in South Africa, it does not have to remain ‘all happening’ in Jo’burg or Cape Town. We have something very special here, as a result of the very isolation from the mainstream, but needs to be taken to another level – UP!
We have to stop thinking that it’s okay – it’s not!
I have a lifelong mission to uplift my work and if it can be even one other’s work, Read the rest of this entry »
In my opinion, the recent ‘Erotica’ show (5 – 10 February) held at the Ann Bryant Art Gallery’s Coach House, overall reflects poor taste and hardly of a high aesthetic, probably best described as ‘high kitsch’. The ‘cheapness’ was enhanced by the sale of sex-toys on opening night.
If the show was actually curated and work was selected, rather than hanging every piece that was submitted (not all, some lay on the floor propped against the wall!), it may not seem like another advertising ploy to gain attention.
Some of the artist’s have a lot of talent and technical skill, but I imagine Read the rest of this entry »
This Blog will focus on the Visual Arts in the East London region, where I will express my personal opinion and ’thoughts out loud’. Visual images and video will form part of this site. Credit to Andrew Mogridge for the blog title.
I look forward to your comments and opinions…
For more about my work, you can visit my website: www.gregschultz.co.za
