The South African Art Times: SA’s leading visual arts publication | April 2012 | Free | Read daily news on www.arttimes.co.za ART TIMES
The Truly Amazing Life & Art of Barbara Tyrrell
Adieu, John. Sweet heart. RIP John Hodgkiss Photo: John Hodgkiss The Good Read: SA’s Art Materials Scene Photo: Jenny Altschuler
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EDITORIAL LETTER TO In this news publishing business if an edition looks like the one you planned for a month ago, you know that THE EDITOR you have totally lost touch with your audience. At the beginning of this month we had most of our contents sorted, however the discovery of Barbara Tyrrell’s life story, and of course kind John Hodgkiss’s First of all thank you for the Art Times it is such passing, changed everything in the last week. April 2012 a good read and it certainly has filled a gap in Last December when we were literally on the printer’s Daily news at www.arttimes.co.za our art world. I look forward to all your issues. runway, engines booming, the cover artist chose to Congratulations! pull out, as they felt that their work should represent
them, not their face (fair enough). In such an The article Lloyd Pollock wrote is so spot on and environment Murphy’s law goes kangaroo our Jeremy Lawrence’s piece say exactly that which unimagined plan B had to kick in, just moments before I’d like to have. They are both excellent writers the printers - who were on tight December deadline and as writing is not my forte I will keep mine - thrust back on the joystick. brief. The Gallery is dead. It should reflect the
Happy 100th Barbara, may you have a long and people and the richness of our culture. Old and As the nature of news and newscasting is changing ever more inspired life. From all of us at The AT new. we are happy with our 48 pages for now. This allows us to reach a 30% growth from 6 000 to now over 8-9 Editor: Most Galleries have facilities to sit and take in a Gabriel Clark-Brown [email protected] 000 readers per month (we reach well over 50 000 per refreshment to reflect and discuss the exhibitions. month with our AT News Network) making The AT a Advertising: I believe the Friends of National Gallery raised good means of disseminating art news and Eugene Fisher [email protected] the money for the equipping of the last restaurant. information in SA. Any additional savings on pages Another facet is being able to buy postcards or Subscriptions: goes into outreach projects such as schools and Tracey Muscat souvenirs to send to friends or keep so the fame [email protected] growing our twice daily online news on of the Gallery is extended. It’s called simple mar- www.arttimes.co.za This past month’s online reader- News Production: keting. The Shop is now also a thing of the past Megan Rainier [email protected] ship theme seems to reflect that an art illuminati exist, as 2-3 people wrote in accusing ”higher forces” of Listings: The National Gallery has long worried me and I pushing bad art, or certain folk that manipulate the Tracey Muscat [email protected] have approached Mr Naidoo re a coffee station or market. This would be interesting to cover for an refreshment bar where one could have a coffee Admin: edition - who controls what and whom ? together Bastienne Klein tea, juice and reflect on the exhibition one has [email protected] with other art related paranoia. Quite frankly, I don’t seen. I very often visit and wish to meet a friend believe for a second that anyone is out to get anyone, Daily Website: there but in order to complete the outing one has Liesel Botha [email protected] there are just too many amazing artists with diverse to move elsewhere to relax and reflect . This has interests to singularly control any market. Send Artwork To: resulted in exploring the Company gardens more
Designer [email protected] fully and so sometimes there is no time to take on What also seems to be a recurring theme lately the gallery as well! So the gallery is not the draw Letters to the Editor: [email protected] is some artists who are pushing their merits and card it could be. Designers: achievements in the open media -a bit too far to The Easterbunnydrankthelastofmyfamousgrouseagency believe. Initially these artists’ international claims and Another concern is what is the Gallery’s plans showmanship are firstly entertaining and then ridicu- PO Box 15881, Vlaeberg, 8018. to take advantage of our wonderful accolade as lous, and after a while embarrassing. Firstly these type Tel. 021 424 7733 Fax. 021 424 7732 World design Capital? of artists can’t restrain from calling themselves (or via Contributors: their PR agency) “geniuses”, and then take it further I know the private sector is engaging on this Carl Collison with Big Names Dropping, the more popular names Michael Coulson important opportunity to embrace the challenge dropped the better. These names of big artists and big Nushin Elahi and reflect the incredible talent Cape Town has Lloyd Pollak money are dropped from here, there and especially... to offer. everywhere else - where facts realistically can’t be I have heard that budgets are low and Arts don’t Deadline for news, articles and advertising is the weighed up. They do this with the hope that some 18th of each month. The Art Times is published in get much.. but it is ironical how much is spent on naïve programme manager or buyer, not checking the last week of each month. sport in this country when Stadiums beautiful their facts, will believe them and assist in opening Newspaper rights: The newspaper reserves the though they are now pose financial difficulties and wallets or newspaper or TV channels to more naïve right to reject any material that could be found are actually white elephants! offensive by its readers. Opinions and views ex- viewers. Art fame is usually hardfought for and slowly pressed in the SA Art Times do not necessarily built on many people’s respect and one on one inter- Art enriches people, People enrich a nation ..and represent the official viewpoint of the editor, staff actions . This rather than a singular relationship of 2 we are a truly rich and very diverse nation our or publisher, while inclusion of advertising features people -the artist that mimics other popular artists and Gallery should reflect this fact. does not imply the newspaper’s endorsement of their PR company’s rep who produces PR reflecting any business, product or service. Copyright of the their clients imagination of who they want to be. Don’t enclosed material in this publication is reserved. I think of the great pity we are losing something think that I am knocking PR, it plays a vital function in so valuable. today’s artworld, but PR unchecked is dangerous and irresponsible. Next month we are off to thrilling Johan- Yours Sincerely, nesburg. The big WAM (Wits Art Museum) is about to open, as well as the Artist Proof Studio (APS) is going Patricia Fraser to take over JAG (Johannesburg Art Gallery). We are thrilled at this! Best, Gabriel Clark-Brown Global Art Information Group Newlands
06 SA ART TIMES. April 2012 NEWS | ART TIMES Public arts policy being developed - but artists dissatisfied First Published in West Cape News database for regular updates on what progress is being made on the policy.” Kate Gerber. The City of Cape Town is working But chairperson of the Visual Arts Network of South on formulating a new directorate that will develop Africa (VANSA), Jonathan Garnham, said there a public arts policy, but artists say the move is was no transparency regarding the development of belated, and opaque. the City’s public arts policy. The City announced its intention to develop the “There is no transparency,” he said, “people do not Tourism, Event, Arts and Culture, Marketing know what’s going on. No-one knows who wrote Strategy (Teams) that will include a policy on public the policy and no-one I know, knows about the arts – which up until now has been completely lack- database. We haven’t been consulted about any ing – at the end of the week-long Infecting the City of this. It makes me angry that we’ve been told we arts programme hosted by the Gordon elected the members of the Portfolio committee Institute for Performing and Creative Arts on Friday. who have brought the policy this far. If we elected When asked about the development of a public arts them, why aren’t they doing their jobs?” policy yesterday, a consultant assigned to the City’s Garnham said there was no “political bill” that Tourism, Events and Marketing office, Heidi van engages with the visual arts, with the result being der Watt, said three senior members still needed to that the City received unsolicited proposals and did be added to the committee before any progress on not know what to do with them. policy could be made. He said at present, it seemed an artist could Asked about whether there would be a budget display his or her art in a public space so long as for the commissioning of works from emerging or it was privately funded, but not all artists had the established artists, van der Watt said there was luxury of funding their work. nothing which compelled the city to budget for Yet Johannesburg, he said, spent over R20m on public works of art. public art through the Johannesburg Development “We are waiting for the dedication of that respon- Agency, making it a “bright and vibrant city” as a sibility to us. Once we are mandated, we can start result. “It is terrible that a city of our stature doesn’t budgeting,” said van de Watt. “As the policy is in have qualities like that.” stasis right now, it would be inappropriate for me to He said art helped to make a city a cultural hub. say what types of art the policy will and won’t fund, “What I want to ask Ms van de Watt is, ‘when will however.” She said the policy in its current form the policy be finished? What is the next step within was available to the public, but the City recognized your department?’” said Garnham. the importance of input by artists. Asked when the public arts policy would be com- “Artists have been encouraged to register on our pleted, van der Watt said she had “no idea”. Court papers served on the Department of Arts and Culture
Biennale. It also requested documents reflecting whether any public money was used to fund, what the department has referred to as, Mr. Mokoena’s ‘private initiative’. The request also sought docu- ments on the department’s rumoured long-lease of a building in Venice.
Having received no response from the DAC within the allotted 30 days, lawyers, on the behalf of the author, submitted an internal appeal to which again First Published in Artthrob: no response was received despite the department’s assurances to the contrary. A court application has By M Blackman. now been launched in the hope of receiving reply Photo: SOWETAN. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko from the Minister Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile.
Papers were served on the Department of Arts This is not the first time that Mr. Mashatile has and Culture (DAC) after their failure to respond to failed to respond to questions concerning the Ven- a request for information under the Promotion of ice Biennale. Last year the minister failed to answer Access to Information Act (PAIA). questions put to him in parliament by the DA’s The request, sent to the DAC on the 30 September Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture Dr. Lotriet. The 2011, asked for any minutes or records relating DAC now has 15 court days to let the author know to the selection of Monna Mokoena as commis- whether they intend to oppose the application. sioner of South Africa’s participation at the Venice
SA ART TIMES. April 2012 07 ART TIMES | OBITUARY / JOHN HODGKISS John Hodgkiss 1966 - 2012
Written by Tim Hopwood Angel. And yet there are many nights I recall listening in often quirky and incongruous pairings. They made to him argue and debate with other students, one of one realize that this man saw the world very differently “Does life seem nasty, brutish and short? whom would go on to become a respected art theorist, to anyone else. Hell, just knowing him made many Come on up to the house. and John was always, always, a step or more ahead of us see the world differently, and for this reason The seas are stormy and you can’t find no port. of them. I began to form the opinion that Hodgkiss he had been hugely influential with a section of the Come on up to the house. was possessed of some kind of weird, innate, almost photographic students who did not really gel with Come on up to the house. alien intelligence. If there was ever a case to be made Oberholzer’s modus operandi. The world is not my home I’m just a passin’ through for the notion of past lives, to me, John was that case. I don’t know what ever happened to that project. I You got to come on up to the house.” His own work was whimsical, profound and often in- guess life just got in the way. I guess other people’s credibly witty. And way different to anything the rest of art was more important. I guess at the end of the day Tom Waits: Come on up to the house. us did. It took no small degree of strength of character he had to pay the bills. (John hated that phrase: At the to resist the aesthetic dictates of a man as larger-than- end of the day, and would just about throttle anyone The art world has been deeply shocked and sad- life as Obie Oberholzer, but Hodgkiss did, right from who said it.) dened by the sudden death at the age of 45 of photog- the start of his career at Rhodes. The boundaries of Hodgkiss was as far-removed from the cookie-cut rapher John Hodgkiss in his Johannesburg home last art were blurred with Hodgkiss. He would make little characters that come trundling out of university art week. Hodgkiss was found dead on his couch in his pieces of jewelry from broken toy soldiers and bits of faculties than you could wish to get. I would trade Melville home by a friend. old clocks. These he would then photograph and the a year of parroted postmodern platitudes from the photo would become the artwork. Or else he would elegant operators on the lower slopes of the avant- Hodgkiss was an intense, complex character, by turns take photographic prints, stick them on the wall and garde for just five more minutes in the company of both cynical and deeply romantic, fragile and tough, photograph them with models casting a shadow on Johnny Hodgkiss. and always witty and sharp. His love for his friends them. The human presence was more often than not Instead of writing any more about John I would like to was deep, heartfelt and genuine. But more of the enigmatic and ethereal in Hodgkiss’s work. Figures quote some of the beautiful things some of his friends personal tributes later. are seldom glimpsed in their entirety, and are more have said of him on his Facebook page, for I find I often than not visual synecdoches. Hodgkiss was simply cannot write this obituary alone: Hodgkiss was known for the work he did in the art fascinated with the archetypes of the human story. “Dear John. What are we going to do without you? industry in Johannesburg. For the last ten years or At Rhodes, John was something of a trailblazer. He Who is going to remind us that there is beauty, grace so he documented the work of artists of the calibre of engineered things, he made things happen. The first and humour in the sore and difficult parts of being William Kentridge and Steven Cohen, and while he performance art piece any of us ever saw at Rhodes human? You are loved and missed.” privately sneered in disdain at some of the work he was at one of John’s garage exhibitions, with Andrew Llewelyn Roderick was paid to photograph, he was also very proud of the Buckland all wrapped in bandages, groping in person- “My beloved John, I miss you so already. You have work he did for others, particularly Cohen. Cohen was al darkness to locate the sound of Ben Coutouvidis’ left a massive empty space in my heart. Who knew it the first artist with whom Hodgkiss began collaborat- saxophone, in a room full of John’s images. would hurt so much. I love you. Sleep tight.” ing, and they formed a deep, lasting friendship. Despite the fact that he was without doubt the most Sue Mills. But it is not for this work, important as it was, that I like avant-garde cat at Rhodes (my trendy-points went “What an individual you are John Hodgkiss. You will to remember Hodgkiss, and this is not the work that through the roof when I became close friends with be missed by many. Thanks for the great work you did John should be remembered for. I really hate expres- him) John always struck me as someone who had, for me, all cool attitude and scarves.” sions like “He was a great artist in his own right.” Or much like his favourite musician, Tom Waits, the air Mandy Deacon. even worse: “He was an artist in his own right.” It’s of- of someone who was born slightly after his time, “You burned so bright, illuminating all those dark ten disingenuous and patronizing. I have no doubt that slightly out of step with his generation, but with a kind corners. Can’t believe you’re gone. We will miss you it will be trotted out in reference to John Hodgkiss, but of knowingness that everything that we thought was so.” Jenny Carlin what does it actually mean? The truth in my opinion important, progressive and vital (hipness never really “I always admired you John. You always helped me is that John’s own work was far superior to the work came into it in the mad eighties in South Africa) was see the beauty in the shadows. I will miss you.” he documented for some of the artists in the upper part of a story that was simply cyclical, and would Brett Tyson echelons of the art industry. And the truth is, Hodgkiss merely end in disappointment. John was the last “A long night of mourning. RIP John Hodgkiss. Such knew this, and it created in him a deep sense of futility person the student left would have been able to enlist sadness I don’t even want to sleep.” Alex Dodd and frustration. He found it hard to remain silent about in The Struggle, not because he didn’t sympathise. From his best friend, Peter Davidson: “Forever some of the junk he had to photograph, and us as He was just… otherwise. His favourite movie was a young. My best friend, I’m going to miss you.” his friends often bore the brunt of that rage. Perhaps, little known but genius 40’s comedy with Danny Kaye, From his sister, Diana Hartley: “My little brother, such recently, it was a rage also at a perceived sense of his called The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and his favourite a kind and gentle person and far too young to go. own wasted talent. artist was always Marcel Duchamp, long before he He is immortal in the memories of all the people who became the darling of so many in the art world in knew and loved him.” Far too many artists occupy positions of status and South Africa. And from his partner for close on 20 years, Vanessa power merely because they know the buzz words, Hodgkiss had an enormous amount of images he was Hilton-Barber: “So empty without John, the canvas of or have simply become investment capital: “relevant working with the last time I saw him in Johannesburg, the world just duller.” both here and abroad” but essentially harmless to the some taken from his travels with the writer Adam “But the greatest Hodgkiss original was John himself. machinations of power that finance their industry. They Levin, and others from his shit-stirring escapades He was a piece of art. Art moves you. Art inspires you. can rattle off some cobbled-together bits of Baudrillard with Steven Cohen (I don’t say that flippantly: I think It makes the world a better place. John did all of that and Derrida, but few have ever actually sat down and art should stir shit, and Cohen and Hodgkiss made a and more. He touched all of our lives. He poured out read a volume of Derrida. Hodgkiss claimed that he fantastic shit-stirring team). He was at that time in the love. He was the greatest living artwork. A true origi- had never in his life read a book cover to cover, with process of creating a large body of work where he nal.” Toby Shapshack speaking at John’s funeral. the exception of Nick Cave’s When The Ass Met the would juxtapose one image with another in diptychs, “Adieu, John. Sweet heart.” Tracy Rose.
08 SA ART TIMES. April 2012 JOHN HODGKISS / OBITUARY | ART TIMES
(Above) John Hodgkiss as the Dead Murat, - experimental work done as a student with Tim Hopwood in the 80’s. (Below) Shadows, Student work at Rhodes Photography department, (B-R) Linda Givon, photographed for The Art Times
SA ART TIMES. April 2012 09 ART TIMES | THE BIG READ / THE SA ART MATERIAL MARKET
This months big read How the global vs. local art material brands market affect artists
Carl Collison goes walkabout around the manufacturers, distributors and retailers of South African art materials
“Save our little art shops, please,” Emma Stols stem the tide of what is becoming an ever-greater approximately 1 500 retailers across South Africa, implores with a laugh that belies the seriousness of reality for the few local manufacturers: the influx Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana under its wing her plea. Stols, the owner of well-known art and increased popularity of bigger international point towards this clearly not just being salesman- supply store Herbert Evans, which has been brand names. For Sandi Cooper, a former retailer, speak. running for 123 years, is one of many retailers and now working with a local wholesale distributor, specialising in art materials that are starting the the motivation is to offer retailers- and by extention Annare Prinsloo, co-owner of another local pinch as a result of the glut of bigger name brands artists - access to a broad range of quality manufacturer, Zellen Art Products, admits that the pushing their way into this market. international brands. Windsor and Newton brand’s range of oils paints “are good”. She is, however, not as complimentary Though the store’s standing is arguably not as This would surely do little to allay the anxieties of of other competitors. Says Prinsloo: “There is one precarious as those who are either facing - or have local manufacturers. Gus Kennedy, of The Italian major brand who recently introduced a range of oil faced closure - Stols, like many independent stores Art Shop, another distributor of big-name brands paints locally which we tested and it really is not of this nature, are finding it increasingly difficult admits that “yes, there is a dominance of mostly good. What people don’t realise is that it really is to provide their customers with quality products British paint manufacturers. I suppose,” he quips, not easy to produce a really good oil paint. Each at competitive prices. And though South Africa is “it’s a result of being a colony in the past! Artists one has its own ingredients. It really takes a lot of certainly not unique to the market forces which are, however, realising a whole new and exciting skill. Besides, it really is not easy introducing new often lay many smaller, independent businesses to world of top brands that offer an amazing choice brands because artists are fussy. ” waste in its wake, what exacerbates the situation and different possibilities. These brands are well- locally is the notably small size of the market. Kevin known around Europe and the rest of the world Quality and artistic fastidiousness aside, there O’Sullivan owner of Dala Art, for example laments and it is just a question of time before they are as is, as Basil Lentner, Managing Director of local the fact that the yield from their market in the well-known as the traditional British brands.” manufacturer, Heritage Craft Products, points town of George outstrips that of those of Namibia, out, the more practical difficulties inherent in trying Botswana, Zimabwe and Mozambique collectively. Multi award-winning artist Johannes Phokela, to penetrate a new market, particularly one as Still, in the 15 years it has been running, the whose large-scale oil paintings have garnered him small as South Africa’s. “It’s difficult to import [new company has, under O’Sullivan’s business hand much acclaim both locally and internationally, cer- brands] because minimum order quantities have to has gone on to become the industry’s biggest - and tainly is one of these artists. “To be honest,” admits be so huge.” unknown SA- success story. Employing over 100 the, “I am not aware of any local paint staff, it has also built up a strong export network manufactures, though I have only been living back Though the jury might be out on whether this - more often than not exporting to supermarkets here for about five years. I only really use two really is a complete non-issue for these local where it competes directly with the world’s biggest brands and both are British.” manufacturers, what cannot be denied is that the brands. For O’Sullivan, eschewing the more ever-growing presence of big-name brands has, traditional three-tiered model of importer-distributor- Tarique Taleip, a sales representative for unwittingly, forced them to up the ante. Says retailer (by manufacturing and packaging what the Ashley and Radmore, the company which imports Prinsloo: “The quality of locally manufactured market needs and supplying it directly to retailers) brands such as Windsor and Newton and Reeves paints has improved so much over the years. has clearly proven to be highly successful. paints, cuts to the chase: “There’s a big demand for We are currently working on expanding both our Though effective, the success of this model does Windsor and Newton because it is the world’s best product range and our reach and have sent out not (and could not realistically be expected to) artist materials so many artists prefer using it.” The samples to some countries abroad.”
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10 SA ART TIMES. April 2012 THE SA ART MATERIAL MARKET / THE BIG READ | ART TIMES
Both Lentner and Stols echo this sentiment, with recently caught on in South Africa, whereas in the Stols saying: “Local brand loyalty is definitely United States it has been around for years. It’s growing. We try and buy local as much as huge there.” Ours might be a fledgling industry but possible because those guys work hard and their even relative new kid on the block, Art Attack, quality is improving. They’re also very dedicated has since its establishment in October 2010, seen which makes the product you buy not merely significant growth in sales. Its owner, something that comes off the giant conveyer belt Kristina Willman, laughs when she says: that is China.”Noble as this may be, there is the “It’s actually ridiculous the way it is growing.” reality that, without buy-in from consumers, very little growth is likely to be achieved. How then is The ArtShopper, yet another online retailer, has the message of this apparent improved quality however yet to reach these heady sales heights communicated? In other words, what are these though is largely attributable to it only being run- brands doing to advertise their products? Herit- ning for around two months. There is nonetheless, age, according to Lentner, advertises, “in-store” according to the portal’s owner Ilse Nieman, “a at the 800 stores they supply “in every little town” lot of indirect interest from customers” who visit across the country. Prinsloo admits that, despite a either the Belville-based store or its website. few advertisements placed in art magazines, most For all these online retailers the benefits of online of the advertising done is through good shopping for consumers are especially felt by old-fashioned word-of-mouth. those who have little or no proper art stores. Says Willman: “In South Africa so many small towns The old adage of the best advertising being do not have efficient art shops where artists have Clement Serneels word-of-mouth certainly is given added valida- access to quality products. For these people, it’s Girl with hat tion when one considers the often steep costs of much easier to simply order their materials with advertising campaigns – which are doubly so for just a click.” smaller companies. Considering this, as well as Leaders in Masters the considerable overheads incurred as a result Willman concedes that the often hefty prices of running a traditional brick-and-mortar business, charged by courier companies do occasionally as well as does the option of focussing on online sales not cut into the business’ bottom line. “Because,” she Contemporary Art seem an altogether more attractive and lucrative offers, “we offer free delivery for orders in excess option? Though Taliep and Kennedy both feel that of R500, the costs here do sometimes affect our the move towards online purchasing is inevitable, profit margin.” Kulemann, on the other hand, man- with Kennedy stating that as “the trend in retail is ages to avert incurring these costs by utilising the www.absolutart.co.za towards online shopping, in time this will happen services of the South African Post office, some- in the art market as well”, it would seem as though thing which, she says, “works out quite well” for both retailers and manufacturers alike have as yet the business. Although Nieman admits that these to explore this option. costs are carried by the consumer, “the mark-up is a very low one”. Dot Dickson, owner of The Deckle Edge, the popular Woodstock-based retailer, says that In response to my question around whether although they receive email enquiries around this, online shopping does not result in consumers an online store has yet to be set up. The reason being afraid to try out new brands and therefore for this is simple: “You have to have high stock ultimately entrenches the dominance of certain holding and need to juggle that with the market. brands, Willman says: “Look, many people In the United Kingdom, for example, the market choose to stick to products they’ve used for years, is much bigger but in South Africa it would take yes. But, because I interact with so many of my Erich Mayer longer for online sales to really take off.” customers via email and often recommend they Landscape with Baobab trees Stols, however, takes a more romantic approach try out certain products which are tailor-made for to why her business has not as yet followed this their needs, many do end up trying new products route. “Artists,” she says, “are sensory beings. or brands. Also remember that, because of the Shop 43, Willowbridge They want to see, feel, touch and smell what nature of online shopping, you really have to put Lifestyle Centre they’re buying. And you certainly can’t get that off up a lot of product information which in turn allows (Below the Barnyard) your laptop screen.” people a closer look at what is on offer.” 39 Carl Cronje Drive Whether online stores will become de rigueur Rather unsurprisingly, Yolanda Kulemann, owner when it comes to the purchasing of art sup- Tygervalley, Bellville of the online art supplies store Art Express, plies has yet to be seen. What is also unclear is disagrees with these views. When I ask her whether current market forces will eventually force Gallery whether the South African market has sufficient smaller, independent retailers and manufacturers 021 914 2846 volume of trade to sustain this industry, Kulemann out of business. What is clear, however, is that effuses: “Oh, absolutely - without a doubt.” When if this situation continues Stols’ half-joking plea Gerrit Dyman Jr I mention the success of the United States-based might soon become a wholly earnest one. 072 699 5918 online store Dick Blick, Kulemaan states: “Yes, Email: [email protected] there massive but online shopping has only
SA ART TIMES. April 2012 11 ART TIMES | YOUNG ARTIST PROFILE / MARIËTTE BERGH
Young Artist of the Month: Mariëtte Bergh
Born in 1982 Mariëtte Bergh lives and works in day by day is alarmingly similar to our own daily Johannesburg, South Africa. She specialized in patterns. (Birds seem to crop up most of the painting and sculpture at the National School of time at this stage) Some of the other bird types Arts, and thereafter studied at Vega, the Brand have different connotations – some lean toward Communication School. After six years as a being mythical or mysterious, whereas others are graphic designer and art director in downright mischievous just to get their way, which magazines she decided to pursue art full-time. is hardly a foreign concept to humans.” What inspires her work is the her fascination In this new body of work Mariëtte takes on a of people’s behavior, human emotions, the more intimate look at existential subject matters interdependence of opposites and the mundan- that concern her yet this time reflecting on them ity of existence. Mariëtte is known for her use of through a semi autobiographical approach. The fictitious characters, birds and animals to illustrate transition between youth and responsible adult- humanity and the satire of urban existence. hood, the melancholy, confusion and optimism “ Animals beautifully reflect the mundane routines associated with the above, mark her use of color that we are so caught up in. Seeing the same line and medium. robin every morning in the same place, exactly She is also featured on the art blog the same time, or a group of pigeons that go handsomethings.com. about their business in the same city square and on www.mariettebergh.co.za
Mariëtte Bergh in her studio (Below) Letting studio critics lie, (B-R) more of Mariëtte’s studio.
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12 SA ART TIMES. April 2012 MARIËTTE BERGH / YOUNG ARTIST PROFILE | ART TIMES
(Above) Delicacy - Reverse-glass painting, Reading Ginsberg, Reverse-glass and ink on wood (Below) The vacant and the bored, Reverse-glass and ink on wood, She’s all I really need, Reverse-glass painting and See the world go wild, Reverse-glass and Wood
‘This is coming of age? Facing that we’re not like the dreams we have of ourselves? Unsure of our choices in life? Unable to ever be perfect? Even our heroes are lost and our ideas of adulthood are a fraudulent myth we’ve unconsciously inherited. Why not just stay in a world of infantile fantasy? Maybe forever even?’ – Mike MillsThoughts pertaining to the theme:‘Are you ready to bare your bones? To accept that you’re mortal and that life is to be lived in a way that a sensible mortal would? To construct life as a series of practical building blocks that ultimately guarantee a cosy coffin and offspring to carry your name? Magic has not much to do with this arrangement, there simply isn’t time to spare for it.’- Mariëtte Bergh