Jane Alexander / Beth Diane Armstrong / Lena Cronqvist / Latifa Echakhch / Peter Geschwind and Gunilla Klingberg / Frances Goodman / Lungiswa Gqunta / Lubaina Himid / Mwangi Hutter / Ayana V Jackson / Bronwyn Katz / Marcia Kure / Marianne Lindberg De Geer / Esther Mahlangu / Caroline Mårtensson / Whitney McVeigh / Nandipha Mntambo / Sethembile Msezane / Zanele Muholi / Yoko Ono / Claudette Schreuders / Mary Sibande / Sophia van Wyk / Nelisiwe Xaba LUBAINA HIMID, VERNET’S STUDIO, 1994. COURTESY THE ARTIST AND HOLLYBUSH GARDENS. PHOTO: STEFAN BAUMANN 02 NOT A SINGLE STORY UNPACKS DOMINANT NARRATIVES IN ART HISTORY 03 COLOPHON & AKNOWLEDGEMENTS CURATORS NOTE JANE ALEXANDER The NIROX Foundation asked Wanås Konst to curate and collaborate This publication accompanies NOT A SINGLE STORY, The different components on the Sculpture Winter Show 2018. Five years before, Wanås Konst had asked NIROX to share practical experience regarding working a collaborative exhibition between the NIROX with artists in the landscape, sharing the belief that artists’ voices are of this project investigate important in shaping society. One outcome was an exhibition in Sweden Foundation, South Africa and Wanås Konst, Sweden. 2015 with six artists based in South Africa. NOT A SINGLE STORY is held at the NIROX what sculpture is and can This year’s exhibition grew out of collaborative efforts and is the result Mpumi Mayisa Photo: , 2018. of a long-standing and continuous dialogue, an exchange between Foundation on view from 12 May through 29 July. sculpture parks on two continents and between artists engaging people Security be, linked by the site and a in exploring contemporary art. CURATORS The exhibition presents 25 artists and brings forward contemporary Elisabeth Millqvist and Mattias Givell, conceptual concern—that of Jane Alexander, Co-Directors Wanås Konst, Sweden; concerns and working methods related to sculpture. Referring to a Benji Liebmann, NIROX Foundation, venue as a sculpture park, and working mainly in the outdoors, it JANE ALEXANDER (b. 1959, South Africa the story. addresses an entire art historical canon on sculpture in general and Johannesburg, South Africa, land art in particular, with earth, rocks, and sand as media and subject lives and works in Cape Town, PERFORMANCE PROGRAM CURATORS matter. This history is a male history. As a response to a very singular South Africa). Jane Alexander is Anthea Buys & Nelisiwe Xaba art history, the majority of the artists in the exhibition are women, a leading South African sculptor ELISABETH MILLQVIST & representing a rich diversity of perspectives. and artist. She began working ASSISTANT CURATORS MATTIAS GIVELL with figurative sculptures in art Jessica Doucha and Khumo Sebambo, Co-Directors at The Wanas Foundation Looking at art history, we learn how traditions have an effect on new school with Butcher Boys, a work NIROX Foundation expressions, work is made in dialogue with what is going on, what has which is widely understood to been and that which has been sidelined. Nods to the past, an adoption be a manifestation of Apartheid DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING of a style —artists will inspire artists whether it is an ancient technique society. Today, her work continues Lloyd-Anthony Smith or a contemporary artist that is the greatest inspiration. Focusing on to explore the effect of power and dominion over individuals. living artists and process, production and presentation the exhibition MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION Alexander is also a a professor Writer Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie brings together artists whose individual practices create overlapping Sofia Bertilsson, Wanås Konst and at the Michaelis School of Fine dialogues with different content and combine a variety of approaches, Khumo Sebambo, NIROX Foundation starts her well-known talk with those Art. NOT A SINGLE STORY marks from tradition-bound techniques to ephemeral elements, as well as Alexander’s second exhibition at EDUCATION words. Stories matter, writes Adichie. methods blurring the distinction between creator and viewer. the NIROX Sculpture Park Elin Magnusson, Wanås Konst, Khumo The exhibition includes works by forerunners alongside less established Sebambo, Jessica Doucha, Lloyd-Anthony How they are told, who tells them, BETH DIANE ARMSTRONG artists, born between 1933 and 1993. Notable is the participation Smith, Stephan Du Toit when they’re told, how many stories of Yoko Ono, often seen as the grandmother of conceptual and MANAGERS, NIROX FOUNDATION performance art. Also Esther Mahlangu has become iconic in a similar Tammy and Stephan du Toit are told, are really dependent on way. Following the customs passed down from generations of women in power. The talk is the starting point of her family, she bridges contemporary practices. Should a grand lady of CARETAKERS AND GROUND STAFF sculpture on the Swedish contemporary art scene be appointed, Lena Maria Mwase, Alfeus Kotsedi, Michael the exhibition and inspiration for the Cronqvist must be the one. Since the 60s she has portrayed anguish Mlaula, Given Ditire, George Banda, and suffering suburban Madonnas and girls involved in morbid games. Andrew Mabvuto, Johannes Morakile, title, NOT A SINGLE STORY. John Nkhoma, Dorah Pilane, Ephraim Important role models are also the recent Turner prize winner Lubaina Molale and Eliya Banda Himid. With cut-outs of women from women’s artworks, she introduces us to other artists, asking questions about the re-writing of the history. INTERNS Seminal is also Jane Alexander who is a mentor for many artists that Caroline Fowler, Mpumi Mayisa, have studied in South Africa. For Claudette Schreuders and Marcia Bianca Theron Photo: Diane Armstrong. Beth Lilly Oosthuizen, Gina Kraft, Zanele Kure, inspiration can be traced much further back, with colón sculptures Bombela, Natasha Kunju BETH DIANE ARMSTRONG (b. 1985, and Noke culture, whereas in the case of Gunilla Klingberg and Peter Mbombela, South Africa, lives NOT A SINGLE STORY PUBLICATION Geschwind we should rather look ahead to find influences, to science and works in Johannesburg, South EDITOR Khumo Sebambo fiction. Together the artists occupy and transform the landscape. Africa). Beth Diane Armstrong is a master of sculpting monumental COPY-EDITOR Jamie Matroos Another part of this project, linked to the exhibition, is workshops, talks PRINTER Nuvous Holdings, South Africa works in steel. Her process is and a comprehensive educational programming aimed at children informed by the translation of A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE ARTISTS THANK YOU and youth to expand understanding of life and art. Pedagogical ideas fleeting experiences into the Jane Alexander, Beth Armstrong, The board of the Wanås Foundation; are paralleled and exchanged, and we see how art inspires and permanence of a physically Lena Cronqvist, Latifa Echakhch, the trustees of the NIROX Foundation; how creativity forms the ambitions and abilities of young people. The demanding material such as Frances Goodman, Lungiswa For their generous support outdoor environment at NIROX is a site for playful learning, making and steel. Armstrong was awarded the Gqunta, Lubaina Himid, Mwangi Swedish Postcode Foundation, Project Manager reflecting. The use of processes of creation and reception with activities prestigious Standard Bank Young Hutter, Ayana V Jackson, Bronwyn David Kollnert; Swedish Institute, Business discussing and performing together contributes to debates and dreams Artist Award 2017. Katz, Gunilla Klingberg & Peter Development Strategist Maria Kron, Head of For NOT A SINGLE STORY, events unit Susanna Le Forestier; Embassy of of our times. Geschwind, Marcia Kure, Marianne Sweden in Pretoria, Ambassador Cecilia Julin, Armstrong veers away from Lindberg De Geer, Esther Mahlangu, Promotion Officer, Rosanela Pierce, Counsellor The different components of this project investigate what sculpture is and traditional sculpture to create Caroline Mårtensson, Whitney for Cultural Affairs Hedda Krausz, Assistant to the can be, linked by the site and a conceptual concern—that of the story. paintings that will delve into McVeigh, Nandipha Mntambo, Counsellor for Cultural Affairs Vukani Mchunu; three-dimensionality. IASPIS – the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s Ngozie Adichie concludes in her talk: ...When we reject the single story, Sethembile Msezane, Zanele International program. Muholi, Yoko Ono, Claudette when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we LENA CRONQVIST Educational collaborations Schreuders, Mary Sibande, Sophia regain a kind of paradise. van Wyk, Nelisiwe Xaba Amer Sarsour, Anni Snyman, Art&, Pulani Kingston, Swaady Martin, Sophia Williams de-Bruyn; Imagine! READ to RISE, Taryn Lock, Steve Tsakiris, Athol AND THE ARTISTS IN THE Williams; Hear My Voice; Henry Bowers; Hester PERFORMANCE PROGRAM Reeve; Lucia Walker; Matla Combined School; Jessica Doucha, Gabrielle Goliath, Milisuthando Bongela; Olivia Bergdahl; Ripple Dean Hutton, Nelisiwe Xaba Reading, Riana Robinson; Sharon West; St Peter’s Boy’s Prep School, Debbie Ruest; the French School Bryanston Special collaborations Africa Meets Africa, Helene Smuts; Columba Leadership, Mpumelelo Dathini, Gugu Norgate, Tracy Hackland, Themba Nkutha, Robert Taylor Galleries Blank Projects, Cape Town: Jonathan Garnham, Miller Patrick Photo: Lena Cronqvist. Hanna Lewis; Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm: LENA CRONQVIST (b. 1938 Angelika Knäpper; Hollybushgardens, London: Karlstad, Sweden lives and works Lisa Panting, Malin Ståhl; Kamel Mennour, Paris: Marie-Sophie Eiché-Demester,