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Page 1 12/02/05 01 01sv0212ART pcc1 12:16:13 PM 11/25/05 BUSINESSDAY December 2005 Art WILLIAM KENTRIDGE WWoo r r l l d d ffaammoouuss aarrttiisstt rrooootteedd iinn JJoozzii Page 12 ART HOTELS Pages 8-9 The Graskop Hotel and Cape Town’s Daddy Long Legs ditch traditional decor in favour of unique cultural Art in the State of Siege, 1988, silkscreen on Velin d’Arches Crème, 300 gsm and brown paper experiences BUSINESSDAY in association with Page 2 12/02/05 01 01sv0212ART pcc1 12:16:50 PM 11/25/05 2BUSINESS DAY, December 2005 Art E D I T O R ’s Companies help close the gap NOTE OUTH African artists are artist hampered financially in real- COMMENT artist William still reeling from the deci- ising work. Kentridge made to Josef sion in October to axe the Nicola Danby, CEO of Business & Talotta in an interview (see Brett Kebble Art Awards. The Arts South Africa (Basa), says Apages 6-7 of this edition) got family of the slain business- competitions could deliver useful me thinking. The gist of it was man found it too emotion- benefits for artists, depending on that while Johannesburg has the ally difficult to deal with the how they are structured to create one of the greatest concentra- Scompetition and reversed its deci - recognition. “A crucial factor is to tions of wealth anywhere in the sion to continue it in tribute to him. have a credible panel. Very often the world, its wealthy citizens do pre - The Kebble awards were highly selection process is geared to an im- cious little for the common cul- regarded. The competition actively perative of the sponsoring company, ture of the city — or, for that sought out new talent, and curator perhaps, which would also deter- matter, of the country as a whole. Clive van den Berg says it offered an mine who would participate. When I first sat down to write opportunity to explore different “But broadly, the more we can do this column, I was full in agree- kinds of content and subjects. He to mainstream the arts, the better. ment with Kentridge. But the said just weeks before the awards And corporate sector involvement, more I thought about it, the more were cancelled: “We make (an) effor t one hopes, does achieve that.” reason I found to disagree. to find artists interested in working Short of an “applause-o-meter” I started with Brett Kebble. in those languages that are trans- as devised by Cape Town’s Obz Café One cannot ignore the mining gressive in some instances. But we for its short film and video compe- magnate’s efforts in the art world, are equally interested in artists (who tition, a balanced panel is re g a rd e d whatever his motives were. In two are) interested in the continuation of as the best option. One of the newer short years the Brett Kebble Art a craft tradition which modernism awards, the FNB Art Prize launched Award did a huge amount to could erase.” in 1997, also invites nominations change the way art competitions In the 2004 Brett Kebble Art from the public. are held in SA, and took our artis- Awards catalogue, he pointed out The impetus for the Absa Atelier tic output to a whole new level. that most art competitions were 20 years ago under the Volkskas Sadly, Kebble is no longer with us, formatted around the idea that brand was rooted in apartheid-era and the art award along with him. artists worked in painting, sculpture, isolation, says Absa curator Cecile Then there is Anton Rupert, printmaking and photography, Loedolff. The award includes a who with his wife, the late sidelining new media, and “compe - residency in Paris. Loedolff says it Huberte, also made an important titions mounted during the past helped the careers of many artists contribution to the art world. decade minimally reflect the modes, through international exposure and And I can’t go on without practices and arguably ideas of publication in the catalogue. mentioning Dick Enthoven or the contemporary art.” “The competition has lifted out many corporations that have David Barritt, producer of the magnificent artists. Penny Siopis launched numerous art initia- awards, says Kebble’s motivation tives over the past few years. was a mixture of personal interest Standard Bank’s staging of a and a concern that not enough was Below, the judges for the Brett Picasso exhibition in SA next year being done to develop new talent in Kebble Art Award hard at work is just one of the recent endeav- SA. “It’s a disgrace government is not ours by big business. doing more…. But art can be a viable Elmarie Costandius, 11 Official Languages (detail), (11 glass bubbles), And, even though most of our business, generating incomes for 2005. Costandius is joint winner of the 2005 Sasol New Signatures art treasures remain locked up in lots of people…. We have the talent competition private collections and out of and the unique voice.” reach of average citizens, there Companies have to some extent are programmes such as the one bridged the gap. DaimlerChr ysler, was the first overall winner and Tom- She says competitions are useful run by MTN, where the cellphone Absa, PPC and Standard Bank spon- my Motswai was a merit winner in to create awareness. “A small per- company takes its art collection sor prominent awards, with different the competition’s second year. Isaac centage of people can afford to in- out to township schools. criteria and motivations. Some, like Khanyile (1996 winner) got more op- vest in original work or bother to vis- The Randlords did their bit by Sasol New Signatures, have particu- portunities to exhibit overseas, in- it galleries. Awards create a context opening the Johannesburg Art lar target markets. It has in the past cluding the South African embassy of value and solicit curiosity.” Gallery a century ago. The city’s excluded artists who have exhibited in France and Australia. And he is But AVA gallery director Estelle citizens are doing their bit now. solo. Teresa Lizamore, the group’s ploughing back his expertise into his Jacobs says competitions usually That said, though, I must art curator, says: “It is a competition own community in KwaZulu-Natal.” favour artists with resources. Sh e concede a point to Kentridge — for young, new talent.… There are Sanell Aggenbach, who won in concedes they play an important we should be doing more. no restrictions in medium and the 2003, says it offers something be- role in stoking debate, documenting work is very often experimental as yond a monetary prize: “An oppor- the art scene and attracting public entrants are mostly students.” tunity for relatively unknown young acclaim. “There is a positive element Julius Baumann Others, like the prestigious artists to gain recognition by offering — competitions are important on a b a u m a n n j @ b d f m .c o . z a Tollman Awards, are decided with- a corporate platform for exposure.” CV and do a lot to promote artists.” out a competition. The R100 000 The six-month residency is also a prize is based on exhibitions over the luxury to create work without past year and awarded to a young external pressure to deliver. Kim Gurney I am the conscience of your the first. I slipped away with number infidelities and wicked escapades, two to elope to Europe for a year, to Early openings but read on, for I won’t name names duck her outraged, newly wedded JOIN — too many, too close, untold husband, who found us anyway the dots … allegiances lost and found. through Interpol. leave plenty of I shall stick to the gun I know And that is just the tip of the ice- best, to illustrate how gallery open- berg, for after-parties are where ings embellished my life. decadent mischief breeds. time to get around At my first art school opening I Lest you think these are the rem- was lured home by a kinky married iniscences of a prime gone by, just woman in a wide-rimmed hat, who this year an artist and his wife knocked her husband out with arrived at my loft after his show, and ALLERIES are the best pick-up picture; this is why openings are sleeping pills on the bed beside us. dropped their knickers at the door, joints in town — a prying brief traditionally held so early, to leave The clock was set, my fate was claiming they had planned it for from my editor. I might other- plenty of time to play. sealed. months. And later still, the young Gwise not have noticed the Thin ice that I skate on here, for I My second opening drove my artist who wouldn’t take my card, paramount perk of my vocation; an know the darkest recesses of all who buxom art history lecturer into my saying I’d never call, insisted on fol- art world populated by voraciously passed through my 35 years of art willing arms and transformed into a lowing me home, where we cavorted wanton hedonists, which is the philandering — the who, the why raging nymphomaniac, well known until the sun rose. I woke up later norm and not the exception. and the when, even the shape and under the important artists of the with my entire being covered in For the uninitiated, the common size of things to come, what excuses time. It was 17 hours before she let drawings, but the girl was gone.

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