This diverse group exhibition of South African fibre artists is a collaboration with the National Quilt Festival hosted by the Good Hope Quilters Guild. This exhibition has been compiled by guest curator Dal Botha, known for her exceptional exhibitions at the FynArts Festival in Hermanus. Fibre art in general explores experimentation with textile manipulation, colour, texture and a diversity of mixed media, all applied and executed in an original way.
The exhibition Storeroom Series celebrates African Modernism, a movement that appeared in the mid-twentieth century and was characterized by its innovative and experimental approach to artmaking. Some of the artists featured in this exhibition were part of two important collectives – The New Group and Amadlozi Group - that shaped the art movement in South Africa through their dedication in exploring African Art.
Tracings show part of researcher Richard ‘Ginger’ Townley Johnson’s (1911-1994) archive on southern African rock art. In the mid-70s, the Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation granted sponsorship to ‘Ginger’ who by then was retired to continue his various travels and explorations to trace rock art sites in Southern Africa.
In order to shift the spotlight to artworks not included in other selected in-house and external exhibitions, the Storeroom Series is presented: Not just seen as highlights from the collection, but also to showcase the popularity of artists and artworks for visitors' enjoyment. The current rotation focuses on the faces and spaces Irma Stern encountered, mainly during the mid-1930s to the late 1940s, the highlight of her career known as 'The Zanzibar Years'.
The use of biblical scenes and scriptures have been a popular subject matter in many artists work. From as early as Byzantine period with commissions given to artists by churches, through the Renaissance these scenes are popular with Western artists. Locally during the period 1960s to 1990s artists from art centres such as Rorke’s Drift and Ardmore were also drawing from scriptures as themes and subjects to their work, but very much personalizing it to their customs, believes and interpretations.
Brought together in one space, a selection of international artists part of the Huberte Goote Collection, during the exhibition a rotation of other artists and artworks will also be introduced. The works have been extensively labeled and exhibited as Art of the Space Age since the 1960s locally and abroad by the Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation.
The Social Impact Arts Prize awards artists who situate their practices in socially concerned conditions ranging from the environment and climate change to human relations and social pressures of an inequal society.
Four successful instalments between 1982 and 1991, established The Cape Town Triennial as one of South Africa’s most established art exhibitions. Political turmoil during this period in South African history reflected in what is generally referred to as “Resistance Art”. Sociopolitical commentary gave powerful meaning to rising artistic voices while emerging artists established their visual practices inside this canon.
Continuing the exploration of genre themed exhibitions inspired by the Rupert Museum’s permanent collections, Nature Morte is the second in the series, following on the much appreciated show – Faces & Figures.
The PORTRAIT 100 exhibition will enable art lovers to indulge in a genre that has captured the hearts of artists, art historians and -custodians alike for centuries. By allowing us a glimpse into our own personage, the depiction of the human figure has truly stood the test of time as a relatable, enriching, and empathetic subject matter.
