WORDS Amelia Brown
The FNB JoburgArtFair, the oldest art fair in South Africa where leading artists, galleries, collectors, writers, thinkers and art lovers congregate, enters its 10th edition this year. Here are seven highlights to look forward to at the 2017 event, running from 8 – 10 September.
- FNB Art Prize Winner Peju Alatise
One of the judges of the coveted FNB Art Prize, Pulane Kingston, said of this year’s winner: “The quality of each of the shortlisted candidates’ proposals this year was high, but we were ultimately unanimous in our decision around Alatise’s proposal – it stood out. The innovative, universal social relevance and poignancy in the themes underpinning her work were some of the deciding factors in tipping the scales in her favour. The overall body of her work over the years is varied and compositionally strong, palpably reflecting the intense vibrancy of the African continent. We have no doubt that the integrity of the overall body of her work will propel her career meaningfully.”
- Truth, or some other abstraction Curated By Dr. Zoe Whitley
As this is the 10th edition, and in the spirit of looking back, Dr. Zoe Whitley of London’s Tate Modern, will curate an exhibition within the fair, which will look at how South African modern artists voiced their stories and how those stories shaped our contemporary understanding of history. Borrowing works not often on public display from Gauteng’s collections, the respected guest curator’s investigation of the modern South African narrative is said to demonstrate the importance that our past plays on present realities.
- The Featured Artist: Robin Rhode
Robin Rhode – the featured artist at the very first fair in 2008 – is welcomed back to reclaim the position. Robin’s most recent body of work resonates with the concept of looking forward. He obscures obvious age, race or even gender from his imagery, favouring instead the constants of geometry, balance and colour theory. According to fair organisers, the results are eerily comforting avatars in the age of globalisation – iconography with which anyone may identify.
- The Talks Programme
The free Talks Programme takes place at the Theatre on Nelson Mandela Square and highlights the exciting content at this year’s fair. Notably, the programme includes featured artist Robin and The Armory Show (New York) Director Benjamin Genocchio – each delivering a keynote – as well as a conversation that looks at The School of Anxiety, a project by Moses Serubiri, showcased at the 10th Berlin Biennale.
- The Contemporary Section
The Contemporary Section welcomes MOV’ART (Luanda), exhibiting for the first time at the fair, while Addis Fine Art (Addis Ababa) and Circle Art Agency (Nairobi) join the main contemporary section after their debut last year as part of the fair’s 2016 East Africa Focus. Other new exhibitors include 50ty/50ty (Joburg) in Limited Editions, NWU Gallery (Potchefstroom) and Under Ground Contemporary (Kampala) in Art Platforms.
- The Solo Presentations
The solo presentations are dominated by women this year – six of the eight artists are female and four of them South African, namely Sethembile Msezane (represented by Gallery MOMO, Joburg and Cape Town), Lady Skollie (Tyburn Gallery, London), Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi (Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle) and Bronwyn Katz (blank projects, Cape Town).
- The Film Programme
On Friday 8 September, audiences can enjoy a specially curated selection of video works from The Centre Of The Less Good Idea’s first season, the brainchild of acclaimed South African artist William Kentridge, which will be projected on a large outdoor screen in Nelson Mandela Square. It’s free and no booking is required.
The FNB JoburgArtFair takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday 8 September (11am – 8pm), Saturday 9 September (11am – 7pm) and Sunday 10 September (11am – 5pm). Buy your single pass (R150) or weekend pass (R250) tickets here, and following the FNB JoburgArtFair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
