Artists in residence

PHOTOS: David Ross | PRODUCTION: Annemarie Meintjes | WORDS: Andrea Vinassa

The Nirox Foundation aims to strengthen Africa’s place on the global arts scene by inviting acclaimed artists to take up an exclusive residency in a private nature reserve.

Imagine an avenue of trees leading to an ancient specimen of Rhus Pyroides embraced by a serpentine rock wall; a poplar forest interlaced with streams and ponds through a sequence of grass mounds; arbours, lakes, rivers, and walkways.

This is the Nirox Foundation set in the heart of the Khatlhampi Private Reserve, a 1 000-hectare privately owned nature reserve offering 20 kilometres of walking and game driving trails through grasslands, ancient dolomitic valleys, natural fountains, caves and indigenous forests.

The Nirox Foundation is an artists’ residency and sculpture park established by local benefactors to promote cross-pollination between international artists and the local arts community.

The art world has a long history of artists’ residencies that have fulfilled specific philosophical, political, social, and cultural functions throughout history, from educational and community programmes to personal meditation and creative expansion.

It is customary for the artist to propose and complete a project that can be exhibited at the end of his or her stay.

Approximately three residencies will be hosted each year and the foundation seeks international artists whose work is relevant, challenging and uplifting, irrespective of style or school. Quirky artist Willem Boshoff has already completed a stint at the foundation and an exhibition of new and historic works by sculptor Eduardo Villa, who is known for his monumental style and playful grandiosity, will take place from March to May 2008.

A broad spectrum of work

The variety of trees and waterways provide a perfect balance for the elementary power of Villa’s metal forms. These two artists could not be more different, and that is the point of the foundation – to showcase and promote a broad spectrum of work from all over the world, as well as internationally recognised South African art.

Nirox offers world-class facilities for the exhibition of outdoor sculpture, featuring a lawn amphitheatre, a 150-metre covered gravel pavilion overlooking the waterways, open meadows and arbours. This sculpture park is ideal for retrospective and collaborative shows.

Display facilities are diverse, accommodating large works and installations as well as more intimate pieces. The lawn amphitheatre and stage also create a unique setting for performance art, recitals, presentations, lectures and openings.

Extend their oeuvre

Although the residency offers artists the necessary tranquility and peace in which to be creative, members of the public will be able to interact with them via lectures, dinners, workshops, private meetings and special events. South African artists will also have the opportunity to participate in mentoring programmes, offering early-career artists an opportunity to interact closely with the principal resident artist.

This interaction is designed to introduce the resident to the local art scene.

Artists will be housed in a comfortable two-bedroom home with a spectacular double-volume studio and office with an adjoining workshop. Also on the property are a two-bedroom cottage, studios, workshops and an independent garden studio.

There is no shortage of African hospitality at the Nirox Foundation. When they are not working, artists will have access to qualified game rangers and palaeontologists, geoscientists and speleologists who are able to give insight into the surroundings.

For those interested in archaeology and the history of mankind, there are the fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind, which is where 40% of all of the world’s human ancestor fossils have been found.

The intention is to create a crucible for creative expression by providing exceptional artists with an opportunity to access the beauty of the South African landscape, and the region’s extraordinary heritage and vibrant socio-political world. At the same time they have the chance to extend their oeuvre and bring their own vision to the region.

• Nirox Foundation: 011 880 8808 (fax), www.niroxarts.com