A group of Cape Town-based artists calling themselves CODA Collective places play, friendship and experimental collaboration between its founders and the local creative community.
WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Act Casual; Alyssa van der Merwe
A group art show is by no means a new concept, but Cynthia Edwards, Olivié Keck, Danielle Clough and Andrew Sutherland have given the concept a particularly colourful spin. And a clever one: in music-world parlance, “coda” refers to a melody that’s distinct from the main score, yet still exists in harmony with the overall composition – and the word CODA happens to include the first letter of each artist’s name.
Cynthia, Olivié, Danielle and Andrew at the exhibition opening.
“The idea grew from the way we felt about one another’s practices and work, and realising the myriad opportunities for collaboration and a more communal creative experience,” says Cynthia. “One tends to get a little stuck in one’s own ways, especially when working from home, so delving into another artist’s way of making has been insightful and inspirational.” The collective’s inaugural exhibition was hosted by the Cape Town Creative Academy at the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District, and it was all about combining their strengths, artistic agency and – to quote their press release – “thinking differently about ‘the status quo’ of the art market. The mood is unequivocally ‘let’s shake it up’!”
How was the show different?
“Because we took on the project as the gallery, and not just as artists, we knew we could write the rules and take extra risks,” says Danielle. “It was not a traditional white wall show, and it was filled with work. We had pink walls, and plinths packed with ceramics. The work was available from opening night, making everything accessible.”
And Cape Town’s creative community certainly responded with enthusiasm. “With queues out the door, we could not have asked for a more spectacular turnout for an opening,” says Olivié. “The joyful spirit and energy of the night were electric. The event felt like a celebration of what can be achieved through friendship and initiative. Our decision to allow attendees of the opening event first option to purchase artwork generated a lot of hype and anticipation, and completely surpassed our expectations. It was such an affirmation of our hard work and intention – and being fortunate enough to host a sell-out event really helped to confirm that success.”
Beyond just an exhibition, the crew also hosted a collaborative workshop, where Cynthia and Danielle taught two mediums, over two days, to create a mixed media artwork. Another full collaborative effort was a raffle, where the four artists worked on a single artwork, each in their own medium. All proceeds from the tickets sold were donated to the R.A.D animal rescue foundation, with one lucky person winning a four-artist original work for the ticket price of R150.
What’s next for CODA?
“Our approach has been somewhat organic from the beginning, so it’s difficult to say exactly what will happen,” says Andrew. “But our first show has ignited more potential collaborations within our group. There’s a strong pull of joint ceramic works, and Dee and myself have talked about new ideas that combine painting and embroidery, which I think will be very exciting.” | @_codacollective
The Collective
Give me a “C”, give me an “O”…
CYNTHIA EDWARDS, clay artist, uses her fascination with the physical form as a medium to explore light, shadow and everything in between. Her clay shapes exemplify a timeless relationship with wonder and a childlike whimsy, grounded in her attention to detail and technical mastery of her craft.
OLIVIÉ KECK, artist, invites you to peer through the windows of her theatrical subjects, witnessing everyday snapshots of their intimate lives. Her saturated patterns, drawn from a background in printmaking, both flatten and deepen the narrative compositions, defying perspective and beckoning the viewer to stay a little longer.
DANIELLE CLOUGH, fibre artist, envisions the world through a technicoloured filter as she brings her subjects to life with cinematic vibrancy and thread. The technical prowess and rich materiality of her embroidery combine a kaleidoscope of beads, thread, wool and fabric with seamless synergy.
ANDREW SUTHERLAND, artist, traverses the romanticism of the painted landscape with his depictions of the journeyman through the lavish hues of the natural world. His abundant use of iridescent colour and expressive mark-making invite you on an adventure into the magnificent wilds.
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