Keeping up with the tides, 2023 is returning with the Wavescapes Board Auction, a special bidding event facilitating ocean preservation for boards adorned by some of South Africa’s celebrated artists.

Presented by Vans, the art auction will benefit a variety of Ocean organisations, presented by comedian Nik Rabinowitz at Jack Black’s Tap Room on Wednesday 22 March 2023.

In operation since 2005, The Wavescapes Art Board Auction has raised close to R6 million for ocean charities across the country.

This year, the artist in participation included Amy Ayanda, Amy-Lee Tak, Brett Murray, Dbongz Fhatuwani Mukheli, Justin Southey, Lee-ann Heath, Liberty Battson, Marie-Louise Koen and Martin Lund.

The auction starts at 7.30 pm on the evening of the 22nd and participants are welcome to bid telephonically. 

Proceeds of the auction to their core beneficiaries, the NSRI, The Shark Spotters, Ocean Pledge, 9MilesProject & The Beach-Co-op. Wavescapes have helped fund several NSRI boats and helped the Shark Spotters keep surfers and sharks in mostly harmonious co-habitation.

Buy a ticket to the Wavescapes Art Board Auction, here.

Looking for more local art? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

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It’s that time of year again when the Wavescape Surf and Ocean Festival launches its annual Art Board Project.

This year, artists Kirsten Sims, Liza Grobler, Brett Murray, Jenna Barbe, Marti Lund and Chris Auret, Beezy Bailey, Alexis Aronson, Jake Aikman, Lionel Smit and Andrzej Urbanski have collaborated with Wavescape to each create a one-off artwork on a surfboard.

The boards, which are currently being exhibited at Jack Black Brewery, will be auctioned off on 28 November to raise funds for NSRI, Shark Spotters, Waves For Change, Adaptive Surfing, The Beach Co-op and 9MilesProject.

The exhibition is open to the public from 9am until late at Jack Black Brewery. Doors open at 7pm on 28 November, with the auction starting at 8pm. Jack Black Brewery is located at 10 Brigid Road, Diep River, Cape Town.

For more information about bidding or about the Art Board Project, visit wavescapefestival.com.

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A group of talented South African artists, including Brett Murray, Lionel Smit and Conrad Botes, have decorated 11 surfboards for the Wavescape Art Board Project, as part of the annual Wavescape Festival.

The project, now in its 11th year, sees artists Jenna Barbe, Peter van Straten, Steve Pike, Sujay Sanan, Jake Aikman, Alexis Aronson, Chris Burkard and Manuela Gray also creating surfboards for the project.

The three-fin high performance shortboards will all be auctioned off on Tuesday 29 November 2016 in support of Waves For Change, Shark Spotters and the NSRI.

The surfboards are currently being exhibited at Tiger’s Milk in Muizenberg, Cape Town until 29 November 2016. For the auction, doors open at 6pm, with the auction kicking off at 8pm. You can contact Shani at Wavescape Festival on 083 509 5106 if you would like to bid by proxy or phone. Entrance to the exhibition and the auction is free.

Visit wavescapefestival.com for more information.

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Nine South African artists have each transformed a fish surfboard into a collectable work of art for this year’s Wavescape Festival.

The surfboards went on auction at Tiger’s Milk in Muizenberg, Cape Town on 1 December to raise money for the NSRI, the Waves For Change trauma programme, Shark Spotters, Cancer Dojo and The Little Optimist Trust.

Renowned artists Beezy Bailey, Brett Murray, Asha Zero, Andrew Whitehouse, Chris Brehem, Conn Bertish, Jake Aikman, One Love Studio and Sanell Aggenbach have all created a board.

For more information on the event, visit wavescapefestival.com.

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Renowned South African artist Claudette Schreuders talks us through her process and the inspiration behind her famous wooden sculptures and lithographs.

What inspires your carved sculptures?

I made my first wooden sculptures in 1994 as an undergraduate at the University of Stellenbosch. My influences for those sculptures was painted medieval religious sculptures and painted colon figures from West Africa. I was also inspired by my lecturer at the time, Brett Murray.

What processes do you undergo before you start a new work?

I spend a long time thinking of the group as a whole, sometimes an idea for one work lies dormant in my sketchbooks for years and then I find a group for it to belong to and start it at last.

I do loose pencil sketches and more detailed preparatory drawings, and I also use photographs as reference. Once I know what size the work will be I prepare my wood, either by laminating a block of wood or cutting a log to the correct size.

You describe yourself as a perfectionist. How does this influence the work you create?

Perfect for me just means working on something until it’s right. It does not mean flawless, just finished. It’s quite a personal thing. I’m definitely not a perfectionist as a person – in terms of being neat or organised.

Are your new series of lithographs – Great Expectations – inspired by your sculptures, or do you view these creations as separate?

My lithographs come after my sculptures and function as a record. I work from photographs of the work that I take or have taken for this purpose. Sometimes I like a lithograph of a work more than I like the original sculpture. I tend to like art that functions as a kind of record.

Do you have any future projects or exhibitions you’d like our readers to know about?

I have a solo show titled Note to Self coming up in February 2016 at the Jack Shainman Gallery in New York.

A series of Claudette’s lithographs is available through The Artist’s Press.

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If it were up to us, these dinner plates would only come out for the most extraordinary dinner guests and we’d certainly never stick one in the microwave to warm up a slice of pizza!

You could own a set of 12 dinner plates and 12 side plates that feature iconic imagery from artists Lisa Brice, Kudzanai Chiurai, David Goldblatt, Moshekwa Langa, Sam Nhlengethwa, William Kentridge, Mikhael Subotzky, Patrick Waterhouse, Hank Willis Thomas, Jeremy Wafer, Kendell Geers, Alfredo Jaar and Brett Murray. The artwork is applied by hand and fired onto Churchill crockery, which is microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

The range is a collaboration between the Goodman Gallery and Orange Babies, an NGO that focuses on the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and the care of orphaned and vulnerable children. “Since its inception 15 years ago in the Netherlands, Orange Babies’ fund-raising activities have revolved around art, design and fashion. We were delighted when the Goodman Gallery approached us with the idea, and we’re overwhelmed by their generosity and that of the artists,” says director Dr Adrienne Feldner-Busztin.

The range is limited to 250 sets, so if you want one, best order it from Orange Babies or the Goodman Gallery now. Production time is normally between 8 and 10 weeks, but a small stock is readily available. All proceeds from the project go towards supporting Orange Babies’ initiatives in South Africa.

Plates currently retail at R20 000 for a set of 12 dinner plates (28,5 cm diameter) and 12 side plates (22 cm diameter).

For more information about Orange Babies email info@orangebabies.org.za.

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The new Field Office in Woodstock – the third in Cape Town – promises to shine a new spotlight on the artistic talent in this diverse neighbourhood.

Just last week, amid threats of snow and rain on the mountain, the Pedersen + Lennard guys not only opened a third Field Office in Woodstock, they also unveiled its exciting new exhibition wall showcasing the artworks of this bustling suburb’s many talented artists.

Design duo Luke Pedersen and James Lennard’s latest in their series of coffee, co-working and design hubs is themed the Neighbourhood Edition. Although it’s a little smaller than the other two, we love that it picks up on that special Woodstock charm: it sits on a corner surrounded by the area’s enchanting Victorian cottages. We also think that its dedicated exhibition wall lends an added edge to the already great reputation established by their first two stores. Think good coffee, fab food and free wi-fi as well as a range of Pedersen + Lennard designer furniture. Now add art!

The current art exhibition features works by Lauren Fowler, Brett Murray, Paul Senyol, Nic Grobler, Paul Edmunds, Simon Berndt, Marsi van der Heuvel and others. So-called “chief whip” and curator Roberta Grantham will be negotiating with the artists to arrange new exhibitions and she says: “Much more community art collaborations are on the cards as well as a drive to eventually push things to a gallery level.”

The shop is all decked out in warm shades of gold, brass and natural leather, emanating a sense of homeliness, rather than the urban vibes given off by its two predecessors. “It’s a little more grown up,” says Luke. If you can tear your eyes away from all the art on the wall, check out the striking brass-plated shop counter. Two bulbous lights fixed on specially designed solid brass tubing extend from the wall to eye things out over the counter.

Providing stylish seating in one corner is a set of Pedersen + Lennard’s new Huguenot furniture range, made of oak timber and consisting of a table and chairs. Another brand new collection, so new it’s still nameless is also dotted around − a round wooden table top with three metal legs and mix-and-match round stools.  

A small range of the Pedersen + Lennard furniture and other products are also for sale.

Field Office, 34 Salisbury Street, pedersenlennard.co.za

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Riding the waves of change are 12 of SA’s coolest artists, who are all participating in a one-of-a-kind surfboard art exhibition, the 2013 Wavescapes Artboard Project, ending in a charity auction on Wednesday 4 December at 6pm.

Raising funds for ocean charities as part of the Wavescapes Surf Festival, the artists were tasked to create a fab new design for the 2013 surfboard, the Shred Stick. 

Acclaimed international export Mikhael Subotzky, as well as veteran political satirist Brett Murray with yet another controversial masterpiece, Die Antwoord’s collaborator Roger Ballen, tattoo specialist Manuela Gray and artist provocateur Peter van Straten have all gotten on board.

More artists taking part are newcomer Conrad Hicks, a metal work sculptor who works with salvaged wrought iron and steel – his metal surfboard will be the first ever of its kind on show. Alan van Gysen is a surf photographer whose interest in the chemical possibilities of photography combined with surfboard design had him create a fabulous resin-coated surfboard. 

The success of last year’s festival (VISI featured the surfboards here) saw more than a quarter of a million rand raised, benefitting the NSRI, Shark Spotters and the Isiqalo foundation’s Waves for Change programme.

Hurry along to save a spot at the Woodstock Exchange’s Superette where the auction will take place on Wednesday 4 December at 6pm. The Twakkie-half of The Most Amazing Show, Rob van Vuuren, will be there as special guest. Check out the website for more details about the film festival and other Wavescape events coming up.

www.wavescapefestival.com

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As you may have read in our SPRINGLOADED VISI 68, Lauren Beukes staged a charity art show in aid of Rape Crisis, following the success of her book The Shining Girls. With all the works snapped up in 20 minutes, VISI felt that the exhibition needed to be shared with far more people, as well as a place to live together and so we have coordinated this online extension. Lauren also shared her thoughts with us:

You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words; in this case the exchange rate worked out about one to one. My 90 000 word novel, The Shining Girls, translated into R95 000 raised for Rape Crisis in 20-minutes flat through the sales of original artworks created by major local talents on a page ripped from the book. 

I dreamed up the idea, in keeping with the charity art projects I’ve done to tie in with all my novels, but never on this scale. The show was curated by Jacki Lang who wrangled 67 artists, from Zapiro to Conrad Botes and Sindiso Nyoni to street artists like DalEast and Faith47, as well as designers, illustrators and even jewellers, Philippa Green and Ida Elsje; found us a gallery space at the Cape Town School of Photography; and organised sponsorship from Pick’n’Pay, Genevieve MCC and Carola Koblitz to cover the niggly hard costs.

The final show featured 95 original artworks donated by the artists that ranged from the most simplistic, like Cameron Platter’s Fuck Rape, to elaborate craftsmanship that engaged directly with the book, like Willeen le Roux’s keyhole light box or Jesse Breytenbach’s laser-cut three dimensional butterflies.  

Every work was democratically priced at R1 000 each, whether by a major artist or a young up-and-coming to ensure that the artwork was accessible to all. Buyers were also restricted to one purchase only, which meant that people started queuing up two hours before the exhibition opened and when we finally opened the doors, the line snaked down four flights of stairs!

It was a beautiful thing and a poignant reminder, for me, that it’s good to get angry about the terrible things that happen in the world, it’s good to voice that anger, in a novel or a tweet and we can also take action. 

Rape Crisis requires R8-million a year to run. Last year, they got R46 000 from private donors. This year, they’ve had people donate R800 000, moved by the relentless news stories of horrific violence against women that have come up through 2013. You can make a difference. If you missed the exhibition, you can donate to Rape Crisis or join The Thousand Hearts Campaign  for a R100 a month to support the difficult and vital work they do.

The first part of the exhibition showing in the gallery above includes work by Claudette Schreuders, Brett Murray, Conrad Botes, Ed Young, Adam Hill, Alex Hamilton, Beth Diane Armstrong, Daniel Ting Chong, Gabrielle Graaff, Black Koki, Ello, Helen Pritchard, Brandt Botes, Alex Latimer, Faith47, DALeast, Chad Rossouw, David Brits, Frank van Reenen, Emma Cook, Galia Gluckman, Jade Klara, Gerhard Human, Jordan Metcalf, Hannelie Taute, Gemma Orkin, Joey Hi-Fi, Heath Nash, Gareth Owen, Jesse Breytenbach and Cathy Abraham.

Browse Part 2 of The Shining Girls online exhibition here.

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For the first time, South African design is out in full force at the Design Miami/Basel event in Switzerland, starting today and running until 16 June 2013. The work of 17 designers and artists is being showcased by Southern Guild.

“We are extremely excited to be presenting the fresh voice of South African collectable design to a Basel audience at the most important design forum in the world,” said Trevyn McGowan, founder and director of Southern Guild. 

Southern Guild is South Africa’s most high-profile proponent of luxury indigenous design and regularly curates and commissions large-scale exhibitions of unique once-off pieces by the crème of our country’s artists and designers. The most recent exhibition in South Africa was Heavy Metal at the Woodstock Foundry, Cape Town, in February and the annual Southern Guild exhibition at the Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, in August 2012 (read more here). 

The work showing at Design Miami/Basel is mostly drawn from these two exhibitions, including Joe Paine’s steampunk-flavoured crank desk that VISI nominated for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award at this year’s Design Indaba. Also drawn from last year’s exhibition is Dokter and Misses’s hand-painted solid wood cabinet inspired by Burkina Faso mud dwellings. Porky Hefer’s leather weaver’s nest for humans will also be on display. 

The ongoing collaboration between furniture designer Gregor Jenkin and artist William Kentridge, initiated at last year’s exhibition, has produced a new chair inspired by the artist’s torn-paper work. Willowlamp will also show exquisite brand new mandala-themed chandeliers. And sculptor Dylan Lewis embarks on an exploration of the functional with a monumental, abstract console.

Work by the likes of Andile Dyalvane (watch our video interview here), Brett Murray, Bronze Age and Conrad Hicks was selected from the Heavy Metal exhibition. Other designers include Michaella Janse van Vuuren, Ceramic Matters and Laurie Wiid van Heerden.

The press release says it best: “Artisanal, handmade and cerebral, South African design elicits a physical response as much as it invites a viewer to think. Some of this experiential quality derives from the handmade nature of the work. Its distinctiveness is grounded in social and political realities, narrative, a true bond with nature and a sense of human connectedness with little interest in passing trends or in highly polished, technologically driven visions of design.”

Well, Design Miami/Basel, and Europe in general, we hope you get the message, with love, from Africa. VISI can’t think of a better cast of designers to be delivering it!

www.southernguild.co.za

Kemang Wa Lehulere has won the 15th Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel, read more here.

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