View 360° of Johannesburg at Artspace, 03 December 2011

View 360° of Johannesburg at Artspace
Every year Artspace gallery presents a dynamic group exhibition showcasing the work of a wide range of creative and talented visual artists and designers.

This year, the exhibition will be a little closer to home. Artspace's latest exhibition is a reminder to those of us who have been run off our feet after another busy year in a city that never stops, that "there's no burger like (well rounded) a Joburger"!

Titled 360° of Johannesburg, this exhibition will showcase a 360° glimpse of Johannesburg through the eyes of a diverse collection of artists and creatives.

The work, all presented using a circular format, will be a mosaic of artists' interpretations of the brief - to explore their responses to this complex city.

Johannesburg , the commercial capital of Africa, sunny city of 'gold', the crime centre of Southern Africa and a city in a process of constant flux. Johannesburg has many sides to its complex and volatile personality. It invokes a love-hate relationship with many of its residents and visitors but seldom leaves anyone untouched.

A 'frontier' town, the Wild West of our time, Johannesburg was formed when gold was discovered on the reef, and it signalled opportunity and new life and livelihood for the people who flocked here to find their fortune. A mere 125 years old, people on every street corner are still looking to find a better station in life - but the grit and grime of an overcrowded city that is attracting people faster than it can accommodate them adds some not so easy layers to the texture of Joburg's story.

Herman Charles Bosman summed up the real character of the city and its diverse population when he said of the 'establishment', "They are trying to make Johannesburg respectable. They are trying to make snobs out of us, making us forget who our ancestors were. They are trying to make us lose our sense of pride in the fact that our forebearers were a lot of roughnecks who knew nothing about culture and who came here to look for gold. "

The artists taking part in this group exhibition of 360° degrees of Johannesburg are both established and emerging artists: Angela Banks, Bongi Bengu, Poorvi Bhana, Jacqui Carney, Paul Cooper, Ronél de Jager, Natasja de Wet, Kevin G Friedman - Frankli Wild, Danelle Janse van Rensburg, Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, Mandy Johnston, MJ Lourens, Dalene Marais, Colbert Mashile, Collen Maswanganyi, Isabel Mertz, Lee-At Meyerov, Sotiris Moldovanos, Farieda Nazier, Haidee Nel, Senzo Nhlapo, Sarel Petrus, Karin Preller, Landi Raubenheimer, MC Roodt, Claire Rousell, Sally Rumball, Lori Schappe-Youens, Bambo Sibiya, Pat Sithole, John Smyth, Sarah Spring, Nicola Taylor, Ann-Marie Tully, Wayne Vivier, Engela van den Hoven, Estie van der Merwe, Thelma van Rensburg, Mocke J van Veuren, Marchand van Tonder and Réney Warrington.

"All works will be hung to form a mosaic in the gallery and artworks will be presented as special little gems and as unique artworks and gifts for the festive season", says Teresa Lizamore - Director and Curator of Artspace. "Each one is a chapter in a yet unfinished story about the city."

360° of Johannesburg opens at Artspace Gallery, 1 Chester Court, 142 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood on 3 December 2011 at 11h00.

Please join us at the opening for a glass of wine and to meet the artists.

The exhibition runs until 17 December 2011, re-opens 13 January 2012 and ends 28 January 2012.

Gallery hours: Tues- Fri 10h00-17h30

For more information about the exhibition:
Artspace
011 880 8802
[email protected]
www.artspace_jhb.co.za

For media enquiries please contact:
Nkosingiphile Khumalo
011 447 2855
[email protected]