Infection.

Last Saturday I visited  Infecting the City with two friends. To add to the fun we went by train. I last took this suburban train 27 years ago -  can you believe it? Contrary to expectations (and fears, since one always hears the bad stories about people getting mugged or thrown off the train) it was very pleasant. The carriage was quite clean and there were more than enough fellow passengers (this depends on the time of day, I am sure)  to feel safe but not crowded. It was great not to have to sit in the car hunched over the steering wheel for 50 minutes, teeth clenched and nerves shot, wasting petrol, and then struggling to find parking. So all in all a good experience.(But jeez, Metrorail, do something about the CT station toilets! They are quite, quite horrible - talk about infecting the city ...)

Some photos of the events we saw:

On the train, passing Fish Hoek.

Puppets on Thibault Square.

More puppets and Archbishop Tutu..

The band.

Swopping roles.

A man with a mission. 

Spectator & parrot. 

Pas de deux. 

Hola!

Daniel - a railways employee with baggage trolley at the station. He asked me to please publish his name in the newspaper. He seemed sad when I said that I was not a journalist, so I explained that I would publish the photo on the internet, at which he cheered up considerably. He gave only his first name. So Daniel, this one is especially for you.

3600 - an art installation about the extent of rape in this country.

Walking the Rose Path

Angels at Golden Acre Centre, waiting for the clock to strike 12.

In the Slave Church in Long Street - Antjie in Berlin - a performance work with piano, electronic sounds, and the recorded voice of Antjie Krog reading some of the material from her book Begging to be Black.

Young dancers performing on Church Square.

The Exhibition Opening.

Oh yay!!!! My first* exhibition has just opened at a local gallery. It is a group exhibition, and I feel very privileged to be be able to exhibit with this group of talented print makers.

The opening was a blast:

Making sure the liquid refreshments are ready: exhibiting artist Jane McIlleron, and organizer of the exhibition, artist and teacher Colleen Ross.

  

Colleen Ross discussing a work with exhibiting artist Trudi McPherson.

Viewing the exhibition.

Exhibiting artist and gallery owner Theresa Jo Wessels, organizer Colleen Ross, and guest speaker Judy Moolenschot.

Exhibiting artists Lana Davis (middle) and Anairam (right), with beloved Tai Chi teacher, Fiona Barclay Smith. 

A visitor, L'Usband and exhibiting artist Bridget Wares fortifying themselves on the patio.

 

Exhibiting artists Nicola Visser and Rosa Shepherd discussing their art with a visitor.

Visitors on opening night. 

Colleen Ross with exhibiting artists Caryl Hochleutner and Bridget Wares.


Anairam with exhibiting artist Sue Kaplan.

Viewing the artist books.

As for the art, well, you will have to visit the exhibition! I have on display Nine Ants, my Rumours series, and three artist books - The Games We Play, Rumours and Travail. 

* I have just been reminded that technically this is not my first exhibition - last year a mail art etching of mine was on exhibition in Amadora, Portugal.

Every 3 Minutes.

On Saturday we had our first public rehearsal of the performance piece, Every 3 Minutes*, conceived and created by artist Colleen Ross. The piece addresses the horrifying frequency of child rape.

Embroidering the tiny and delicate christening robes.

Ringing the bell to mark the passing of 3 minutes.


Threading the needle.

Undoing the hoop.

.
Folding the dress.


Packing away the dress in the suitcase.

Removing the dresses from the tree.

Closing the box.

The end of the performance - we walk away.

*From the performance notes:

Every Three Minutes

by Colleen Ross

Every Three Minutes is a performance artwork that deals with child rape. Christening robes are being embroidered with information about child rape and murder. quotations from children, shameful legal interpretations, lack of justice, child rights, statistics and details of crimes. The intention is to show respect to the victims and draw attention to ways in which the public can act constructively by aiding various organisations. The fragile little dresses symbolise vulnerability, beauty, hope and love. The act of embroidering evokes centuries of loving, caring and nurturing of infants by their mothers. As we examine the dresses we realise that the embroidered text deals with appalling violence, suffering and often death of innocents. During the performance which lasts 50 minutes, a bell tolls every three minutes to symbolise a rape. At this point a dress is lovingly folded and reverently placed in a suitcase. When the last dress is packed into the suitcase, the performers slowly gather their belongings and leave the scene

My postc(art) project.

I have started a postc(art) project. Every two weeks I plan to send off three or four art postcards. They are quick and easy to do - I use recycled bits and pieces from my study(o). So far I have sent off four.

The next four are almost ready to be posted.
Let me know if you would like to participate by leaving me a comment with an email address where I can contact you. The idea is that after you receive yours, you send me a postc(art) back. You should really spend no more than 15 or 20 minutes making yours. The easiest is to  use recycled material in a creative way. Or you can use a ready-made post card and cleverly adapt it by adding (or subtracting) something from it.

I love the idea of all the bits of art flying all over the world and delighting (I hope) postal workers along the way ...

More Mail Art.

My entry for the 2014 ARTEVER mail art exhibition in Amadora, Portugal. The theme this year is Build the Future.

An Apple A Day (mixed media, mail art).

This was last year's entry, and here it is proudly hanging at the exhibition (scroll down to second photo. Mine is on the right).

For You.

Given to me by L'Usband. And now I am sharing it with you, today.

Two books about art.

Two great books to add to your reading list. On my recommendation.

A great book on the function of art. It has definitely influenced the way I look at art. (And has confirmed some views I have held ...). Written in de Botton's inimitable style.

A lovely book. Great story and great characters. Not (for me) as good as The Secret History and The Little Friend, but still, I could not put it down, which says a lot. And now of course everyone is flocking to see the real painting ....