For the first time ever, 10 high profile professional artists from Nelson Mandela Bay will collectively exhibit in the Western Cape – at the newly opened RK Contemporary Art Gallery in Riebeek Kasteel.
Entitled Collective 2018: 10 Artists from Nelson Mandela Bay, the exhibition runs from Sunday, 4 March to Tuesday, 3 April. The 10 artists represented are Anthony Harris, Anton Momberg, Bretten-Ann Moolman, Donve Branch, Lydia Holmes, Estelle Marais, Greg Kerr, Jaco Benade, Lookout Sibanda and Brunn Kramer.
South Africa’s official languages
As part of this exhibition, Anton Momberg will be exhibiting three of 11 prototype bronze sculptures entitled The Freedom Statues, which depict South Africa’s official languages.
Momberg, who is said to be one of South Africa’s finest sculptors, was commissioned by the Department of Human Settlement and the Eastern Cape Government to create these statues as part of a massive art installation that will stand at the centre of a new development in Qunu which is aimed at celebrating the memory of Madiba. The completed memorial will include a presidential library, schools, higher learning institutions and housing – with Momberg’s statues occupying pride of place in the heart of it all.
The 11 official languages, following Momberg’s 18 months of creation, are represented by a series of children dancing and playing, and the completed pieces will measure in at an impressive 3.5 metres high, each then standing on 40 metre high pillars. These will be linked with a separate sculpture of Mandela some distance away, looking up at these children.
The prototypes, or maquettes, for the statues are approximately 1 metre tall and will later be recreated in their full 3.5 metre height before taking up their place in Qunu. But until then they are taking part in this group exhibition at RK Contemporary – allowing visitors a glimpse of Momberg’s work which will form a part of South African history through their significant role in Madiba’s memorial.
Fine art and ceramics
Owner and curator of RK Contemporary, Astrid Mcleod, explains that in addition to Momberg’s Madiba memorial sculptures, visitors to the gallery to view the Collective 2018 exhibition will be treated to works by seven other renowned artists from Nelson Mandela Bay – artists with national and international profiles in fine art and ceramics – as well as two young up-and-coming emerging artists.
Amongst the line up are: Anthony Harris, an artist who has exhibited both locally and internationally, and whose work was commissioned by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of public service.
Bretten-Anne Moolman, an artist whose work has been selected as one of the top 100 young artists in South Africa and who was selected for both the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Museum Biennial and the Friends of the Art Museum ‘Skin’ Exhibition.
Estelle Marais, who has travelled extensively, taught art – heading the Fine Art departments of three universities – and held 15 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 100 group shows.
Greg Kerr, a celebrated artist and former professor of fine art at Stellenbosch University who spent much of his working life as a teacher and academic, while pursuing a successful career as an artist.
Jaco Benade, a painter whose sensitive portrait and landscape studies are much sought-after, not only for their visual beauty but also for their fine artistic qualities.
Exhibiting in other mediums are Donve Branch, an award-winning potter who specialises in pit-fired pottery, and Lydia Holmes, an award winning ceramicist who also works in print and mixed media.
The young emerging artists are painter Brunn Kramer and ceramicist Lookout Sibanda – both names to be watched as they leave their mark on the art world.
RK Contemporary opened its doors in August 2017 and specialises in high-end, highly collectable contemporary artworks. This particular exhibition sees McLeod collaborating with Anthony Harris and Mike Spittal, who jointly curated Collective 2018.
What: Collective 2018: 10 Artists from Nelson Mandela Bay
Where: RK Contemporary Art Gallery, Riebeek Kasteel, South Africa
When: Sunday, 4 March – Tuesday, 3 April, 2018
Info: Astrid McLeod 083 6533 697, astridmcleod@mweb.co.za
WS
