Archives

Picnic Blanket Fundraiser

Nobel Award winning writer Nadine Gordimer and celebrity artists David Goldblatt, Sam Nhlengethwa and Penny Siopis are some of the creative industries’ leaders who are contributing towards the fundraising efforts of The Bag Factory Artists’ Studios and the Community Based Development Programme (CBDP), at the end of autumn this year.

On the afternoon of Sunday 27 May the two organisations will be hosting a picnic in beautiful garden, sculpture-park and amphitheatre of the Nirox Foundation in the Cradle of Humankind. While enjoying a gourmet picnic lunch on these exquisite grounds ticket-holders will be able to view a number of activities including:

- Rajesh Gopie, actor and comedian will host the event

- Nadine Gordimer reading from her latest book: No Time like the Present

- an auction of investment quality artworks by artists including David Goldblatt, Penny Siopis, Sam Nhlengethwa, and the works of emerging talent Tshepo Mosopa, not to mentioned personally signed copies of Gordimer’s book.

The afternoon promises to be a fabulous event to see off the last days before the chilly months of winter with a celebration of generosity, aesthetic achievement and nature. At R500 a ticket (R100 for children under 13 years of age) the event promises to warm the hearts of all present.

The proceeds of the event will contribute to the efforts of these two respected and independent NPOs in their mission to improve South Africa’s diverse social and cultural landscape. The Bag Factory, now celebrating its 21^st year, offers artists the opportunity to pioneer unmapped territories and test their limits in the spirit of exchange and global connectedness by focusing on a programme that stands for inclusion and diversity. The CBDP provides training and developmental to communities and people working in organisations whose actions will lead to real economic and social upliftment in their constituency.

For more information on the picnic blanket fundraiser contact Aysha Waja at the Bag Factory. (aysha@bagfactoryart.org.za or 011 834 9181)

S A S : An exhibition by visiting artists

At 5:30 on the evening of Thursday 29 March the Bag Factory Artists Studios will be opening a one week-long exhibition of the work of five visiting artists – Victoria Udondian from Nigeria, Mark Thomann from Germany, Kate Tarratt Cross from Cape Town, Fiona Flynn from the UK, and Jarrett Erasmus, our 3rd David Koloane Award Winner from KraaiFontein.

These dynamic individuals have been part of the Bag Factory’s Visiting Artists Programme, and over the period of the past three months have been preparing work, networking and running workshops around Johannesburg. The show, entitled S A S (Secret Art Service) is the end result.

Victoria Udondian’s work is filled with textiles. Clothing, sheets and scraps of material abound her work in the essence of the Nigerian ‘Bend Down Boutique’ where second hand materials and clothing are sold, resold and discarded. Victoria graduated with her Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2004, and has since then based her career over the African continent, attending workshops and participating in numerous exhibitions.

Mark Thomann’s work, as a German artist and curator, focuses on interfaces of communication processes in public space. He is also a founding member of a Berlin-based printmaking and performance collective called Pony Pedro. While in South Africa Thomann has been working closely with members of the Bertrams community on a series of hand-screenprinted books as part of Pony Pedro’s Homezone project.

Kate Tarratt Cross has recently stepped back from her role leading and facilitating art projects to focus on her personal work. Her work evolves around “existence”, presented through an autobiographical journey of the shadow.

Fiona Flynn’s creative practice is varied and she is also a teacher, a writer, editor and researcher. Fiona has been developing ideas and projects around Foucault’s notion of heterotopic space, and in Johannesburg has developed digital drawings that express ideas of commonality.

Jarrett Erasmus, the youngest artist amongst the five, is completing his stay as the winner of the David Koloane Award, which is awarded to new talent in the visual arts. Living up to the Bag Factory’s expectations, Jarrett’s work for this show considers beauty, race and all its implications.

The programmes and the projects were supported by the National Arts Council, Arts Council England, The Goethe Institut, the Triangle Network and IFA.

For more information contact the Bag Factory at info@bagfactoryart.org.za or 011 834 9181.