Entries (RSS) Alastair Whitton @ DKArts, Johannesburg
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18th October 2007 | Other items by Alastair |
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The uncomfortable sensation in my ears signals a drop in altitude as we begin our descent passing through what appears to be an endless white blanket. As the dark craggy outline of the Hottentots Holland range rises to meet my gaze I sit and reflect on the approaching Mother City and my recent sojourn in the City of Gold. Admittedly I am always a little relieved to return to my mountain and the rhythm and flow of the two oceans. Nonetheless I enjoy the brief high that Johannesburg characteristically provides and once again the frontier town did not disappoint. “Killarney and its on the meter?” A flash of white and we race off into the night. My taxi driver weaves effortlessly through the traffic, which seems to pass by in a blur. I squirm slightly in the back seat and reach awkwardly for the seat belt. Every city has its own heartbeat and as we approach Johannesburg I feel a slight tightening in my chest. “Gonna take a short cut” does little to alleviate this sensation, which is further aggravated by the drivers apparent color-blindness. Red and green traffic lights are seemingly interchangeable! I survive this amusement ride and arrive at my destination where I am warmly welcomed by my host and directed towards my generous accommodation. I am woken at 03:30 by a hearty robin that sings and chirps relentlessly, unlike his Cape Town counterparts whose gigs start at a more sensible hour. Seemingly the Josi work ethic has gone to the birds! A healthy breakfast and we head for HQ. Those who have visited the David Krut Arts Resource in Parkwood are familiar with the diverse and increasingly expanding activities that include a very active print workshop, two exhibition spaces and a bookstore providing access to arguably the largest resource of art related publications in Africa. The colourful grouping of individuals that makes up the dynamic and rapidly growing staff compliment is spurred on by the relentless energy and vision of David Krut himself. True to form the locals are friendly and I am quickly welcomed in.
Andrzej Nowicki is a fellow mountain man who finds himself in Egoli following an invitation by David Krut to produce a series of editioned works on paper at the David Krut Print Workshop. I first encountered this somewhat eccentric young painter at a Michaelis graduate show and was immediately drawn to his mysterious, poetic works.
Nowicki creates carefully distilled visual narratives whose characters inhabit a landscape that is simultaneously surreal and strangely familiar. Like the pages of a book the images seem to unfold recalling moments past while describing those still to come. Despite his recent sell out shows at both David Krut Cape Town and Whatiftheworld Gallery, Nowicki is unassuming and refreshingly ego free. Working closely with Jillian Ross, printmaker and Manager of the David Krut Print Workshop famous for her work ethic, Nowicki has already produced an impressive number of proofs by the time I arrive.
A small mountain or a great hill, depending on your viewpoint, Constitutional Hill, with the Constitutional Court, Old Fort and prisons is both a beacon of hope and a marker of our countries painful past. Having brought the rain with me I negotiate the puddles as we approach the David Krut bookstore adjacent to the court, wondering what I was thinking electing to wear my takkies. It’s cold and wet with no beach in sight! Inside Gadi Magagane, manager of the bookstore whose smile and charming demeanor is pure sunshine, welcomes us.
One of three David Krut bookstores, the venue at the Constitutional Court also serves as the weekly meeting place for the facilitators evolved in the TAEP. The Taxi Arts Education Programme, initiated and supported by David Krut, is an outreach programme aimed at empowerment through art. TAEP promotes visual literacy and an appreciation of the arts while also providing initial training for a long-term career in the arts or arts administration. It provides a valuable support base for those who are interested in forging an arts career but do not necessarily have the support system or funds to pursue this ideal. TAEP contributes to inner-city revival and enrichment and conducts events in and around Johannesburg and Soweto. The TAEP programme certainly appears to have been a light on a hill for the facilitators involved, illuminating a worthwhile path and providing a sense of direction. Characters of note, each for the most part, have grabbed the opportunity afforded them and speak of their teaching roles with commitment and enthusiasm. Developing their talents to enrich the lives of those whom they teach, the facilitators speak passionately of using their art to help restore a sense of meaning and dignity to the lives of street children and young adults predominantly from the inner city. We discuss the importance of communication in the context of both art making and teaching and reflect on what ultimately constitutes a good leader in any arena, namely his or her ability to first be lead. Food for thought as the team heads to the restaurant for a hot meal. Second chances and second lives – we all need them. Perhaps not those of a digital kind but for some it’s fun all the same. Second Life is a 3-D virtual world wherein one can build an alter ego or avatar to meet with others, be entertained, buy land and even trade real-life products.
Digital Surrogates, at David Krut Projects, blurs the line between digital interactive media and fine art. Five large digital portraits of avatars created by Eva and Franco Mattes on Second Life with New York printmaker, Jean-Yves Noblet feature alongside paintings by Bronwyn Millar and photographs by Pippa Stalker. Together the works translate persuasively into an analysis of self, public perception and possibility. “Even better than the real thing”, I ponder a line from a song by an Irishman familiar with second chances and second lives who reminds me that “a feeling is so much stronger than a thought … ” and that “… though your soul it can’t be bought, your mind can wander”. And so I wander through these cyberscapes without losing my way. Rubber hits the runway and my reflective state is halted. Images of my family wash over my mind like a watercolour. Home … it’s where the heart is. Alastair Whitton is an artist and the Manager of David Krut Publishing: Fine Art & Books, Cape Town |
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