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(Judge Albie Sachs & Nina Barnett)

June 5th marked the opening of our current exhibition in New York, The New Spell, and the gallery played host to a cast of local and international artists, gallery owners, curators, photographers, collectors, and a few of the motley crew with which Thursday-night exhibition openings in Chelsea have come to be associated. An atmosphere of excitement and genuine curiosity prevailed, and was piqued at times by Nina Barnett’s and Robin Nesbitt’s piece, War Cry, which crowded the space with the sound of bawling Parktown high-schoolers - something which was quite unfamiliar to the American audience and invited a lot of questions which Nina was happy to field. Justice Albie Sachs attended and was accompanied by his wife, Vanessa. After a few gracious words, he opened the floor to the artists; Michael McGarry and Nina Barnett who both gave some insight into their works and this was much appreciated by all who attended.

Curator of the exhibition, Lucy Rayner was interviewed by a New York correspondent for the SABC on her reasons for choosing the artists and artworks she did and the dissemination of South African art in the United States. This feature was broadcast in South Africa the next week. In general, the opening attracted a great deal of positive and constructive attention from supporters like Enid Schildkraut, curator for The Museum for African Art, New York and renowned art historian Svetlana Alpers. Comments centered around an appreciation of the combined effect of the works included, and we look forward to a busy and well-attended exhibition for the remainder of the Summer. The exhibition closes July 30th 2008.

Report by: Harry Inglis – David Krut Projects, New York

Keywords: The New Spell: An Exhibition of Contemporary South Afri