D'ARTS Magazine, by the
Durban Arts Association

NINGIZIMU WORKSHOPS

Ningizimu School for the Severely Mentally Handicapped has again committed itself to hosting the A4 Art Project. This is being done in conjunction with the Playhouse Company as part of their commitment to those with special needs.

"The theme remains The Fight Against Aids," says Robin Opperman, art teacher at Ningizimu, "and the A4 Project aims to unit LSEN learners, mainstream learners and individual artists in a celebration of art."

MEMORY

The 1999 A4 Art Project @ The Playhouse is dedicated to the memory of writer Delphine Lethbridge who passed away last year and who had been a major supporter of the school since its incep-tion. "Her tireless efforts to assist those with special needs continue to inspire and live on in the work of this annual event," adds Robin.

There is a workshop phase where art teachers and their pupils can attend workshops to the project. These will be held at Ningizimu on March 24, April 31 and July 7 from 09h00 to 12h00. Those interested should contact Robin Opperman on 469-0767 (o) or fax 469-0769. email michaelm@iafrica.com or ngubane@mweb.co.za

KZN HUMAN RIGHTS ART

An exhibition curated by members of the organisation `Artists for Human Rights' opens at the Durban Art Gallery on March 21 to run until April 12.

A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Unversal Declaration of Human Rights, it aims to create an awareness of human rights issues through celebration as well as promoting artists working in the province.

Featured are art works that are based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by artists from KZN. This is another project of `Artists for Human Rights'. Some of the artists who have been invited to produce work for the exhibition are Andries Botha, Virginia Mckenny, Andrew Verster, Dina Cormick, Thami Jali and Vedant Nanackchand.

TORI CRAMPTON

Showing in the NSA Galleries Mezzanine Gallery until March 11 is an exhibition by Tori Crampton.

The artist has chosen to show charcoal drawings which depict symbolic images of men, animals and insects.

WRITER'S ART

Patrick Erouart-Siad, who is appearing in the Time of the Writer festival at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre will present an exhibition of watercolours in the foyer of the theatre during the festival.

In October 1997, Patrick Erouart-Siad was assigned by the magazine GEO to the land of his ancestors, the North of Somalia.

Using the watercolours works he created throughout his trip, Patrick Erouart-Siad will talk about this Journey on March 3 at 12.30pm (Admission free).

PHEZU KOMKHONO

The Democratic Gallery at the BAT Centre will host an exhibition of paintings by Sbusiso Duma from March 12. It will be titled Phezu Komkhono.

FLORIBUNDA

If you missed the World Flower Show, you can still pick up some of the floral vibe by visiting the Durban Art Gallery.

Still on show until March 31 is the exhibition put together by art critic Dan Cook to celebrate the World Flower Show and the works are taken from the Durban Art Gallery's considerably im-pressive permanent collection.

The exhibition comprises works by Chinese, Japanese, French, British, Flemish and South African artists in various media such as painting, cera-mics, glass and fabric.

OPEN AIR ART

Open-air art exhibitions are held at the Pavilion Site, Marine Parade, and the Village Green, Umhlanga.

At the Pavilion Site, Art Alfresco takes place on March 14 while Art by the Sea will be held on March 28.

The Village Green in Umhlanga will host Art Alfresco on March 7 with Art by the Sea on show on March 21.

Part of the proceeds go to the National Cancer Association (Art Alfresco) and the Child Welfare Society (Art by the Sea).

TREASURES

An exhibition of antique Zulu and Xhosa beadwork as well as amabhaxa, amathunga, izingqoko, impontshi, izinkamba, izinkezo, izicamelo will be opened on March 3 at 17h30 at the African Art Centre.

Opening the exhibition will be Professor Frank Jolles who has researched bead-work in KZN for many years and is extremely knowledgeable on the subject.

The African Art Centre has been collecting beadwork for nine months for this exciting exhibition of old beadwork which will be accompanied by head-dresses, painted mat storage racks, wooden milkpails, meat trays, spoons, beerpots, old Pondo beer baskets, earplugs and headrests.

A talk on the beadwork appearing on the exhibition will be given by Professor Jolles on March 10 at 12h00 at the African Art Centre.

The exhibition will run until March 27. For more details ring 304-7915.

MILLENNIUM ARTISTS

Exhibitors for the 1998 Winsor and Newton Millennium Painting Competition have been selected from over 200 entries. Some 49 paintings were selected by the panel of South African judges consisting of Anthea Bristow (Sunday Times), David Koloane (artist), Professor Alan Crump (lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand, Bren Brophy (NSA curator) and Zwelethu Mtwetwa (Michaelis School of Find Art).

The competition was open to all professional and amateur painters working in any media including acrylic, pastels, gouache, oils or water colour and the theme of the competition was My Country in the Year 2000.

KZN ARTISTS

The selected artists from KZN were Virginia Mackenny, Andrew Verster and Lesley Magwood Fraser.

All artists will have their entries exhibited at the Sandton Civic Gallery from March 31. Of these 49 works, five will be selected for the final judging in London. These five works, along with entries from all 52 participating countries, will go on exhibition in London, Brussels, Stockholm and New York.

ANDRIES GOUWS

The NSA Contemporary Showcase at the NSA Galleries this month presents delicate small oil paintings by Andries Gouws.

"In 30 years I have come from big abstract expressionist canvases to small figurative works," says Andries Gouws. Now fascinated with everyday objects which can be alternatively banal or awe-inspiring, he believes that anything "really looked at attentively eventually becomes transformed."

The exhibition will be on view in the Park Gallery

TECHNIKON ART

Two forthcoming exhibitions at Technikon Natal Art Gallery will provide the public with an opportunity to see some of the paintings which form part of the Technikon Natal Art Gallery's significant collection.

The permanent collection was started in 1984 and the gallery has acquired works by major artists over the years.

Exhibitions of watercolour and acrylic paintings will be held from March 1 to 12 to be followed from April 13 to 23 with an exhibition of oil paintings.

SEKOTO DAY

Gerard Sekoto was the first black artist in South Africa to be recognised as a serious artist of talent and the Foun-dation for the Creative Arts and the National Arts Council have subsidised cultural events around the country in his honour. The Durban Art Gallery cele-brates Sekoto Day on March 20 with workshops with a strong human rights focus although the day promises to be a fun-filled one with a strong cultural bias. For details phone 300-6231/4/5/8

PHEZU KOMKHONO

The Democratic Gallery at the BAT Centre will host an exhibition of paintings by Sbusiso Duma from March 12. It will be titled Phezu Komkhono.

MATOMBO ART

The Matombo Art Gallery at Tourist Junction specialises in fine quality Zimbabwean stone sculpture carrying a wide range of serpentine and verdite pieces from small ornaments to impres-sive lifesize forms.

The name Zimbabwe means "the great house of stone" which reflects the unique relationship the indigenous people have with the rocks of the land. Zimbabwe is the home of distinguished granite out-crops, majestically crafted by nature over millions of years. Among the outstanding natural sculptures are the balancing rock shapes in Chitingwiza and Epworth, two satellite settlements of Harare.

The past breathes and lives in the stone and Shona sculptors, particularly, are inspired by their environment and have learnt to interpret what Patrick Sagwete, one of the Matombo Gallery directors, describes as "the voices hidden in stone".

GEORGES SEURAT

On March 16 and 18, the Tatham Art Gallery will show a film titled The Life and Works of Georges Seurat.

Born in 1859, Seurat was a remarkable French painter who died at the age of 32. He is regarded as one of the major innovators of 19th century painting. This film explores his invention of Pointillism and the almost scientific approach he adopted toward painting. Admission free.

FIBRE ART

If you go to the Durban Art Gallery to see the Floribunda floral art collection give yourself time to take in the beautiful exhibition of fibre art which was produced to complement Floribunda.

Like Floribunda it is drawn from the DAG's permanent collection. On show until March 13 are patchwork pieces, quilts, tapestries and weaving of the highest quality. Well-known Rorkes Drift tapestries, a quilt by Lib Steward after Monet entitled Monet's Garden, a fibre art work by Fiona Kirkwood entitled Space Divider and works by Alina Ndebele and Andrew Verster are just some of the interesting pieces on view.

USCAA MEETINGS

The next meeting of the Upper South Coast Art Association (USCAA) takes place in the Amanzimtoti Civic Centre, on March 2 when Carol Brown, director of the Durban Art Gallery, will give a talk on the work of American artist Georgia O'Keefe.

Hendriett Wolmarans conducts a work-shop titled Fix Your Flops on March 13.

For details phone Henriett Wolmarans on 96-2029. New members welcome.

INVISIBLE WOMEN, SIGNS & LP'S AT NSA

Currently on view at the NSA main gallery until March 11 is La Femme Invisible (The Invisible Woman), an exhibition of large scale oil paintings by Trui Roozeveld van der Ven. "I am not interested in depicting something photographically," says Trui. "I'm trying to depict what is not visible, the image behind the image - in this case the female body."

New exhibitions move into the NSA on March 14 to run until April 1. These include an exhibition of paintings by Vanessa Anderson in the main gallery which explore the visual language of signs and symbols encountered in everyday life.

Works by Vanessa Anderson

In the mezzanine gallery, there will be a provocative mix of paintings, ceramics, prints and sculpture and colour photography by Tracy Gander. The NSA's Park Gallery will host an exhibition of sculpture by Cape Town artist David Liknaitsky titled Stones in the Landscape.

Before reaching the new millennium, the NSA will take its members on a last spin on the 20th century.

Each year the NSA members exhibition provides an interesting insight into the wide range of artistic talent in KZN. The 1999 exhibition invites members to Make art on, with, out of an LP vinyl record.

"This exhibition is going to be a smash hit," says NSA curator Bren Brophy. "So we've suggested to members that they get into the garage, dig out that scratched Elvis LP and transform it into art! Paint it, collage it, engrave it, mount a photo on it, whatever suits their style or medium."

The only rules are that art works must be on, or made out of an LP record (33's, not 45's) with a maximum of three records per artist.

Exhibitors must be paid-up NSA members and there will be a hanging fee of R40 per artist.

The exhibition opens on April 25 and works must be delivered to the gallery on or before April 21 by 17h00. If members can't find an LP, collect one from the gallery.

Anyone with loads of records they wish to get rid of? Please call Bren on 22-2293 so he can pass them on to other members.

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