VISUAL ARTS

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ANDREW OPENS NSA

The nationally and internationally-acclaimed artist, Andrew Verster, has created the opening exhibition for the new NSA Gallery at 166-174 Bulwer Road on Durban's Berea. The Gallery will hold an open day on May 12 to officially celebrate the opening.

The result of the collaboration between Andrew Verster and architect Cindy Walters, the exhibition promises to be impressive. Andrew has used his distinctive style to explore and reveal the unique elements and spaces as an eclectic combination of work - big and bold, miniature and textured.

"The building in itself inspired me", he says, "but I'm also attracted to things around me. Colour and pattern espe- cially fascinate me." The elements of colour, pattern and texture are used repeatedly and skilfully in all the works.

Andries Oliphant will open the Andrew Verster NSA Exhibition on May 12.

The NSA's new number is 223-6867/8.

ANTIQUE FAIR

The Durban Antique and Collectables Fair is held on the last Sunday of every month in the elegant atmosphere of the Royal Hotel (May 26). Entrance is free.

PARK ART

An art exhibition is held in the Durban Botanical Gardens on the first Sunday of every month from 10h30 to 15h30 (May 5), weather permitting, with part proceeds to the Botanic Gardens Trust.

ETHNOGRAPHIC ART

Kim Siebert of the SA National Gallery in Cape Town, will conduct two work-shops on the conservation and care of artworks particular to Africa.

Participants should bring an object with which to work such as beadwork, bas-ketware and wooden objects such as headrests, vessels or ceremonial objects.

The workshops on May 21 to 22 and May 23 to 24 (09h00 to 15h30) at R130 pp (incl. refreshments) will be held at the Durban Museum's Conservation Centre at 122 Prince Alfred Street.

FRENCH EXHIBITION

The International Art Promotion, one of the most important artists' association in France, presents its first painting exhibition at the Alliance Francaise of Durban from May 3 to 24.

The Promotion represents all styles of art and specialises in the organisation of international exhibitions and is founder and organiser of the Europe Salon and of the Prix Europa which is held every year in Brussels featuring around a thousand works from all over the world.

The exhibition at the Alliance, Art Promotion - France 96 contains 33 works by 16 artists. These include landscapes by Andre Lenain and still-life by Gepe and V. Mille. The Spanish Ball by Pinyol Sarda and The Blue Sail by Y Chatillon are in the figurative style.

There is a J Dumas watercolour and abstracts by M Anton, Bottazzi, Vetabren, Vity Jacob, M Vincent and Derolf.

GEOMETRY

Figurative geometry is how Perico's works can be described while Pierre Boucherle paintings are done in the classic style of the Ecole de Paris as are Le Lien by Verrier and Intercourse between sun and the earth by Danie Moulin.

The Alliance Francaise is located at 22 Sutton Cresent and the exhibition will open at 18h30 on May 3.

HIGHWAY EXHIBITION

The Highway Art Group will hold an exhibition at the Thomas More School in Kloof on May 25 at 08h30.

They will also present an exhibition of small paintings at the Botanic Gardens Information Centre on May 5 at 09h00 as part of regular Art in the Park events.

For details phone 82-2750.

DASART

The Durban Art Gallery's collection of Victorian art has a new look since the DASART installation (exhibition) was set up in the gracious Circular Gallery to run until May 9.

The exhibition is said to be a comment on Victorian art collections in South Africa which have been collected by national and municipal galleries - works invariably unrelated to the South African situation in a number of ways.

DASART does not aim to destroy or deny any part of this history, but feel than an active interchange between these works and present concerns and issues could lead to further critical approaches and responses to past and present art.

The exhibition features artists Michael Matthews, Ashley Johnson, Steven Burns, Si Mashiangwako, Sipho Mokwena, Dave Andrew, Mike Moloney, Rob Wood & Greg Steele.

NINGIZIMU ART

The Ningizimu School for the Severely Mentally Handicapped will hold an exhibition in October at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

The aim of the exhibition is to bring together mainstream and mentally-handicapped school students as well as other artists in the community.

If you are interested in participating, contact Robin Opperman on 469-0767/8.

NATAL ARTISTS

With close on 400 entries being sub-mitted from artists countrywide, the selection panel had a tough time assem-bling the 55th Open Exhibition of the Watercolour Society of SA (WSSA).

The exhibition of 145 selected works is heading for a showing in Gabarone in May when it will be opened by the South African High Commissioner, Mr R W Mokou.

Natal artists represented are Maureen Dixon, Sue Green, Christopher Haw (FWSSA), Roxanne Milne, Lorna Panzenbock, Sue Pearson (AWSSA), and Eunice Thurlow (AWSSA).

Among the six works which were highly commended two were from Durban artists: And the Seawind Screaming by Christopher Haw (FWSSA) and Cathkin Peak by Lorna Panzenbock.

"The exhibition had a brief preview at the WSSA Art Gallery in Sandton last month where the consensus of opinion was that it was stunning" says Roxanne Milne, chairperson of the Natal branch of the WSSA.

"It was definitely an exhibition to do justice to the talent of South African artists".

WSSA enquiries to (011) 465-7934.