art – Helpful Haz

Located: On the edge of the Company’s Garden.

Opening hours: 9-5 every day.

There are private exhibition areas as well as public galleries.

This exhibition above and below is called When the Dust settles by Igshaan Adams. It is a mixed media piece, using textiles, wire, paper and tiles. These shapes made of wire and what seems to be string are spread throughout the exhibition space. With what appears to be a mirror and prayer ‘equipment’ at the centre. The room with different tiles and wallpapers, seems to project the different layers to life and how throughout our lives we take different forms. As I have said in previous blogs, I am not so much an art lover to a art appreciator. I never seem to come to the same conclusions as others though…

The museum is all on one floor, and it is R30 entry. Once you come inside there is no set way to venture about the spaces, each one seems to lead to another through themed rooms. From photographs, to sculpture to paintings. It is laid out in an easy to follow and spacious way. Space to move around and see everything before moving onto the next room. Some of the pieces have strong meanings that are abundantly clear, others are more mysterious. But that is the nature of art and the mixed media that this gallery exhibits.

This figure, again above and below, is made up of computer elements, a mouse at the end, keys from a keyboard make up the robe. Wires and stands create the figure at the end. To me this speaks, the grim reaper create by technology.. or maybe you see something different. It is definitely an interesting concept to use something that we have become to rely on to create a sombre and quite foreboding character.

The horn above was quite poignant for me. It is Ivory of course and you can appreciate it has been carved. However the carvings have then been rubbed with coal to bring them out. Although the picture is not detailed enough to show it, it is a representation of the Anglo-Zulu wars. The details are amaznig, the exact uniforms and guns alongside the zulu shields. I could have stared at it for a long time but this exhibitions: Hidden treasures has so much to be seen an appreciated. Something soon dragged my attention away.

Now… this might seem like your average 18th or 19th century painting of horses and the aristocracy. The reason however I wanted to share this with you is that these paintings are the same, with only 1 difference. The painting on the wall all the subjects eyes are open and opened wide. In the painting they are all closed. There is not caption or booklet to the rooms and so I can not begin to appreciate or understand the reasoning to this, however thought it was quite thought-provoking to have such items on display in such close proximity.

Only a glimpse into the National Gallery in Cape Town in Company’s Garden. I do not want to ruin it for you. A worth visit if you are visiting the city and have an appreciation for the finer things in life.

Contemporary Modern Art.

Now. Anyone who knows me well, will tell be like Art Gallery really Haz! Not your thing. And they in general would be right. But having heard good things about this place I thought I would check it out. Bonus – on the first Friday of every month it is half price. – No brainer right.

Anyway! After my morning of working, and the starting the afternoon by finishing my book I thought why not spend the evening in the city – do something a bit different. So Uber ordered and I was away!

The 5/6 floors of mixed exhibits are in an old Silo, the winding stair case and glass lift being in cased in some of the old concrete tubes. Upon walking in you are struck with how austere it is and quite cold. But it creates a perfect plain backdrop for the art within the exhibits.

There is every sort of media and topic covered in this place. From the unique to the obscure, photos to paintings to film and sculpture. For example: A piece which seems to contain toy solidiers with a woman in red in the middle holding Red streamers with a heart in the middle of it.

Runaway Bills from slavery times but instead they are all describing the artist. It got me thinking how would you describe your best friend if they ran away? What struck me about this piece was that not many of them mention he is black until the final sentence – they comment on his personality, what he might have been wearing, his style, hair, teeth. Physical attributes but not in the same way as the historic bills would have.

Or A film of a Japanese actress flying through the air , with screens all over the room so you can walk between the different angles.

Even Photos taken in Tunisia of a figure wrapped in a white sheet.

A rooms filled with photos of an artist in masks from around the world. Who knew there were so many different masks…

I have to say some of the introductions to these exhibits or pieces did help to give an interpretation or help explain the artists background; of which some were quite harrowing, surviving attempted murder, living through Zimbabwe during the wars to name two. Others however I felt gave the game away – Beauty is in the eye of the beholder is it not? Interpretation is half the fun of going to Art galleries isn’t it. Compared to last night I would have preferred to have some company to discuss a few pieces with.

This Museum is provocative – it is definitely something to see, I only did 3 of the floors and I was there an hour or so. I could have easily spent longer and revisited some of the videos and images that perplexed me the most. Truly Incredible.

Upon leaving i took a nice stroll through Cape Town City centre to Burger and Lobster for Dinner – sitting at the bar has a nice touch when you are a single traveller. A Coney Island Cocktail and a burger later I was heading back. A catch up in the bar and off the sack.

See you tomorrow Travellers.

Tag: art

National Gallery

Zeitz Museum (MOCAA)