Cape Town- Artists under the age of 40 will be showcasing their artwork across seven indoor and outdoor sites at the historic Twee Jonge Gezellen Estate in Tulbagh.
The Krone X What if the World gallery will present ’40 under 40’, a showcase of 40 artists under the age of 40, as a joint project with BMW Young Collectors Co, an initiative of FNB Art Joburg.
This will run from September 25 to February 28. The six-month-long show represents a celebratory moment in the contemporary art calendar, drawing on rising and established talents from across the African continent and beyond.
Selected works are placed together in conversation and created largely during the pandemic. Collectively, they address a world which demands renewed negotiations of intimacy and sociality. These responses span painting, photography, sculpture, murals, video, mixed media, and installations.
According to the exhibition organisers: “Through their pieces, the participating artists reflect on the one hand, deep care for images which bind us to history and, on the other hand, an impulse to experiment with entirely new forms of expression. The exhibiting artists share a desire to create hybrid, often poetic forms that are a testament to their ability to meet challenges with innovation and sensitivity.”
Artist Tangeni Kambudu said, “my series of hand-etched mirrors engage the viewer at various points of self-reflection and disembodiment. Rather than impart themselves, these sculptural works are attentive to subtle fluctuations of identity and emotion within society.”
Painter Callan Grecia said his experimental, almost playful approach to painting combines figures, still lives and abstractions. By combining these modernist techniques with URL pop culture, his experiences growing up in Durban and classical canonical references –the scenes seem mythological, yet familiar, creating a hybrid world where the history of art collides with a futurist fantasy.
Artist Chris Soal said he draws inspiration from aspects of his everyday experience that he can relate to.
“Making use of throwaway objects such as toothpicks and bottle caps, in conjunction with industrial materials, my work examines the material impact of our hyper-consumerist culture on structures both social and ecological. That these textured sculptures resemble, at once, tiny organisms and vast terrains speak to their relevance on both micro and macro levels,” he said
Entrance to the exhibition itself is free. Pre-booking for the walkabouts is required, as walkabout participants will be served a glass of Krone Cap Classique. Book via email: [email protected].
Weekend Argus