Cape Town - Taking you on a journey of art, poetry and nature, the Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust (SOST) is hosting the latest public art exhibition, located in beautiful outdoor settings, by eight emerging land artists.
Taking place from October 1 to 10, the Poetic Land Art exhibition will be free to the public, and allows visitors to follow a map and explore some of the most beautiful parts of the town – from historical settings in the Middedorp, to more rural locations beside landmark rivers.
“Since 2012, SOST has been bringing public art to the streets of Stellenbosch, for all to enjoy. We believe that access to art should be for the whole community, and not only those who visit galleries and museums, or for the minority of pupils who are lucky enough to have art at school. Public art fosters dialogue and debate, and inspires curiosity and imagination. It also contributes to critical thinking, where people who are exposed to art often begin to recognise patterns and connect the dots – an essential part of problem-solving,” said SOST trustee and project director Andi Norton.
Artist Paballo Majela’s installation on the Stellenbosch University campus will form part of the permanent Visual Redress project, the work by Hannelie Coetzee will remain on the Droomstroom art route, alongside the Dwars River in Kylemore, and the installation by Sandile Radebe will be established, as part of the gardens at Stellenbosch Academy of Design, in Techno Park.
Curator of Poetic Land Art Exhibition Strijdom van der Merwe said land art is a movement or art form that has freed itself from the gallery space with the intent to include all the senses.
“It invites the viewer to experience it by walking through it, touching it, observing it and interacting with it, within the space in which it is created. In most cases, it is site specific and ephemeral, capturing a moment in nature that will linger in your mind long after the work has been dismantled. Its value lies in its psychological fulfilment, more than its market value,” said Van der Merwe.
Artist Gordon Froud said it is fabulous being part of the exhibition.
“It is being part of a team. It is a well-organised event. It is great to make public art that can’t be owned, but that is gifted to the public. My work is inspired by geometry and meditation,” said Froud.
Also part of the exhibition is artist Anni Snyman, who works with her brother, who said the whole experience has been an amazing one for them.
“Stellenbosch is such a beautiful place and it is incredible to see the park being viewed. My brother and I work together, and we always look at what is in nature. For this particular piece, it was a fallen eucalyptus tree, so we built a sculpture around that,” said Snyman.
Weekend Argus