A wander around the CBD today, taking in a friend’s photo exhibition…
…and a couple of other art galleries.
Some were excellent, some were typically supercilious.
Top tip for future reference: if the gallery name has superfluous punctuation, you can just choose to avoid the place.
But generally just a good day out playing with the NiftusFiftus.
Buildings.
Creaking staircases.
Aww. Thanks for noticing.
[OK. Some few internet problems here in the bottom corner of Africa, so I’m getting this out now in case everything falls apart later.]
In Greek mythology, Tethys is a Titaness, the wife of Oceanus and mother of the river gods and Oceanids.
Die Mimik von Tethys is piece of artwork in which a suspended buoy in Turin – at least several miles from the Bay of Biscay – mimics the movement of an real, identical buoy in the Bay of Biscay:
Continuously transmitting motion data via satellite to its relocated double, the information guides eight electric motors and cable winches, which precisely reproduce the buoy’s movement in the ocean.
And it is quite interesting, thought-provoking and maybe a little disconcerting to watch a buoy suspended in an old car factory (because we’ve all watched this video, right?) moving up and down as invisible, distant waves drag it around.
Aside from the technology involved, and the idea of the art…
You inevitably understand the ocean as a character—you feel the whim of the wild water that can potentially hold your life in your hands. Most people lack such existential experiences with the sea. Buoys function as outposts in the sea. They are like space probes—external ambassadors that represent our human existence without our actual presence.
Yes. Space probes and external ambassadors. Just what I was thinking.
…it’s also quite interesting to see just how big some of the waves are. Waves of 6m high are a regular occurrence in the notorious Bay of Biscay, and visualising that as a couple of storeys in the art gallery is quite sobering and unsettling.
Some of JvB’s other projects are also rather interesting. he really doesn’t hold back…
Have a look here and here for examples.
Yay. We’re heading down to Agulhas this week for the first time in a while. Looking forward to a bit of a break and some sea air. More from there when it happens. But also, I was reminded this morning of a local shop there which caters to the more… mmm… Afrikaans end of the tourist market.
What do I mean by that? I mean lots of Bible verses, lots of crosses, lots of every sort of item made from MDF and with an Afrikaans saying on them.
It’s like Live, Laugh, Love on steroids.
As jy weet, jy weet.
Amongst that is a selection of art, possibly done by the owner of the shop, we think? Now, I’m really not one to poke fun at other people’s creativity, so I’m going to just give three quick T&Cs for the rest of this blog post.
Firstly, you might not agree with my opinions on this. It’s not microbiology, after all. And indeed, this might be art that you like. And that’s fine.
Secondly, you put your stuff out there, you open it up for people to look at, judge and critique. Which I am doing.
And thirdly, it’s very difficult to not look at some of the stuff on offer and not giggle a bit. Because, well…
OK. I’m just going to limit it to two photos. Let’s be fair. Here’s the first:
That one is going for R850 and it’s entitled “You Gave Me Back My Joy”.
Presumably, this title is directed to the plastic surgery team. And guessing that we’re looking at the lady in question post surgical intervention, one can only imagine that it must have been a really bad accident and a tough job if this final outcome brings her joy. I’m guessing that the initial impact came from her right, and comprehensively stoved that side of her head in (as they say up in Newcastle).
Still, it’s great that she’s happy again, despite having to have a skin-coloured strut holding that side of the back of her head on for the rest of her life.
But of course, reconstructive surgery isn’t the only way of bringing joy.
Should you find yourself looking like a crossdressing Mick Jagger whilst in a strange, grey wasteland, then leapfrogging a young child whose head seems to be amongst some really, really tiny chickens, is clearly good for gettin’ you satisfaction.
And, in the unlikely event that you don’t have a surgical team or a young child nearby, you could always twiddle your nipple with your left hand, while giving a Nazi salute with your right… er… claw.
This last one is niche. Very niche. But it’s been depicted so perfectly clearly here that I really can’t imagine that the artist was trying to show us anything else. And presumably, someone will wander into the shop, spot this painting and think:
“It’s so me. I simply HAVE to have it.”
(But in Afrikaans.)
These images were taken a few months ago. But I’m very tempted to (carefully, now I’ve written this), pop back in and see if these have been sold (but if so, to whom?!?), and also see what other delights have been created in the intervening period.
Please watch out for my report over the coming days.
A pretty rubbish day. Weather, footy, jobs.
And so an invite to a local gallery was a very welcome distraction.
This is the work of local artist Andrew Putter, and his Flowers Of The Cape Peninsula, Volume I, and the above is Nerine sarniensis and Ladybeetle and Moth, 2023.
Only 12 works on show, but a lovely atmosphere and some beautiful striking colours. Just like the actual Cape flowers.
So this was good, but the rest really wasn’t, and I look forward to a better day tomorrow.
Maximum effort and passion from everyone concerned in the SA v Saudi Arabia Dodgeball tournament this weekend. And a huge win for the local U21 boys in their 5 match series.
I’ve been watching and ‘togging.
It’s a fairly straightforward game, usually somewhat controlled and end to end with waves of attacks, but every so often there will be a few seconds of absolute chaos.
Like what’s happening in that photo above. I love the way that it’s all so still and calm in the image, but you can still absolutely feel the power, urgency and action.
Art.