Showing posts with label Gordon Froud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gordon Froud. Show all posts

Monday, March 3, 2014

Tension Torsion: 20 Years On Exhibition


Tension Torsion: 20 Years on

A group show curated by 
Farieda Nazier, with Gordon Froud, Avi Sooful and Oupa V Mokwena
20 March to 17 April 2014 
100 Juta Street, Braamfontein

The exhibition is a platform for the art works of a demographically diverse group of artists; Farieda Nazier, Gordon Froud, Avitha Sooful and Oupa V.Mokwena. Their comprehensive body of work considers the paradoxical readings of contentious socio-political themes as it unfolds within the vexed context of lived experiences over the last 20 years.

Nazier’s work 'Nag vannie lang latte', is a satirical take on the ironies and tensions that exist within the uhuru-mythology Nag van die lang messe. 'Bite the Bullet' by Sooful, is a ceramic installation of 19 larger-than-life spent bullet cartridges and 5 new bullets, which reflects the contested and violent legacies of the country.
Froud’s untitled art work, critiques the notions of tension and torsion in the controversial works of contemporary South African artists. Mokwena in his work entitled 'Our Gnomes', deconstructs the African Tokolosh mythology by positioning it within the domain of South African politics.

The intervention further engages in topical dialogue that resonates with the idea of Paulo Freire and Steve Bantu Biko’s praxis through a public educational programme. The themes for the public programme address criticality amongst South African youth that will be addressed in the Angry Youth Workshop supported by UJ CERT; running on 11 and 12 April 2014.

The project as a whole aims to raise important questions about the nation’s post-apartheid trajectory; in order to evoke critical dialogue in audiences around the discrimination-wounding-consequence theme. A broader objective of the project’s praxis element is to instill critical consciousness in marginalized and disenfranchised social groupings, contributing towards physical and mental liberation or decolonization.

Acknowledgements: 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Tom Waits - For no Man exhibition 2013

"Tom Waits has been a major inspiration for artists, musicians, poets, writers and thinkers for more than 50 years. He is considered as one of the Godfathers of grunge and poetic rock and is held in high esteem by musicians, singers and artists. I see Waits as a master of contemporary narrative who is able to weave emotion and intrigue into his stories of urban grit and rural abandonment...Waits is a master wordsmith whose ability to create disturbing narratives sets him apart from other songwriters. From his achingly beautiful love songs to his social and politically charged tales, Waits creates powerful lyrics interlaced with unusual musical arrangements and with his penchant for unusual musical instruments (or objects used as instruments), the sound is a memorable one that hooks most listeners from the very first chord...

Gordon Froud (curator), 2012

The Tom Waits For No Man travelling group exhibition, curated by Gordon Froud, was recently launched (30 March) at the KKNK in the Klein Karoo. It comprises approximately 100 LP sized (30cm), multi media works. http://www.kknk.co.za/program.phppage=visuele_kuns&item=visuele_kuns_2013

The show will be moving to Grande Provence Wine Estate for the Literary Festival in May, The University of Johannesburg Art Center in July and hopefully Oliewenhuis Gallery, Bloemfontein in August. Other venues may be explored in Natal and the Cape. Please watch this space for opening dates of this not to be missed show!


Below, find the artist statement and an image of my contribution. 




Vinyls in the flat

Formed vinyls folded, on LP players.



'the wrong lips'
Vinyl flooring, red paper and record player
400 x 150

Based on song titled ‘It’s all right with me’ the work is a playful exploration of psycho sexual behaviour in pure Tom Waits fashion. More specifically, it focusses on erotic exchanges between strangers; such as flirtation and other ephemeral encounters. The work is mounted on a record player, visually enticing viewers through the slow hypnotic rotation of two voluptuous ‘lips’ produced from folded vinyl flooring.

Its all right with me - Tom Waits