The UJ Art Gallery will host an exhibition entitled SHIFTING CONVERSATIONS, in collaboration with the MTN SA Foundation, from 18 October to 22 November 2017.
This exhibition, with artworks from the MTN and UJ Art Collections, and curated by Johan Myburg and Melissa Goba, thematically explores conversations in response to binaries such as ‘colonised’ and ‘coloniser’ prevalent within the collections of the two institutions. The aim is to present an open-ended discourse that might invite new or different ways of experiencing art.
The appointed guest curators selected over 40 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and installations, from both the MTN and UJ Art Collections, by predominantly South African artists, including, amongst others, Santu Mofokeng; Willem Boshoff; Jackson Hlunghwane; Maggie Laubser; Credo Mutwa; Noria Mabaso; JH Pierneef; Helen Sebidi; Coert Steynberg, and Alfred Thoba.
According to Myburg, the two curators want to open a conversation on how one might consider the remnants of the past without obliterating history: “What you have to do is negotiate where we are. We have mentioned ideology as a focus in the exhibition, but there is also class and race that become evident, and also gender and sexual orientation – all those manifestations of belief systems of ideology I hope come into play too. It’s sort of a snapshot of where we think conversations are shifting and where they might be shifting.”
Goba adds that their respective subjectivities [as the curators] will also be telling of own personal histories, “I think [this] will create an interesting dynamic about our relationship – we’re also conversation shifting.”
“The MTN SA Executive Committee Board has given MTN SA Foundation the mandate to unlock greater value from MTN SA Foundation Art Collection relationships with non-profit art institutes, such as university galleries or public museums. The purpose of the partnership is, amongst others, to increase visibility of the MTN art collection,” says Niel Nortje, curator of the MTN Collection.
According to Annali Dempsey, UJ Art Gallery curator, this exhibition is an extension of past successful collaborations with MTN. “We are privileged to partner with MTN once again. The use of works from both our collections offers opportunities to embed visual art in the post-colonial debate in a meaningful way.”
A full colour catalogue relating to this exhibition will include essays by prominent academics, as well as an interview with the curators, explaining their curatorial narrative and choices of artworks.
The opening speaker at this event is Professor Njabulo Ndebele, Chairman: MTN SA Foundation and
Chancellor: University of Johannesburg.
A series of walkabouts with the curators will be hosted at the UJ Art Gallery on 21 and 25 October, and 11 and 15 November 2017.
DATES: 18 October to 22 November 2017
TITLE: Shifting Conversations
GUEST CURATORS: Johan Myburg and Melissa Goba
OPENING: Wednesday 18 October 2017 18h30 for 19h00
WALKABOUTS
Saturday 21 October 2017 at 10h00
Wednesday 25 October 2017 at 13h00
Saturday 11 November 2017 at 10h00
Wednesday 15 November 2017 at 13h00
Please book with titusr@uj.ac.za
GALLERY HRS: Monday–Friday: 09h00–16h00
Closed weekends and public holidays
LOCATION: APK Campus, Cnr Kingsway/University Rd, Auckland Park
CONTACT: UJ Art Gallery: 011 559 2099
aedempsey@uj.ac.za
About UJ Arts & Culture
UJ Arts & Culture, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA) at the University of Johannesburg, produces and presents world-class student and professional arts programmes aligned to the UJ vision of an international university of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future. A robust range of arts platforms are offered on all four UJ campuses for students, staff, alumni and the general public to experience and engage with emerging and established Pan-African and international artists drawn from the full spectrum of the arts.
In addition to UJ Arts & Culture, FADA (www.uj.ac.za/fada) offers programmes in eight creative disciplines, expanding these fields beyond their traditional boundaries through internal and external collaborations. It has a strong focus on sustainability and relevance, and engages actively with the dynamism, creativity and diversity of Johannesburg in imagining new approaches to art and design education. Equipped with state-of-the art, custom-built facilities, the Faculty is staffed by highly regarded academics, architects, artists and designers.
For regular updates on the UJ Arts Centre follow @UJArtsCentre on Twitter or visit www.uj.ac.za/arts.