KZNSA Members' Exhibition at the KZNSA
by Francesca Verga
On the opening night, the audience attendance was impressive with people queuing to get a chance to see the exhibition featuring both established and aspiring artists. The exhibition offers participants the space to show their work, providing (this time round) that the work was portraiture-based, no bigger than one metre in any direction and that one was a paid up KZNSA member.
The results were both surprising and in some cases (to be expected) not so great. This was to be expected though, as entries are not 'curated' and there is no selection process. However, this annual exhibition affords members an opportunity to reclaim the gallery space as theirs for the duration of the exhibition.
Entrants compete for The Joan Emmanuel Floating Trophy and prize money of R3000, R2000 and R1000 for first, second and third prizes respectively. The panel of judges comprised Camilla Copley ( Durban Institute of Technology [DIT] Fine Art lecturer), Themba Shibase (DIT art gallery curator) and painter John Smith. The winning work was a striking contemplative portrait of local visual artist and Vega Imagination Lab lecturer Vaughn Sadie by artist Dee Donaldson. Second prize went to Nomsa Octavia Ngidi for her work The Priest and Grandfather and third to AnnMarie Nason-Richards' Down and Out.
The exhibition includes works by artists Michele Silk, Aidan Walsh, Andries Gouws, Andrew Verster, Ingrid Winterbach, Hannah Lourie and last year's winner Karen Bradke. There are portraits of celebrities, family members, strangers, self-portraits and even one of a local car guard. Artworks range in media from paintings to photographs, drawings and even sculpture.
Due to the fact that this exhibition is 'by the members for the members', submitting this show to a normal critical process, would probably result in a load of angry letters. As there are no stipulations defining the entries, the exhibition provides an interesting visit, the chance to view the different interpretations of the theme and may even inspire the visitor to explore ones inner artist. Who knows, I may even enter next year!
Opens: January 24
Closes: February 12
The KZNSA Gallery
166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban
Tel: (031) 202 3686
fax: (031) 201 8051
Email: curator@kznsagallery.co.za
www.kznsagallery.co.za
