Spotlight on Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2018

CTICC, Cape Town
16.02.2018 – 18.02.2018

What was once the scrappy new kid on the block has Neville Longbottomed hard into a sleek, savvy and world-class annual showcase of South African art. The Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2018 is here, bringing a wealth of killer art, exciting projects and peripheral events with it.

Here is ArtThrob’s essential checklist of what not to miss: 

SOLO

ICTAF have really gone all-in on solo presentations this year, with two selections of curated solo presentations (each featuring 10 artists!). This is a great move of intent by the fair, which testifies to their commitment to offering a considered and expansive artist showcases in tandem with the usual art fair bustle. This fair’s newest collection of solo presentations – unsurprisingly entitled ‘SOLO’ –  is curated by Nontobeko Ntombela (who is an absolute winner) and focuses on the production of women artists.  Ntombela’s track record in this area speaks for itself and the group of artists which she has assembled is exceptional. We can’t wait for this!

‘SOLO’ 2018 features:
Maimouna Guerresi, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Stacey Gillian Abe,  Parul Thacker, Keyezua, Lhola Amira, Lucinda Mudge, Kimathi Mafafo, Ingrid Bolton, and Buhlebezwe Siwani

Tomorrow’s/Today

Nobody does emerging artist showcases quite like astute ICTAF curator Tumelo Mosaka, whose ‘Tomorrow’s/Today’ showcase was a roaring success last year and a definite fair highlight. Spanning a huge range of practices ranging from photography, performance and painting, to installation and paper cut-outs, this year’s showcase of 10 artists set to be tomorrow’s leading names looks to be no different. One of the featured artists on Tomorrow’s/Today will be the recipient of the Tomorrows/Today Prize, which will be announced on Friday, 16 February at 1pm.

Tomorrow’s/Today 2018 features:
Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Amy Lin, Mário Macilau, Io Makandal, Wycliffe Mundopa, Usha Seejarim, Nicola Brandt, Themba Khumalo, Jacqui Stockdale, and Januário Jano

Unframed, Site-Specific Special Installations

This year’s Unframed section (focused on large-scale site specific installation) is very much an extension of the SOLO project’s themes: three women artists producing work about the everyday lives of ordinary women, using the object as a tool of disruption. All three of the selected artists – Lungiswa Gqunta, Turiya Magadlela and Sethembile Msezane – are particularly adept at balancing complex reflections on womanhood, memorialisation of history and patriarchal/colonial structures with  idiosyncratic and distinctive handling of sculptural materials and form.

Performances by Januário Jano and Thania Petersen

As with site-specific installations, the performances are a highlight which activates the CTICC space in new and invigorating ways. This year’s edition will feature performances by Januário Jano and Thania Petersen. Through their performance work, both artists engage with the  histories of particular practices and rituals. Jano’s work looks at those of the Ambundo ethnic group, from Luanda and surrounding areas, as well as practices and rituals evident in his own family history, while Petersen’s performance (entitled The Invitation), will focus on the relationship between carnival practices and expressions of resistances and liberation from displaced communities.

Both performances will take place in the Talks auditorium. Jano will perform on Friday and Saturday at 4pm, Petersen’s performance will take place on Saturday at 2pm.

Talk the Talk

Talks are always a welcome addition to art fair discourse and there are some fantastic ones lined-up over the weekend. ArtThrob is especially looking forward to Curating as Politic (moderated by ICTAF fair curator Tumelo Mosaka and including Valerie Cassel Oliver, Gabriel Ritter, and Tosha Grantham) on at 2pm on Friday, Building Sustainable Arts Industries (moderated by VANSA director Molemo Moiloa and featuring Ruzy Rusike, Meskerem Assegued, Hildegard Titus, and Misheck Masamvu) at 3pm on Saturday, and Live Arts, Living Beyond its Time at 3pm on Sunday and featuring the blockbuster lineup of ICA director Jay Pather (moderator), N’Gone Fall, Donna Kukama, Jelili Atiku, and Panaibra Canda. Not to be missed.

Special shout out here to the AVA Gallery for organising their own set of talks in their cultural platforms booth (Booth F5), featuring artists from the AVA’s exhibition programme in conversation. The AVA’s full talk schedule can be found here.

Walk the Walk(about)

When there’s something strange, in an art fair booth, who you gonna call? Art Fairs are invariably a sensory overload and can often seem to be a tad overwhelming. Luckily, ICTAF has enlisted the stellar services of Andrew Lamprecht, Thulile Gamedze, and Olga Speakes for three distinct and insightful takes on the artworks on show. There’s no better way to get a handle on the wealth of ideas and conversations taking place in the work than through a guided tour. Attending all three walkabouts unlocks the achievement of being the most in-the-know cat at the fair.

‘HARBOURED’ at the After Hours Hub

Team ArtThrob can’t wait to check out ‘HARBOURED’, a selection of South African and Italian video art works screening inside shipping containers at the V&A Waterfront docks. The kicker is that all of the works in some way engage with mythologies, ideologies and histories regarding safe and unsafe harbours; with a particular focus on the relationships between Cape Town and Europe. Curated by Brent Meistre’s Analogue Eye project, there’s a fantastic selection of artists, making this well worth returning to. The surrounding V&A Waterfront Silo District promises ample opportunity to schmooze the art VIPS at its various swanky restaurants and bars while you’re at it.

‘HARBOURED’ screens daily from 4:00 – 11:0 pm daily until Sunday, 18 February. Admission is free.

 

Featured artists include: Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin, Fabio Palmieri, Riccardo Giacconi, Gabrielle Goliath, Paolo Gandolfi, Bridget Baker, Debora Vrizzi, Sikhumbuzo Makandula, Elena Bellantoni, Francesca Fini, and Mark Wilby

Artsy

Fiera Milano have reprised their nifty partnership with online art platform Artsy, allowing anyone who can’t make it to the fair to preview the works on show (and call dibs on the works they love). It’s a great system which comes complete with a nifty iPhone app which functions as your own personal guide to the fair. Preview the entire fair here.

Wink wink, nudge nudge, sneak a peek at the ArtThrob page here and grab a print from one of the country’s leading artists while you are at it.

Gallery Night 

It’s like the art fair, but across the city! Part of the ICTAF’s stellar drive to engage with the city’s cultural institutions and take the fair beyond the confines of the CTICC. Gallery Night takes place on Friday 16 Feb, jump on a bus from the CTICC (leaving at 18:00, 18:15, and 18:30) and enjoy an evening of chauffeured gallery hopping through the CBD, Woodstock and finally, the Silo District. Genius! More info and a full schedule can be here.

Please note you will need to present your ICTAF18 ticket in order to get on a bus. 

ArtThrob Booth (E7)

We can be found at booth E7 in the Editions section, be sure to come and say hi and take a look at some stunning prints from our Editions for ArtThrob series!

The Investec Cape Town Art Fair takes place at the CTICC, Convention Square, 1 Lower Long Street, Cape Town, 8001

Dates:
16 – 18 February 2018

Opening times:
Friday, 16 February: 11am – 7pm
Saturday, 17 February: 11am – 7pm
Sunday, 18 February: 11am – 7pm

Cost:
Tickets can be purchased through here.

Adults: R165
Pensioner: R120
Students: R120
Kids over 12: R120
Kids under 12: R60

For more information, please visit: www.investeccapetownartfair.co.za