'Big Druid in His Cubicle'
Willem Boshoff at SMAC ART GALLERY CAPE TOWNDRUID: The name ‘druid’ derives from an old Greek source, drus
meaning tree. A dryad, as found in folklore and Greek mythology,
is a nymph inhabiting a forest, or tree, especially an oak tree
and also derives from drus. The Druid is also a “traditional seer,
an elder with special discernment in the wellbeing of individuals
and society… griot, priest, shaman, sangoma, inyanga… one who
shares charms and talismans”.
Willem Boshoff, one of South Africa’s foremost artists known for
his conceptual artworks and installations, will be enacting the
continuous live performance of 'Big Druid in His Cubicle' at SMAC
Art Gallery in Cape Town from November until early December
2013.
In his late thirties Boshoff suffered a near-death experience and
subsequently endured a two-decade period of intense physical
pain and discomfort - the process of dealing with and adapting to
this reality, allowed the concept of the artist as a contemporary
Druid to develop and manifest itself. Boshoff discovered that
facing near-death and returning to life is a commonality, which
he shared with the Druid. His lifestyle has always been similar to
that of a Druid - spartan, meditative - immersed in study, nature,
the arts and the universe. The notion of the Druid as Boshoff’s
second-self and the abstract concept of the artist/Druid as one
being, gradually became more prevalent in the artist’s work and
synonymous with his persona.
An immersion in nature and languages, combined with a new
fervent lease on life, sparked fresh energy in the artist, as he
became entranced by the act of seeing things anew through his
Druid performances and Druid Walks.
Boshoff the Druid, like the artist, trains himself to look and exposes himself to nature and the urban world. Druid Walks are not of a normal rhythm, they stop and start sporadically as the artist tries to capture the ‘visual spectacle’ of the landscape. The landscape for the Druid is what he looks down upon, specifically the
pavement, the gutters and the dust as the artist attempts to see
more, to scrutinize and to ‘sense a certain essence’ or to discover
the ‘nymph’ that inhabits these areas. The Druid Walks are where
the Druid captures images of things he really looks at, and that he
senses most people would not such as; dirt, broken tape, holes,
lines, paint and scuffs on surfaces. The Druid strives to look, see
and discover that which others miss or avoid.
The SMAC Cape Town gallery space plays host to the Druid for five
weeks. Boshoff is also exhibiting a new body of work, showing his
versatility in employing a variety of materials and media, ranging
from wood to rocks, hand-made paper, dice, alphabet beads,
braille, cloth and sand as well as numerous interest-piquing granite
works, emphasising his engagement with nature and languages.
The gallery serves as the artist’s permanent residence during
this period and is equipped with the artist’s bedding, wooden
work stations, clothing, antique storage cabinets, walking sticks,
woodworking paraphernalia and hundreds of artefacts from the
Druid’s own studio.
Scheduled Druid Walks will be taking place on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays, departing from the gallery at 9am and returning
at 11am. The walks will include explorations to areas such as
the harbour, Woodstock, coastal expanses, and decaying urban
environments. The Druid’s aim is to uncover places and to see
things in Cape Town that others would hesitate to explore. The
Druid prefers ‘solivagant walks’, to walk alone, however, members
of the public are welcome to follow and attend.
Back at the ‘Cubicle’ the artist will be creating and displaying maps
of the walks, collected data, imagery and art works. The Druid and
his assistant will also be working in the gallery with his collection
of druidic objects and instruments of divination, scales, tools,
stones and other materials that reflect his insights and multivagent
itinerary. The Druid will also be holding discussions surrounding
his work and his views on the world and life in general whilst
documenting his experiences. Visitors are welcome to make use of
this opportunity to visit and engage with the Druid during gallery
hours.
07 November - 07 December
