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SOUTH AFRICA - MEETING POINT

Presenting contemporary South African culture
23 - 25 September 2011
The Museum of African Art in Belgrade, in collaboration with “Africa Village”, a South African NGO dedicated to the cultural development of Africa, following a successful exhibition in the famed “Museum Quarter” in Vienna, is organising an exclusive exhibition of contemporary works of art of some of the most well known South African artists SOUTH AFRICA - MEETING POINT, as well as an exhibition of modern design and traditional crafts. Besides the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to take part in interactive workshops. This event will take place from Friday, 23/09 until Sunday, 25/09/2011, in the Museum of African Art in Belgrade, Andre Nikolića 14, from 12:00h to 22:00h. The opening ceremony of the exhibition will be held on Thursday, 22/09, beginning at 20h.
This event will premiere to the Belgrade public a unique collection - the artworks of 15 contemporary South African artists. The exhibition explores layers of contemporary cultural production, and the meanings that inform the understanding of such productions. The visitors will be presented with original works of art from leading contemporary South African artists, such as Mary Sibande, Mbongeni Buthelezi, Sam Nhlengethwa and Lawrence Lemaoana. In addition to the works of art, this event will also present new tendencies in interior design – unique pieces of furniture and decorative objects from the Moya Afrika collection. The exclusive “Ardmore” collection, highly valued in worldwide auctions, will also for the first time be introduced to the Belgrade public, and will be available for purchase.
Most of the artists are based in Johannesburg - a city that is perceived as an economic and cultural engine of the entire African continent. A careful selection by curator Bongani Mkhonza, with the assistance of Clive Sergay, presents unique works of art, created from the most imaginative materials. The use of a whole array of different materials simultaneously bares covert imagery and offers a conceptual message, open to interpretation.
The event SOUTH AFRICA - MEETING POINT will also include creative craft workshops for teenagers and young adults. These workshops will allow the participants to become familiar with South African art. The visiting artists at the Museum of African Art will be craftsmen from South Africa, who will demonstrate to the participants the methods of crafting wire and bead objects, as well as basket-making techniques. This unique event in the Museum of African Art will give the visitors an opportunity to enliven their visit to the Museum by participating in the creative process with the visiting artists.
Entrance to this event – exhibition, workshops and accompanying programme – is free of charge.
All organised groups of visitors interested in participating in the creative workshops, should confirm the time of their visit to the Museum curators in advance, by Monday 19/09 at the latest.
Contact persons in the Museum: Srđan Tunić and Ivana Vojt, tel. no.: (011)2651-654
Africa Village – contact person: Đorđe Pjevović, tel. no.: 062/124-00-74
Programme (23 - 25 September)
An annual event dedicated to the culture of South Africa will take place for the third consecutive year in the Museum of African Art, under the name South Africa Meeting Point. This year, the three-day programme is dedicated to the contemporary artistic production and traditional crafts of the culturally rich Free State region. Through the exhibition and creative workshops, the Museum will over several days become a meeting point for the visitors: the curators, artists and general public.
Friday, 23/09
12h The Exhibition “South Africa ART Meeting Point” is open to the public
13h-15h Creative workshops: South African crafts – crafting techniques
The workshops will allow the participants to learn the techniques of crafting wire and bead objects, with the assistance of the visiting craftsmen. Dynamic workshops with the visiting craftsmen shift the definition of the hands-on approach (which in museums involves the possibility of touching the museum artefacts). This will enable the participants to learn the techniques of crafting the various objects, as well as allowing them to carry that knowledge, according to the principle of transferring tradition between generations within a culture, with them after visiting the Museum, share it, or use it in their further professional and creative work.
During the workshops, the curators of the Museum of African Art will interpret the meanings,traditional symbols and the contemporary use of the objects created.
19h Walk – talk: Mr. Dan Andrew Mokhuwe Kgothule and Mrs. Narcisa Knežević-Šijan
Visitors will have the exclusive opportunity, in conversation with the Minister of Culture, Art and Sports of the Free State, Mr. Dan Andrew Mokhuwe Kgothule, to become better acquainted with the social milieu in which the visiting artists create, whose artworks will be displayed as part of the exhibition during the three programme days. The Minister will also offer insight into the cultural and economic importance of supporting the development of arts in the modern South Africa.
20h Branko Trijić, guitarist and drummer, with djembe drummers: “African jam session”
Saturday, 24/09
12h The Exhibition “South Africa ART Meeting Point” is open to the public
13h-15h Creative workshops: South African crafts – crafting techniques
The workshops will allow the participants to learn the techniques of crafting wire and bead objects, with the assistance of the visiting craftsmen. Dynamic workshops with the visiting craftsmen shift the definition of the hands-on approach (which in museums involves the possibility of touching the museum artefacts). This will enable the participants to learn the techniques of crafting the various objects, as well as allowing them to carry that knowledge, according to the principle of transferring tradition between generations within a culture, with them after visiting the Museum, share it, or use it in their further professional and creative work. During the workshops, the curators of the Museum of African Art will interpret the meanings,traditional symbols and the contemporary use of the objects created.
19h Walk – talk: public tour of the exhibition by curator Mr. Bongani Mkhonza and Mrs. Narcisa Knežević-Šijan
The exhibition curator, Mr. Bongani Mkhonza, will present to the visitors the contemporary art of South Africa, based on the exhibited artworks. The visitors will become acquainted with the techniques of production of the displayed artworks, their cultural significance and artistic value. Topics will include the significance of creating artwork out of recycled materials, as well as the dynamic relationship between ecology and artistic creation on the entire African continent.
20h Film screening: „Ernest Mancoba at home“, dir. Bridget Thompson, 1994, Republic of South Africa
Sunday, 25/09
12h The Exhibition “South Africa ART Meeting Point” is open to the public
13h-15h Creative workshops: South African crafts – crafting techniques
The workshops will allow the participants to learn the techniques of crafting wire and bead objects, with the assistance of the visiting craftsmen. Dynamic workshops with the visiting craftsmen shift the definition of the hands-on approach (which in museums involves the possibility of touching the museum artefacts). This will enable the participants to learn the techniques of crafting the various objects, as well as allowing them to carry that knowledge, according to the principle of transferring tradition between generations within a culture, with them after visiting the Museum, share it, or use it in their further professional and creative work. During the workshops, the curators of the Museum of African Art will interpret the meanings, traditional symbols, and the contemporary use of the objects created.
20h Branko Trijić, guitarist and drummer, with djembe drummers: “African jam session”
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