Shows at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2010 will range from book launches to photographic exhibits, from video to installations.

JOBURGERS can enrich their art knowledge in the New Year at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), which has an overwhelming variety of exhibitions, as well as catalogue launches and book sales running during the first quarter of 2010.

Reflections of the Black Consciousness Movement

The first exhibition, “Remembering the Black Consciousness Movement”, is intended to be a journey through a number of artworks in the JAG that were directly or indirectly influenced by the movement and works that in some way comment on the politics of race.

This exhibition is on at the moment.

The second exhibition, “Contours: 6 Stories/6 Hours/6 Artists”, is a compressed presentation of documentation done by artists from six African countries -–Mozambique, SA, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Cameroon.

A third exhibition, “My favourite things”, is a collection of curator Antoinette Murdoch’s favourite things. Among the items is Willem Boshoff’s “Blind Alphabet”.

The gallery is open Tuesdays to Sundays 10am to 5pm.

Other exhibitions
Although not all dates have been confirmed, other events planned at JAG include:

• Thami Mnyele & Medu Art Ensemble Retrospective. This includes the book launch on 7 February 2010 featuring the work of former ANC activist Thami Mnyele. The book brings together the numerous artworks and stories of the original members of Medu who created them in a generously illustrated work. The book will launch at a massive book sale of all old JAG catalogues.

• Time’s Arrow. This exhibition will be curated by Anthea Buys, the independent journalist and art writer for the Mail & Guardian. “Selected artists will work closely with the JAG collection. The works from the collection will be installed by 7 February 2010. The artists will engage with the works in the collection,” said the gallery's public programmes manager, Tiny Malefane. The opening of Time's Arrow will possibly be on 21 February 2010, but has not been confirmed yet. 

Thami Mnyele's There goes a man ... sad and deep in sorrow, like the river underground

• Solo exhibition by South African photographer, George Mahashe. “Today my photography is more concerned with society, particularly in the cultural social war between western and African concerns,” he said on his website. Mahashe’s exhibition runs from February to April 2010.

• Installation by Nuria Mora. This internationally renowned Spanish artist will be working on an interactive project at JAG while doing a residency at Nirox, the nature reserve in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, just outside Joburg.
• William Kentridge’s video installation. This will be a one-room video installation by the Joburg-based artist in collaboration with the Goodman Gallery. Kentridge uses film, drawing, sculpture, animation, and performance in his exhibitions. He ranked at number 46 on the 2009 edition of the TIME 100 issue, which names the world’s most influential people. His Five Themes exhibition was recently shown at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, California; the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas; and the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• Ongoing permanent exhibitions. This is an exhibition of works from the Southern African collection curated by Nessa Leibhammer.
• Without Masks. This Afro-Cuban exhibition will be curated by internationally renowned curator Orlando Hernandes, and will see JAG partnering with Chris von Christierson. It opens on Africa Day, 25 May 2010.
• Bamako photographic Biennale. This is an edited version of a November exhibition in Bamako, Mali. It will be exhibited at JAG, which will be partnering with the French Institute, from June through July 2010.

The gallery is alive with activity and everybody is encouraged to come and take part. It will be closed on Christmas Day, 25 December, but will be open on all other public holidays including New Year’s Day.

The Johannesburg Art Gallery is located in Joubert Park and the entrance in King George Street off Wolmarans or Smit depending on the direction that you are coming from.

For further information, contact Tiny Malefane on 011 725 3130 or 011 725 3184, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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