Something Missing. Cameron Platter at Bell-Roberts and Pale Face. Dorothee Kreutzfeld at Joao Ferreira
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Dropped by Cameron Platter's show, Kwakuhlekisa, on Wednesday night, which was surprisingly empty (pity, because the wine was outstanding), even most of the usual suspect were absent. Still, it seemed like a theme for the show. Not that I think Cameron's work is shallow, but this show did have the smack of the formulaic to it. I'm imagining there must be some pressure on a young artist signed to a gallery, commitments and the such like. I enjoyed some of the works on an individual level... like the tires (Stolen Car, Rimmin' 365) and the door (Red Studio Private)
which display his customary wit and playfulness. The problem seems to be a lack of cohesion in the exhibition as a whole, and lack of guts in the some of the works themselves. I was really excited by the little installation at blank last November, which I thought was a very strong direction for his work to move in. The freshness, narrative and tragedy that was evident in that work (Party Time) was pretty much absent from this show. Also, one of the joys of previous work was that although the work was uneven in nature the colour was meticulously applied (legendarily, by a host of assistants with pencil crayons). I'm not convinced by the paint, yet. But, as Brendon Bell-Roberts said, "The turnout's not good, but the people who buy will come during the days." What can I say, a man's got to make a living, and people aren't buying bloodstains. And, my negativity aside, Cameron's work is still some of my favourite ever. I mean I'd gladly own any of the works on show (except for the bizarre Wooolooowhateverthing)... I just wouldn't put them all on a show together.On a different note, the Bell-Roberts should be putting Art South Africa online in the near future, and also there new design mag. They are also building their new gallery out on a farm in Somerset West, which sounds, if not quite my glass of wine, at least a little interesting.
I was quite late, but I took a quick sprint down to Dorothee Kreutzfeld at Joao Ferreira. They were closing up, and I only got a quick glance. Based on a Johnny Cash song (The Man Comes Around), listened to while flying over the Congo... its theme is African apocalypse rendered in paint by a white girl. Huh? I didn't get it either, really. The symbolism and the signs used in the paintings were kind of obscure for me. Then again, I did just dash in briefly...
- And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
- And I looked and behold, a pale horse
- And his name that sat on him was Death
- And Hell followed with him
Labels: review
posted by Robert Sloon at 5:59 PM
14 Comments:
I must agree that the blank show was particularly strong, and perhaps coming after the current show lacks something of the "oomph" of that particular installation. However Cameron's is addressing very different concerns in each case. Blank is a project space and he used it precisely for that purpose. For me what lacked in Kwakuhlekisa was any attempt at a significant narrative. As far as I can remember it seems that this is the first non-narrative driven show (or if there is a narrative is is not a clear one). Perhaps it is this that leads to the lack of cohesion that Sloon finds here.
.......narrative......so nineties.....
Say what? Non-narrative is so nineties. Tired conceptual word play, like fuckin Zuma Biscuits. Jesus. Welcome to town Cameron and give us a break.
zuma biscuits?
As for the door (Red Studio Private) it looks really great, but shouldn't the door handle be on the other side?
otherwise, great work cam!
whose ass is the dildo meant for, cameron?
I thought it was a subtle show...not like his previous stuff. Things started to work when I saw it a 2nd time.
Actually I think he's an asshole and deserves to shove his dildo up his own ass
I agree!
I think Cameron derserves not to get his dildo inserted in his bum. He is at least doing shows, gettting his work out there. There are bound to be some works that are weaker than others- it comes with the terrority. Maybe.
Rather do nothing than spew out crap
So a white girl born in africa may not comment on her own continent?
I believe the problem might have been with rendering things in paint...
well isn't paint a rather sadly apocolyptic medium in the case of Africa? The heyday of painting was also the heyday of the scramble for Africa
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home