Ramble On
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I was leafing through the latest Art South Africa which is now apparently bound in the stuff that they make mouse pads out of. Hmmm. Anyway the image below caught my attention:
Initially I jumped for joy, “Hooray, an expanded edition!” I thought. It’s about time. 10 Years, 100 Artists is pretty much the only tome of South African contemporary art in general worth anything of late. And maybe that Kathryn Smith edited One Million and Forty Whatever thing. Alas, tragedy and despair when I noticed the “100 Buildings” section of the title. 100 Buildings? Really? Part of me’s curiosity has been piqued as to how exactly they’re going to demonstrate a democratic South Africa through 100 buildings whilst keeping it varied and interesting. The other part greets the idea with a nonchalant “meh.” I guess my utter indifference to photography extends to architecture as well. Oh well.
Naming seems to play a big part in the selection process, Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, Nelson Mandela Youth & Heritage Centre, Nelson Mandela Museum Pavilions, Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. Unsurprisingly following this trend the UCT Graça Machel res cracked a nod too. I wonder if Debora Poynton gets mentioned in that article. Apparently stuff named after people with struggle cred and an abundance of international convention centres is indicative of a democratic South Africa.
On a completely different note, I bumped into verbally scant ArtHeat diarist Ed Young today. Asked him if he was going to write anything this week. He said that he’d think about it. Maybe it’s time to instigate a quest to rectify this prolonged absence.
Initially I jumped for joy, “Hooray, an expanded edition!” I thought. It’s about time. 10 Years, 100 Artists is pretty much the only tome of South African contemporary art in general worth anything of late. And maybe that Kathryn Smith edited One Million and Forty Whatever thing. Alas, tragedy and despair when I noticed the “100 Buildings” section of the title. 100 Buildings? Really? Part of me’s curiosity has been piqued as to how exactly they’re going to demonstrate a democratic South Africa through 100 buildings whilst keeping it varied and interesting. The other part greets the idea with a nonchalant “meh.” I guess my utter indifference to photography extends to architecture as well. Oh well.
Naming seems to play a big part in the selection process, Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, Nelson Mandela Youth & Heritage Centre, Nelson Mandela Museum Pavilions, Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. Unsurprisingly following this trend the UCT Graça Machel res cracked a nod too. I wonder if Debora Poynton gets mentioned in that article. Apparently stuff named after people with struggle cred and an abundance of international convention centres is indicative of a democratic South Africa.
On a completely different note, I bumped into verbally scant ArtHeat diarist Ed Young today. Asked him if he was going to write anything this week. He said that he’d think about it. Maybe it’s time to instigate a quest to rectify this prolonged absence.
posted by Tim Leibbrandt at 4:06 PM
3 Comments:
Ed is a suffix used to indicate that something is now in the past, like seemed.
Do architects think weve only had a democracy for 10 years? Or maybe there were only ten years of the democracy when there was money for conference centres, before the funds all got privatised. I suppose the Jackie Selebi Members Only Import-Export Club wouldn't have the same ring.
hey porridge for brains. architects didn't write the book (probably), other people did. Besides your same criticism can be levelled at 10 years, a 100 artists.
both the books are either a strong or weak excuse to write about south african art and architecture, which is fine by me. the more writing the better.
there's no smoke without fire, there's no discourse without art.
that doesn't really work in this context, but it seems pretty. it's also (if you live in cape town) topical.
three out of three
hey presto
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