by Linda Stupart

GOOD:
Cesare Pietroiusti Money Watching. blank projects. This performance happened at the glitzy opening on Thursday. Revelers were invited to stare with uninterrupted focus at a bank note for a stipulated period of time, if you managed, you got the bank note (in denominations up to R200). Funny, clever and well-produced. Definitely the best deal of the night.
Mary Sibande They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To. Galley MOMO. Just behind the life-sized fighting/dancing domestic workers sculpture (A Conversation with Madam CJ Walker) is an unassuming print of one of the same figures sewing a Superman suit. It is a tragic, but also very witty take on the role of the domestic worker in privileged white society. Winner.
Zander Blom Scene 6 Encounter on the road: The savage death master and the performing six legged albino crocodile. Rooke Gallery.
It’s slick, it’s sexy (It’s Zander Blom, of course it is) and it totally takes the piss out of Pieter Hugo. Yay. Of course, the Rooke Gallery for some reason found it prudent NOT to put titles anywhere near Zander’s work, which really takes away a lot of its meaning (with the work seeming a lot more cute, and a lot less smart). There is a super hot catalogue pamphlet thing, which you can take if you ask the gallerists nicely.
El Anatsui Many Moons II. October Galley. It’s El Anatsuii. Shiny, golden, beautiful tapestry made out of booze tops imported into Africa. Genius. Also the most expensive work at the art fair.
Anton Kannemeyer. Michael Stevenson. There is no title of this work in the stand. Again annoying. Plus no friendly people to give me a guide there (wonder why). It’s a painting of a white woman being examined by a black gynecologist. Apparently it’s hard to sell
BAD:
Angus Taylor’s man made out of rocks. Everard Read. Just like last year: They’re big, they’re vacuous, and they’re made out of rocks. Just what every discerning Joburger needs to put at the bottom of their sprawling lawn.
Angus Taylor’s other man made out of rocks (see above).
Paul Emsley William Kentridge. iArt. It’s a charcoal drawing of William Kentridge. He looks very serious, and like a very very clever and important artist (this can be applied to both of them). The drawing sold for a quarter of a million rand. It’s almost like owning a Kentridge.
Mbongeni Buthelezi Girl Reading with Candle. Seippel Gallery. According to the gallerists, Buthelezi has invented a ‘new’ style of painting. He shouldn’t have. He melts plastic stuff onto canvas, and then makes “hopeful” images of girls reading (he’s all about “education”) in candlelight.
William Kentridge Goodman. No title. Again. Roses. Big roses. Charcoal Drawing. It would look good in your house. Next to the Emsley portrait. But, really, a drawing of flowers?