The World Needs Us : Karlien de Villiers, Nomusa Makhubu, Collen Maswanganyi, Norman O'Flynn.
Past exhibition
Their art interprets a variety of themes including identity, power, corruption, history, colonialism and stereotypical South African intolerances.
The exhibition in collaboration with Erdmann Contemporary&PhotographersGalleryZa in Cape Town and the Embassy of South Africa in Rome presents: Karlien de Villiers (painting and graphic design), Nomusa Makhubu (photography), Collen Maswanganyi (sculpture), Norman O'Flynn (painting and installation) four emerging South African artists, who live and work between Grahamstown, Cape Town and Johannesburg, are young, emerging, but already recognized talents. Their art interprets a variety of themes including identity, power, corruption, history, colonialism and stereotypical South African intolerances.
Says Erdmann, "I want to present current trends in South African art. And I want to show at the same time the variety of expressive media used, photography, sculpture, painting and installation art. In this way I hope to offer the Italian audience a rich perception of how vital the current artistic production is in our country. The individuality of each of these artists is very evident in their work, but overall, presented in a group exhibition, their work gives a broad account of South African reality."
The title of the exhibition stems from the consideration that the world needs art and artists in general.
Known for his ironic large-scale paintings and sculptures, Norman O'Flynn likes to take an interest in the human condition. His signature visual language can be traced in canvases filled with comic book heroes, semi-gods and the typical polka dots of cows. Nomusa Makhubu's work brings together instances of her surroundings between identity and history. In fact, she uses her own image in most of her photographic works.
Karlien de Villiers works by exploring the murky waters of the subconscious, but does not seek explanations or interpretations to the visions created by dreams and nightmares. Collen Maswanganyi's works are hand-carved and painted wood sculptures. In content, her work reveals stereotypes and idiosyncrasies typical of South Africa.