Alan Taylor, Brett Shuman, Catherine Ocholla, Charles Maggs, Gavin Younge, Lauren Palte, Maria van Rooyen, Richard Chauke, Wayne Barker

History

23 September - 16 October 2009

History is a group show that examines the way in which artists construct historical narratives and sometimes manipulate them in creative ways. Curated by Andrew Lamprecht, a range of contemporary artists from emerging to well established will present works in various media that seek to make sense of and even nonsense of the history of our country and the world.

It is usually assumed that the narritive that comprises history is constructed by historians using an array of source materials, usually of an archival nature. This exhibition will explore how artists similarly construct the story of history through their art, frequently, but not always, drawing on similar archives and sources. 

The word 'history' is sometimes broken into the terms history and history by historical theorists to differentiate history as a written narrative and history as an unfolding series of events. By focussing on the former this show will question established narratives, present private and seemingly inconsequential historical moments and ask the viewer to question their assumptions about what constitutes an historical truth.  

Gavin Younge will present images from his personal archive when two artists, then unknown students, reacted to the historical events unfolding around them. Alan Taylor, a veteran newspaper photographer will display hitherto hidden gems from his collection of photographs documenting the history of South Africa. Richard Chauke will present sculptures of Jan van Riebeeck, Cecil John Rhodes and Nelson Mandela, and in juxtaposing them ask ‘which of their visions will dominate historically?’

Artists on the show include Alan Taylor, Brett Shuman, Catherine Ocholla, Charles Maggs, Gavin Younge, Lauren Palte, Maria van Rooyen, Richard Chauke and Wayne Barker

The show will be curated by Andrew Lamprecht, who lectures in Fine Art at University of Cape Town.

The exhibition runs from 23 September to 16 October 2009.

n

n

e

n