Local artists were recently invited to join forces at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) as part of the Occupation Swiss SA Collaboration exhibition, which enthused them to think about their work, the politics of JAG, and what they can do collaboratively using the term “occupation” in relation to art spaces.
Occupation, which emphasises an open methodology rather than a foreclosed premise – producing space for as-yet unknown discourse about the difficulties and possibilities of a post democratic museum – was conceived by Gilles Furtwängler, Thulile Gamedze, and Zen Marie after a conversation they had with the staff of JAG.
The curators had been exploring the prospects of JAG as a space for continuing a collaborative project they had begun with the Circuit Art Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Occupation’s mission is to create art spaces for learning, workshopping, and reflecting on difficult histories. It is a political strategy for expediting a movement’s demands on an institution, as well as a process of accelerated social and intellectual discourse.
Rather than operating from a standard curatorial standpoint, which tends to limit conceptual possibilities, the Occupation Swiss SA Collaboration exhibition is interested in developing a collaborative learning process.
Mantala Nkoatse Matjee, a poet and one of the performers of the day, noted that art is a calling and that it is personal.
“Art is an expression of inner thoughts and desires, revolutionising the way I not only perceive the world, but also myself. It is a way to focus my energy, and whenever I create, I set that which is in me free by bringing it out and sharing it with the world,” Matjee said.
Gopolang Ledwaba, a photojournalist who was among the audience said the exhibition is one-of-a-kind.
“The atmosphere was inspirational and wonderfully educational. One of my greatest highlights of the day was the magnificent performance that was gifted to us by Masello Motana,” Ledwaba said.
Khwezi Gule, the chief curator at JAG expressed his gratitude to the audience and thanked the Circuit Art Centre, the Leenaards Foundation, Arts Alive, Wits School of Arts, and the Johannesburg Art Gallery and its staff for their support in making the project possible.
“I cannot thank you enough for the spirit, energy, and insight you bring to your work, as well as the thought that goes into it,” Gule remarked.
Participants of the Occupation Swiss SA Collaboration exhibition included Abri De Swardt, Andrei Van Wyk, Bettina Malcomess, BLKJKS, Donna Kukama, Gabi Motuba, Gilles Furtwängler, Tshepang Ramoba, Tumi Mogorosi, Vusumzi Nkomo, and Henri Michel Yeré.
There is also Invade, Memory Biwa, Mpumelelo Mcata, Naadira Patel, Nayansaku Mufwankolo, Nkgopoleng Moloi, Overnight Services, Pebofatso Mokoena, Robert Machiri, Shirin Yousefi, Stéphanie Rosianu, The Wretched, Thulile Gamedze, Tracey Rose, and Zen Marie.
Written by Ntombifuthi Junerose Nkosi
14/11/2022