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| by Pat Sithole |
So many gifted artists bud, but they are never given the opportunity to flourish. They are talented, but are never given the tools or the skills to perfect their craft. They pour their every ounce of energy and passion into their work, but are never given the opportunity to showcase it.
Artspace Gallery in Rosebank, Gauteng, presents a unique mentorship programme to unknown South African artists. This programme provides visual artists, who have promising career potential and who are ready to enter the professional market, an opportunity to work under the guidance of established contemporary artists in the same field. Here, budding artists learn invaluable skills and work towards their first solo exhibition in a professional, commercial gallery environment. The programme’s objective is to provide a platform from which new contemporary artists may launch their careers as professional artists.
Artspace Gallery curator, Teresa Lizamore, states, “It is very difficult for a new artist to break into the market. Galleries rarely work with unknown names. This programme is designed to give artists a foot in the door and to expose them to working within the professional sphere. Navigating through relationships with galleries can be intimidating for a new artist with little experience.”
This flagship project came into existence in 2008 and has showcased eleven new artists, some of whom have already made a significant impact in the art industry. These artists include:
- Lindi Arbi (mentored by Tanya Poole): a winner of the 2010 Spier Contemporary.
- Nomusa Makhubu (mentored by Tanya Poole): selected for the prestigious Dali International Photography Exhibition in China in August 2012.
- Same Mdluli (mentored by Leora Farber): currently studying towards her doctorate.
- Louis Olivier (mentored by Wilma Cruise): his first exhibition was a sell-out. His second solo exhibition at Artspace in late 2011 was yet again sold out. His third solo exhibition with Artspace will be in 2013.
This year, Artspace looks forward to hosting two exhibitions in August and September by their 2011/2012 mentees and mentors.
Mentees to showcase their work include Pat Sithole, mentored by Francki Burger, and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, working under the guidance of Marco Cianfanelli.
Pat Sithole is from Kwa-Thema, a township in Springs, from which he draws his inspiration. “My work talks about reality; I draw objects that portray life. They may look old but I make sure they have life, so that whoever looks at them must not see any sadness of our history. Instead they must know that this is where we come from, we are proud of it and even more proud of where we are today in our township.”
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| by Pat Sithole |
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| by Pat Sithole |
Sithole is the nephew of well-known South African wood sculptor, the late Lucas Sithole. He completed matric at Kenneth Masikela Secondary School. He then enrolled at Intec College in 1999 where he studied Commercial Art for three years. He received merit awards for the Ekurhuleni National Fine Art Awards in 2006 and 2007. He was then selected for the Sasol New Signatures in 2009. Sithole currently teaches art at the Kwa-Thema Library to young people between 13 and 35 years of age.
Pat Sithole will be launching his solo exhibition on 8 August 2012.
Ruhan Janse van Vuuren was born in Amersfoort, Mpumalanga, in 1981, but currently resides in Pretoria. He was born to an accountant father and a teacher mother.
Janse van Vuuren’s interest in art immerged at a tender age, when he began to draw his own pictures: “As far as I can remember, I was always busy with drawings but colouring in seemed so restrictive.” When he was given LEGO as a gift, he soon realised the limitless potential of the blocks and created his own masterpieces. This was the beginning of his interest in three dimensional creations.
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| by Ruhan Janse van Vuuren |
After the family moved to Pretoria, Janse van Vuuren attended the Jacqui Theron Art School. There, his interest in 3D objects lent to his clear talent for sculpture and upon finishing high school, received a distinction for Art. He won an art competition before he pursued his studies in Fine Arts at the Tshwane University of Technology, where he excelled and specialised in sculpture. His lecturer, Jan van der Merwe, was an inspiration to Janse van Vuuren and still has much influence. Janse van Vuuren’s final student exhibition sold out.
After school, Janse van Vuuren spent time working at Dionysus Sculpture Works, a foundry in Pretoria, as an assistant to Angus Taylor. He assisted in the process of the sculpture from clay to bronze, as well as worked on the sculpting process of many Monument commissions, including Chief Tshwane, Brenda Fassie and Solomon Mahlangu.
Janse van Vuuren is now focusing on his career as a full time artist. His sculptors are a reflection of the fragility of the human condition: “It is all about the small details that people cannot see but are significant to them.” He is influenced by people he meets, the stories they tell and the manner in which they deal with different situations.
Ruhan Janse van Vuuren’s solo exhibition will open on 1 September 2012.
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| Portret Hoek by Ruhan Janse van Vuuren |
Artspace Gallery
Address:
Chester Court
142 Jan Smuts Ave
Parkwood
Tel: +27 11 880 8802
Website: www.artspace-jhb.co.za
