In Review

2016 presented a long overdue dialogue at UCT’s Hiddingh campus. Almost half of the academic year saw its occupation by the intervention collective Umhlangano, a mixture of artists, actors and theatre-makers whose frustration with institutional culture pushed for an urgent necessity in re-politicising an art institution that has slotted itself so neatly into the kak rainbow nation politik of post-1994 South Africa.

There are certain traces, scars even, left behind when a work uproots itself from the contexts of one space and installs itself in another. While the historical figure of the explorer might still hold some credence in the artist’s native Italy, in South Africa we’ve grown a little more wary of the idea over the last 529 years.

In a way, there is no figure or body at all – only the bits that get left behind, and the bits that get taken with it. It is only ever partially visible: cloaked in curtains and semi-translucent membranes or traced out but long gone; imprinted through blood, earth, sweat and soap scum, bra cups and laddered tights; waterlogged and inaccessible; enamelled out of existence; obscured with dollops of paint or barely painted at all.

It is not typical for Nicholas Hlobo to title his exhibitions in English. His solo exhibition Sewing Saw, his first at STEVENSON since the opening of their Woodstock premises in 2009, is in many ways a re-examining.

After shop names like Urban Spaces, Rumour Has it, Occulus Interiors, Interior Solutions; Blank Projects rolls quite smoothly off the tongue.

At this point in time it would be a far cry to say that Stern’s bubble has come anywhere close to popping. It would rather be fair to say that the secondary art market would indeed want nothing less; when a bubble pops, uncertainty ripples and the chain of events can be devastating.

The results of Aspire Art Auctions debut sale are in and the numbers tell a story of an art market that is ready to come to the party…almost.

Irma Stern has long dominated the secondary art market in South Africa as well as featuring abroad with the auction houses of Bonhams, Sotheby’s and Christies all having prodigious sales records of her work.

When it comes to the secondary art market, the real picture is revealed in the results. By the looks of those coming from Strauss & Co’s Monday night sale, the picture is bright.

Is it too early for Adjective to be self-reflexive? Probably. Does this mean it shouldn’t be? Hell no. Here, at the outset of its indeterminate journey, self-awareness is crucial.