Walkabout by Andreas Chasomeris on Saturday, 16 May at 11a.m.

Walkabout by the artist of his exhibition "Pre-code Forecast 1931"

on Saturday, 16 May at 11a.m.

All are welcome and it is free.

“Pre-code Forecast 1931” by Andreas Chasomeris Opening on Monday, 4 May at 6/6:30p.m.

Pre-code Forecast 1931 is an engaging new exhibition of paintings, photography and film by Durban queer artist Andreas Chasomeris. The title encapsulates the major themes that Chasomeris has been exploring in relation to History, Censorship and Cinema. The date of 1931 is significant because this period of time was fascinating as the Great Depression (1929-1935) was being felt around the world, Cinema in both Europe and specifically Hollywood was embracing the progressive nature of society, however the stark realities of the era gave rise to what is now considered Pre-code Hollywood (1930-1934), technological innovation of sound (1927) heralded a new dawn of talking pictures and films like Josef von Sternberg The Blue Angel (1929) and Shanghai Express (1931); Reinhold Schünzel’s Viktor und Viktoria (1933). These films are but a few of the examples that became evidence later by the Production code of the fear of the screen in corrupting and destroying the public, these films were labelled as Vice pictures and by 1934 with the Catholic League of Decency promised to eradicate any disgusting, immoral and vice ridden representations off the screens. 

Chasomeris personal response from a critical evaluation based on the past documented histories and the present lived experience of being a queer artist in post-Apartheid South African context.

As an educator with a passion for film, art and history, he firmly believes in order to understand the possibility that our potential future holds is deeply entrenched in the narratives of the past.

The exhibition includes influences of Art Deco, Marlene Dietrich, Weimar Republic, Jean Harlow, Busby Berkeley musical numbers, Cole Porter and a touch of Agatha Christie.

This exhibition closes on Saturday, 23 May at 2p.m. 

"looking FORward: our lives in 2034" at the Durban Art Gallery 5 August - September 14

Natal Arts Trust

DAG invite

Thami Jali satellite dish.  To see more works click on the tab: Artworks Available.

Gallery 4 at the Durban Art Gallery

“The Gray Scale (1946)” by Andreas Chasomeris Walkabout on Saturday, 3 May 2014 at 11a.m.

Walkabout by Andreas on Saturday, 3 May 2014 at 11a.m.

Andreas Chasomeris presents The Gray Scale (1946), the premier solo exhibition by cutting edge Durban based visual artist and queer philosopher. This exhibition showcases the latest large scale paintings and photographs by Chasomeris that explore identity, sexuality, history and Film Noir. 

The exhibition is thematically framed by three major concepts:

1)    The Greyscale is the tonality between Black and white used in computers, notably used in black and white photography and Film Noir.

2)    The Gay Scale is the slang term for the scientifically evaluation of human sexual orientation called the Kinsey Scale and

3)    The American spelling of Gray in the title is in reference to one of the artist’s favourite poets, playwright and first documented usage of the legal term homosexual in the English language that of Oscar Wilde’s infamous The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).

Provocative and thought provoking, the portraiture and objects of desire represent a culmination of an intimate journey of self-exploration. 

Closing on Saturday, 3 May 2014 at 2p.m.