“Striking back: Gandhi and the Rebellions of 1913”

Opening talk by Dr. Ashwin Desai

Underhanded politics are not a recent development. Investigating the build-up to the strikes of 1913 involved all South Africans. From white railway workers striking in 1912, white mineworkers withdrawing their labour in 1913, 9,000 black workers striking for 3 days in 1913, and women marching from Johannesburg crossing over the border into Newcastle.

As a lead up to this exhibition the invited artists were involved in a visual presentation about the subject of the 1913 Strike with well-known authors and lecturers Dr. Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed.  The artists were also given a synopsis document, by Dr. Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed, expounding on the history of these strikes and Gandhi’s role.

This exhibition is intended to commemorate the 100 years since the 1913 strike in South Africa and also to highlight the history of this country and its relevance with politics today. The project will culminate in the publication of a book on the strikes in late 2013.

Some of the participating artists are: Nanda Soobben, Andrew Verster, Grace Kotze, Mhlonishwa Chiliza, Amy-Jean Muller, Nivesh Rawatlal, Rob Domijan, Julie Mayo, Hannah Lurie, Pamela Benporath, Skullboy, Dane Knudsen, Glynn Erasmus, George Holloway, Bongumenzi Ngobese, Karen Bradtke,  Camilla Kinnear, and Modise Tim Motsomi.

Closing 13 April 2013

Nanda Soobben

George Holloway

Mhlo Chiliza

Skullboy

Rob Domijan

“Inspiration 3” – Group exhibition of sculptures 13 August - 1 September 2012

“Inspiration 3” – Group exhibition of sculptures  

Elizabeth Balcomb

George Holloway

Hannah Lurie

Sarah Richards

The first Inspiration exhibition held at artSPACE durban found a group of KwaZulu-Natal-based artists meeting at the Durban Art Gallery Archives with the formidable task to find the one artwork that was most inspirational to each of them.

Prior to “Inspiration 2” a group of KwaZulu-Natal-based artists met on a artSPACE durban sponsored bus tour with Street Scene Tours to take the group around to Elephant House, Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve including Coedmore Castle, Chatsworth to look at the Silverglen Nursery, and Temple of Understanding with lunch at the well renowned vegetarian restaurant. For “Inspiration 2” we invited artists to find inspiration from their surrounding environment, i.e. Durban and its surrounds.

For “Inspiration 3”, we invited sculptors to participate in this group exhibition. We will bring artists who are established alongside emerging sculptors. The gallery has suggested for each sculptor to exhibit, if possible, two pieces: a commercial example and a purely inspirational one.

There are no restrictions as to the interpretations. A text by each artist will be accompanying the artworks in the gallery space.

Inspiration 3 Sculptures Artists:

Hannah Lurie, Sarah Richards, Lindelani Ngwenya, Bruce Dell (PE), 

Elizabeth Balcomb, Gerald Baise, James Jordan, George Holloway, and Bernice Stott  

Runs through Saturday, 1 September until 2p.m.