#ctaftask

1. Stevenson’s booth was split in half. They had a Penny Siopis work, similar to at the gallery. They did not have any labels of the works being exhibited. No names or titles. This was different. It felt more informal. The gallerists were unfamiliar.

Goodman Gallery had a square booth which felt like a closed room. It was quite formal and felt business-like. This was similar to their Gallery, which also had an air of formality about it. There were table and chairs in the centre. The works exhibited were different to the works at their gallery, in artist and style. The gallerist was familiar. They had their works titled on card.

Blanc had a large closed space, it felt like a spacious room. They had new works to the ones displayed at the gallery, but they still had a sort of minimal feeling, similar to the gallery show. The gallerist was familiar and she mentioned that they had planned their booth beforehand as a machete. I thought the space was the best executed. The works were titled on clear vinyl.

2. I liked:

Thierry Fontaine, The Long Crossing, 2005.

A photograph of two shoes with spikes added to them. I liked the composition of the image and the juxtaposition of formality with a sense of darkness and anger. The contrast was striking and dynamic.

Carolyn Parton, Notes on the Wind, 2018.

Reconstituted paint strata bent into flowing swirls in a fashion reminiscent to Van Gogh, yet an abstract ‘textural’ piece. I saw a lot of textural works this year and I enjoyed seeing mediums used in new ways like in this piece.

Vanessa Beecroft, vb.paulina. 005.fs.pol, 2014.

An image of a Mexican woman with her face painted gold. She was wearing white, in front of a white background. Her black hair contrasted with the white background. I liked the image firstly because the face paint and composition was eye catching and well composed. Her expression was captivating and she was not looking at the camera.

I disliked.

Ettore Spalletti, Azzuro quiete del pomeriggio, 2016.

The work was a solid pale blue square, painted onto wood. While I enjoy minimalism, the piece did not speak to me. It was too small for the colour to have a big impact like in other solid colour works such as by Mark Rothko. It also seemed like a bleak attempt at modern revival.

Donna Kukama, One day we will fall apart together again, 2018.

White cursive writing over a black background. The medium appeared to be chalk. I didn’t like the way that the text was written, it felt too frilly and didn’t balance well. I thought it lacked emotion, which didn’t align with the pieces emotional title.

Sitaara Stodel, Smith. A solo exhibition. 

Collage created from images of Southern Suburbs houses. I wasn’t mad about the composition, I thought it was too reminiscent of other collage I’ve seen over the years. They looked quickly done. I’m generally not that fond of collage though, for me it needs to really stand out or try to use the medium exploratively to grasp me.

3. From what I saw, there was a lot of exploration of texture, and works that made unique use of mediums. A lot of works mimicked other textures, and many more simply used materials in new ways, drawing focus to the medium. There were also a lot of paintings and hanging pieces.

4. I preferred booths that created a closed squarish space, as I felt it contained the works. Some booths were very ‘airy’ and open, split up. This made the space confusing to me. The artworks were mostly hung in similar ways, though I tended not to enjoy it if they were hung above eye level. Most booths didn’t have furniture. When they did, I felt it made it seem commercial and corporate and detracted from the art. It made a space to either sit down, or to purchase, not to look,.

5. Works titles differed between stickers and card. They were all labeled at the top on the side, some had different colours according to their areas. Stevenson was the only booth without piece titles, and they had written with pencil on the walls. That made me feel like they didn’t take the fair seriously and it annoyed me.

6. They kept landmarks, like the VIP section, the bar and the bathroom in separate corners of the room. This made it easy to navigate as it divided the space into quadrants. The art booths were split in ways that made it easy to pass through, and there were passageways to walk. It was laid out well. The VIP section was badly placed as you could not walk around when at Bad Paper. It was a sort of bouncer barred dead end for anyone without a pass.

7. The white lighting was bright and white. It was quite clinical, but reminiscent of art gallery lighting. It was easy to see the works. I liked the lighting.

8. People at the fair tended to be dressed smart casual. There was a lot of light, thin fabrics and flowing, and loose fit clothing. And in contrast, a few wore well fitted, smart looks. There was general summer vibe. Gallerists tended to wear their own clothes and styles, but all looked very presentable. The whole fair was quite stylish fashionably

9. There was the bar that sold expensive salads, cakes, quiches and drinks. Wine and champaign was readily available. There were book markets too that stocked a nice collection of coffee-table-style creative publishes. The whole fair was expensive and definitely appealed to the upperclass to upper middle class.

10. Tabita Rezaire, Inner Fire: BBHMM, 2016.

This piece deliberately exhibits the spectacle of wealth with images of money and gold slabs. The artist is in the centre and there are words that read, ‘BITCHES BETTER HAVE MY MONEY,

FUCK YOU BUT PAY ME, ANTI CAPITALIST BAE CHASING THE MONEY, DESCENDANT OF A COMMODITY, #REPARATIONS’

The work is done in the style of millennial internet art culture. It draws attention to the embracing of exuberant displays of wealth within millennial society. A society very influenced by rap culture and conspicuous consumption.

11. Tabita Rezaire’s whole show feels like it ‘doesn’t it’. It is the only proper example of internet art and of millennial culture that I could find in the whole fair. She uses photoshop to create digital collages that ironically embrace commodification, exuberant spending and advertising through intertextual images copied and pasted in, as well as clear text. It was unique as it made no attempt to hide its role in the commodity market. The financial world and the art world have a tense relationship, and there is a lot of facade and trend. It was interesting to see that capitalist culture not hidden and concealed, but overtly praised and embraced in a ‘joking not joking’ sort of way.

12. It wasn’t hard at all. Gallerists were very friendly in getting the prices. I feel it is just something that gets asked a lot, so they don’t mind too much. It would have been interesting to ask the same gallerist a couple of times though.

“Um excuse me. Sorry to bother you again, but how much is this, this and this?”

13. The fair was sponsored by Investec, and the bar was sponsored by Boschendal wine estate.

14. The CTICC is a very large space and it is known for hosting high calibre events, such as the design indaba. It is well lit, well kept and has good parking and security. It is also situated in central Cape Town, close to the waterfront and the highway.

15. The oldest works I could find were photographs by Jesse A. Fernandez. The works were not titled, but the gallerist said they were taken in the 1950’s.

16. The youngest artist I found was Talia Ramkilawen, who was 23 years old.

17. The solo booths were mostly semi squares. They were the same size as many gallery booths. I enjoyed them because I could get more of a rounded view of the artist. I don’t just enjoy a work for the piece itself but also how it fits in contextually with the rest of the artists work, so in this way they were nice to see.

18. William Kentridge is always popping up. I have become very aware of Penny Siopis this year too, thanks to Stevenson.

As I learn more and can identify more artists without seeing their titles, I will become more alert and astute to this.

19. I couldn’t notice any trends in subject matter, as there was such a diverse variety of works. I would say there were more abstract works, and a lot more textural works than portraits. There were not a lot of landscapes at all. There was a lot of painting, as expected. But also a lot of photography and a lot of textural works that used mediums uniquely, or mimicked other textures.

20. I would be represented by Blanc as the is friendly. I like how much effort they put into their booth and they looked pleased to be at the fair. It wasn’t too formal, but it was still very well planned out. I also like the work on display, and the galleries was friendly.

21. I would also work for Blanc, for the same reasons. I am just generally fond of the gallery and I like that they made a machete of their space before hand. I would like to work with a team that is that committed. 

22. I wondered how beneficial the fair was for ‘art’ itself. I feel a lot of people, myself included, (so maybe I am biased) left making more criticisms and observations about the art scene and the fair itself than the actual art. I think you could spend a day really diving into just twenty works in great deal and learn more than you could trying to take in everything at the fair. Once overwhelmed, one gravitates to the bar. I questioned the availability of free sparkling wine, as I always do. It is enticement. The same as the VIP section, satisfying status.

1.

Goodman:

the only similarity between the booth and the actual gallery were the dark grey walls but the booth felt extremely cramped compared to the way the actual gallery was laid out. the actual art works in the booth from what I saw were all different from what was being shown at the actual gallery.

Stevenson:

the booth included Zander Blom and Kemang Wa Lehulere who's work was also shown in the actual gallery space. the booth felt a lot less professional because the names of the artists had been written on the wall in pencil (didn't include the tittles of the work) but at the gallery the work had all been clearly labeled (it was almost like they had just forgotten to print the information onto cards..). the booth and the gallery both had a bold use of colour in their works.

Blank Projects:

I struggled to recognise that the booth was linked to the gallery as it appeared completely different to the actual booth. the artists Bronwyn Katz and Igshaan Adams work where included in the booth like the gallery but were all along side a variety of works and artists that were not in the gallery space.

2.

Works I liked:

Gitte Möller 

Pushy passion, 2018

Oil and collage on panel

120 x 120 cm

the colours used in Gitte Möller’s work is extremely bright, “feminine” and eye catching but she uses these colours along side stereotypical video game imagery to create a lot of symbolism surounding her own struggle with female identity.my favourite part of the piece was the shape of the canvas (a cross/puss sign) had never seen a painting doe in this shape and I found it extremely interesting particularly because of the bleeding heart in the centre of the piece. the heart in the centre of the piece reminds me a lot of christian imagery; specifically Virgin Mary because a large amount of images of virgin marry include a bleeding sword pierced heart. without context the image gave off a sense of sadness and loss of innocence.

Vanessa beecroft

unknown

this work didn't have a title or description just the artists name. the piece was a photograph of over 20 woman (partly nude but the clothing they did have on was extremely bright) seated at a large glass dinner table. the table had an array of bland, colourless carb loaded food. all the woman seated at the table appeared to be extremely tall and slender (they had the “perfect model look” to them). at first I was drawn to the piece because of the colour and its simplicity. after looking at the piece more in depth i noticed the colours of the woman clothing resembled the colours in a typical food pyramid. I felt as though the piece was extremely well executed and thought out to create a strong and powerful message on sociable standards of the female body and the issues a lot of woman face with food.

Nigatu Tsehay

Fragile Reality

Oil On Canvas

I really enjoyed this piece mostly because I found it extremely relatable but also because I had never seen an image portrayed in this specific way. the composition of the piece reminded me a lot of what used to be a huge visual fad on Tumblr (one that I quite enjoyed) but was usually representing “perfection” and cleanliness where as this image I feel shows a slight sense of chaos/disorder in this compasition. I really enjoy the visible brush strokes and shapes that make up each element of the piece.

Works I disliked:

Kieth Henning [BP-32]

Dick Lamp, 2019

edition of 10

R8000

over all this work just felt extremely pointless and annoying. I found the appearance of the lamp itself made me extremely uncomfortable and I felt like it was a very typical portrayal of the consumerist part of contemporary art. honestly I hated this work I can't tell you exactly why perhaps its because dicks in general are not my thing. I think it is extremly “gimmicky” and over priced.... 

Marinella Senatore 

Bodies in Alliance Politics of the Street I, 2019 

Lightjet Print, Diasec and Acrylic Fabric 

90 x 135 cm | Ed. of 3

I really didn't like the fabric draping over the corner of the image it seemed as though they were trying to hide something. I was there the night that image was taken and it was in an extremely crowded club and because of that I can't get the idea that they were trying to block out a random bystander without cropping the image out of my head. I also feel like a lot of people don't know a lot of the things pussy riot have done like masterbation with frozen chickens in public grocery stores... I also think I was shocked to see the photograph as an art work because of the fact I was at the event. its selfish but it just made me fee as though it shouldn't be there.

Kilmany-Jo Liversage 

MACHINIKA119

198cm x 198cm

I already don't like works done in spray paint all too much but the style, colours and spray paint all in one piece really didn't appeal to me. when I see pieces like this I automatically visualise the living room of someone with way too much money and zero taste. the work directly feeds into the consumerist part of contemporary art and the fact the artist instagram handle was available made that 10000 times more clear and I dislike the work even more.

3.

there was a large amount of paintings but I felt as though the sculptures over powered and appeared to occupy and consume the most attention/space.

4.

most booths had clear labelling of works but some just had artist names and some had no labelling at all. a large amount of the booths filled the perimeter walls with art works leaving large empty spaces in the centre while others utilised the space and put free standing works in the bridle and through out there booths not just against walls.

5.

some booths didn't have any signage at all. other booths had the name of the gallery or the name of the artist’s collection on it. Most artworks had small cards underneath with information on the artist, title, medium and date but some just had the name of the artist writer in pencil on the wall or nothing at all. some art works had prices along side them swell along with different coloured round stickers to indicate weather they had been sold or not but not all of the booths chose to indicate sales of their works.

6.

The fair is set out in a way where each booth runs into the next with thin walls separating each. It seemed as if the fair was created like a maze. I think the maze-like aspect makes it difficult to leave the fair which is ideal for those  selling art as it forces the buyers to spend more time with the work.

7.

the lighting at the fair was very bright throughout unlike a lot of galleries because usually the lighting is extremely dark or specifically curated to highlight the art work but in this case the entire space was brightly lit.

8.

The people working at the booths were usually dressed in head-to-toe black. While overhearing various conversations at the fair, buyers and consultants seemed to be dressed formally while members of the public who were there to spectate were dressed casually. you could Cleary separate the groups of people into groups which made me feel uncomfortable and slightly unwelcome.

9.

There were primary and secondary markets present at the fair which include the artists, galleries and collectors. The products being sold are the various artworks and the artists who wish to exhibit in the different galleries. The fair is aimed at those individuals who buy art or who work for galleries or art collectors or the incredibly wealthy. 

10.

Kieth Henning [BP-32]

Dick Lamp, 2019

edition of 10

R8000

I mainly feel like this is a work that exemplifies the spectacle of wealth because only a wealthy person would have the money to waist a lamp that looks like a dick. in my mind wealth often leads to boredom and not having an appreciation for things leading to an accumulation of random things such as a lamp shaped like a dick that costs 8000 rand.

11.

Tabita Rezaire

INNER FIRE: Shadelicious, 2017

Diasec print 

170 x 100 cm

Edition of 2/5

I felt this piece didn't fit into the art fair because it was extremely different and far visually compared to the rest of the work being shown. the art appeared very young and new and might not have appealed to a lot of the older peoples idea of art because it played a lot on the idea of memes and social media and the things younger generations are exposed to and connect with a lot more than the older working wealthier class.

12.

R250 000 and R39 000.

13.

The main sponsor of the art fair is Investec which is an international company which deals with specialist banking and asset management. The sponsorship for food and drink was from Boschendal which is a wine estate. 

14.

The CTICC is an accessible landmark in the city and is housed in the centre of everything. It often houses international attractions and is a good size for displaying a lot of objects. The CTICC also houses Comic Con and the Homemakers Expo.

15.

Untitled

Albert Newall

Oil on Board

1953

SMAC Gallery

16.

Talia Ramkilawan (age 23)

17.

I found it hard to deferential the solo booths from the other booths the space was extremely over whelming but a lot of the other students stated that they felt the solo booths had a lot more information readily and easily available.

18.

William Kentridge, Penny Siopis. These are some of the most popular South African contemporary artists.

19.

I noticed a large mount of “African art” or the portrayal of “African life”/”the African struggle” and plants used throughout and within a large amount of works. I feel this is largely because the art industry in cape town uses the word “Africa” to acknowledge the place we are in and to draw attention to the issues and beauties of the space we are in for those that may not be aware. the most common medium was oil on canvas and I feel that was mainly because it was the easiest type of work to display in that specific environment.

20.

Smith Gallery because they appear to be fresh and open minded. they also give students and artists straight out of university a lot of opportunities in their space.

21.

I would love to work as a curator for smith gallery because I feel it would be an interesting and pleasant environment to work in. I think it would be amazing to work with the artists they have featured in their space and learn more about them and their work.

22.

should I be here?

who is actually buying the work?

why are there no in depth explanations/descriptions on the work readily available?

why are some pieces not even labeled?

does this person work here?

23.

1)

Blank Projects retained much of its aesthetic from it’s gallery, which was a stark, minimalist white space with no wall colour variation or furniture. However the work differed slightly from that of the gallery, being more decorational and less conceptual on the whole when compared with Bronwyn Katz’s current exhibition at the gallery space.

The Stevenson gave off the same feel as the gallery, highly professional and serious, however the individual works did not command the space like at the gallery, space remained largely unimpeded on by art works, unlike at the at gallery where, in his current exhibition Simphiwe Ndzube uses the space to create installation in the form of sculpture as well as soil. He also painted the walls in a mural-like way.

The Goodman appeared less professional at the fair, when compared with their gallery space, the booth almost appeared cluttered and unordered, where as the exhibition at the gallery was thoughtful and well spaced.

2)

Three artworks I enjoyed:

The Ever Promised Erection 

2018

Athi-Patra Ruga

WHATIFTHEWORLD

I enjoyed the opulence of this piece, and its stand alone value as something pleasing to look at.

No Title Given

Georgina Gratrix

SMAC Gallery

I am a fan of really any of Georgina Gratrix’s work, but the purity of the colours in this portrait really appeals to me.

Given To Fly

2019

Ryan Hewett

Barnard Gallery

R320 000

I enjoyed the scale of this piece and the layering of paint used very skilfully.

The Three works I disliked the most were:

Inner Fire, BBHMM, 2016 - Tabita Rezaire

This work came across as kitsch and unattractive.

Cover 01, 2012 - Jorge Macchi

The paint technique in this work appeared unskilled.

While Walking, 2017 - Mr.

The visual codes in this work are foreign to me and therefore it comes accross as unappealing.

3)

i found that most of the work to be oil painting, but I also encountered a lot of weaving and tapestry work throughout the fair.

4) 

Some of the booths were laid out in such a way that invited the viewer into an experience or an installation, and the viewer was often drawn in by bright colours or multimedia installations, while some of the booths were commercially focused and therefore just displayed their artists’ work without necessarily a concept which is executed in its entirety.

5)

The various booths differed in level of professionalism, some of the booths had perceived specifically planned layouts for all the artworks and there was a sense that the work displayed was curated in a sense, whereas some of the booths were a complete miss-mash of unrelated work. I noticed specifically that the Stevenson’s signage was particularly poor, they labelled the art work with stickers from a home use handheld labeller, while most of the galleries had professionally printed labels for each of the works, which would be expected from a group showing at an internationally recognised art fair.

6)

The Fair was laid out like a maze and was incredibly hard to navigate, you could not exit where you came in and the exit was extremely hard to find. I think this was done with the intention that all the visitors spend as much time in space as possible and hopefully interact with the gallerists and galleries as much as possible.

7)

The lighting at the fair was a harsh white and was very bright. It made for an comfortable environment to view art in and I would’ve expected it to be much more professional considering the size of the fair.

8)

All the gallerists and assistants were dressed formally, in suits and formal dresses, while i found the majority of the visitors to be casually dressed, as I would imagine a large portion of them would be tourists. 

9)

The different markets at the fair would be 

- low income visitors, students and art enthusiasts who would be buying the magazines, books and some of the clothing merchandise.

- middle income visitors, people coming to the fair to find lesser known artists to buy whose prices aren't very high as well as prints.

- high income visitors, individuals, looking to purchase for their own collections; collectors looking to purchase for clients and galleries scouting for emerging talent to sign.

10)

The Ever Promised Erection, Athi-Patra Ruga, 2018.

The materials used for this sculpture appear expensive, and the colours used are incredible deep and rich, adding to a feeling of prestige. 

11)

Inner Fire, BBHMM, Tabita Rezare, 2018.

The work just seemed to stand out as a kitsch work without any real roots in what the ICPAF supposedly exhibits.

12)

It was relatively easy for the first one. I asked about the price of Ryan Hewett’s work at the Barnard Gallery, and although the man was surprised and reluctant to give it to me, as I don't think he saw me as a prospective client, he did eventually give me the price.

The second one was not as easy, I asked how much a piece by Penny Siopis at the Stevenson was and the gallerist replied condescendingly, “ A lot”.

13)

The main brand I noticed at the fair was Investec, which would make sense. Investec caters to the wealthiest people in the country as well as a number of wealthy clients abroad, so it would make sense that they would sponsor these types of events given that many of their clients would be buying work from represented galleries.

14)

It is a large enough space to host 40+ gallery booths from all over the world, which gives the fair more international appeal. Other examples of functions hosted at the CTICC are Sex-po, Captivating Cuisine and Seamless South Africa.

15)

Untitled, 1952 - Albert Newall

16)

Ruby Swinney was one of the youngest artists I saw represented at the art fair, another young artist that i recognised was Alexia Vogel.

17)

Because the solo booths focused only on one artist, there was room for a running theme and curation, as opposed to most of the gallery booths where curation would be near impossible with such a wide variety of works from different artists.

18)

Athi-Patra Ruga was mentioned a lot at the art fair, i think because his work is selling for a lot of money and is also incredibly visually appealing as he casts a wide net when it comes to his audience. Brett Murray was also a name I heard mentioned a lot by passersby but I did not ask why.

19)

Gender and sexuality seemed to take a prominent place in the fair, as well as space and displacement, especially amongst African artists. I think because of current affairs these are very contentious as well as important issues to be discussing and addressing and thus are the subject matter of many artists.

20)

SMAC gallery, they seem a lot younger and more approachable than any of the other major galleries.

21)

Stevenson, as a talent scout (if that is a thing).

22)

What do highly conceptual artists think of the art fair, and why do they allow their work to be shown there?

 Cape Town Art Fair Question

1.The Goodman gallery had painted walls, an aesthetically varied and diverse choice in mediums, such as sand, ink, paper and prints .for the majority the booth remained one colour.

Blank gallery remained similar to the physical gallery, consisting of minimal materials, a large focus on sound. While the range of materials varied, one could say the curation of the environment may have been done by the same person.

The Stevenson consisted of tow spaces, both had sculptural aspects and large scale works on display, the only defining difference is the choice of differing colours.

2. I found myself being positively drawn in by the works of artists such as Ebenezer Akinola, Thomas Ruff and Faheem Jackson, I found greta interest in these artists choice of medium and subject matter as well as the historical and cultural reality found in these pieces. Whilst also finding myself deeply unsettled by those of Alexandra Karakashian

3. A large focus on the use of impasto and contemporary abstraction seemed to dominate the walls of the fair. Mixed media and fabric could also be found hanging proudly.

4. A specific booth chose to create an entire living room scene and play with the idea of space while a few booths chose to paint or “spice up” their booths the majority remained plain, consisting of white walls and small tables with information on top.

5. Select booths held informational pamphlets and stickers, while others gave out business cards. Other booths consisted solely of gallery “representatives” who were either happy to engage and discuss a piece or starred you down in a way that screamed “Do not engage with me or ask for free things”, this was mainly found in more professional looking European galleries who were selling artworks in euros.

6. Upon arrival the Art Fair seemed somewhat chaotic and free flowing, this did allow for organic movement around the space but made finding specific galleries difficult, I spent my time walking around trying to make sense of the way in which the gallery booths had been curated and placed, the only area that was made obvious as to its content was the Historical art area, this was due to the use of a different colour scheme and typography.

7. Bright somewhat harsh white lighting illuminated the already bright white space, this aided the galleries displaying many different types of art as it allowed for focus on the art work in the space. Few galleries made use of their own lighting that helped add an ambiance to the booth.

8. I found that many fair goers appeared very “touristy” in their way of dress, this was contrasted by the more “artsy” community in their uniqueness. Staff and gallery representatives dressed in all black stout against the bright white walls.

9. Products such as wine and gifts as well as obviously rather pricey art  were being marketed. The fair was held and funded by Invested, an investment company, who also promoted their enterprise through an art exhibit near the entrance. The fair revolves around the exchange and profit of money,  showing that the fair is marketed towards those with an expendable income.

10. A piece (of which's name I have sadly forgotten) consisted of imitation gold leaf and the use of human sweat to oxidise the art work and create interesting colour and texture appeared to me as one that visually represented the spectacle of wealth. The symbolism of gold depicts wealth while the sweat represents hard work and effort, I found that it portrayed the both the artists and consumers in an interesting juxtaposition.

11. The work of Esther Unahlanga whose is known mainly as a commercial African artist seems out of place in what was more largely a contemporary event.

12. I found that if you honestly seemed interested and where pursuing a substantial conversation with the representatives then it was not hard to obtain details as to price or even the artists personal life. I was lucky enough to meet many art practitioners, who gave great detail as to what the art fair represents to them (sadly, most of this information has slowly been forgotten)

 13. Small independent brands such as The Lake magazine held stalls offering information as well as complimentary products for fair goers. There did not appear to be many stalls promoting overly  expensive or luxurious products as I suppose that would take away from the art on display.

14. The CTCCC is large enough o hold a congregation of this size. They hold weddings, ballrooms, as well as Tattoo conventions.

15.  Salt Lake City, Albert Newall. 1953

16. I found a booth close to the back right corner that had put up a large white board, they then allowed anyone passing to write and scribble or draw on the board. I saw a group of primary school children doing just that on the board, I asked the smallest one how old they were, she was six. Because of that I decided that she was the youngest artist on display at the fair, I didn’t see any babies doodling.

17. The solo booth are presented on a more intimate level, allowing for people to engage in the brands whole identity rather than be shown multiple artists in the same space. They were also more friendly.

18.  William Kentridge came up a lot, as well as the works of Marina Abromavich, Takashi Murakami and Penny Siopis.  They all hold prominent spots in either global contemporary art and/or South African contemporary art. Also the bias of having to show South African art because we are obviously is South Africa, although this is less off a bias and more of a home turf thing.

19. Large amounts of mixed media, a focus on impasto and texture. Interesting fabrics and digital prints.

20. PERROTIN 

21. I would love to produce work for Normal foundation, or intern as a curator. 

1)  Blank- The minimalistic approach to the curation of the booth was similar to the gallery however only to a certain extent. The booth had a wider range of mediums and vibrant colours. 

Stevenson- The booth differed in style and curation to the exhibition show however it was very similar to the curation of the showroom. Artists such as Penny Siopis and Zander Blom were featured both in the booth and the showroom.

Goodman - The crowed curation of the booth directly juxtaposed the gallery which had a space layout. There was also a variety of work and vibrancy to the colours used in the booth.

2) Artworks that I enjoyed:

Justin Dingwell, A Seat At The Table, 2018

Inkjet Print on Paper

I am very drawn to this work because of its technical skill and its aesthetic. I enjoy how the artists has played with a corresponding colour palette that accentuates the subject.The lighting is fantastic and brings focus to the subjects contrasts of their body. Studio photography can often lose the true depth of the concept however I think this could not have been created another way. 

Arim Andrew, What They Want, 2019

Oil on canvas

I love the playfulness that the image portrays while overlaying a much harsher narrative. The lighting used is reminiscent of front lit studio lighting which adds interesting highlights all while juxtaposing the origin of the characters. The simple background brings forth the subject matter for me which brings focus to the details intended to convey meaning.

Ima Mfon, Nigerian Identity, 2015 

Inkjet Print on Paper

Black and white portrait photography holds a special place in my heart. It holds so many emotions and stories within a single image. It can transport you to a different place or time all from looking into a strangers eyes. This piece conveys exactly that. A narrative through a strangers eyes.

Artworks I didn’t enjoy:

Chris Soal, The search for meaningfulness in the search for meaning, 2018 

Concrete, and birch wood toothpicks held with polyurethane adhesive on ribstop fabric

This piece gives my a crazy amount of anxiety followed by chills up my spine. I understand that this work was intended to cause discomfort but for me it has passed the boundary of tolerable angst. I am very sensitive to textures, even looking at an unpleasant texture causes a flurry of uncomfortable emotions.

DD Trans, Unknown

Oil Painting and Balloon Ends

Honestly I absolutely hate this. The balloons look like little cat bums. Enough said.

Armand Boua, Les vièx môgô (Les grand frère), 2017. 

Acrylic & collage on canvas

This piece hurts my eyes. It hurts to look at the lime green in the background which leaves me unable to fully focus of the foreground. I also feel it is bland and lacks depth.

3) There were a lot of paint mediums used in works as well as an increased amount of photography compared to last year.

4) The most obvious differences included labeling and curation of their pieces. Some works were close together on walls while others were spaced evenly apart. Some booths had no furniture where as others had an info desk or a seat for the viewers.

5) Some booths paid great attention to the labeling of the work and pasted labels neatly next to the work. Others printed labels but stuck they skew and some just had pencil marks on the walls i.e Siopis from Stevenson .

6) I feel that the fair is designed in a way to direct people straight to the big gallery names such as Stevenson and Goodman and then make their way outwards towards the smaller galleries and solo shows. I feel like a lot of good work is either missed or discarded through this layout.

7) The lighting differs slightly in each booth that has specific lighting for their work but overall the main lighting is bright and artificial. It reminds me of a grocery store. 

8) The clothing is mostly neutral and monotone. Gallery black clothing is continued at art fair. However their were some individuals who enjoyed standing out by wearing vibrant colours and heavily patterned garments. What I mostly enjoyed was seeing some of the school kids bored out of their minds and resorting to mischief amongst their friends.

9) Although the art fair is advertised to the public it is mostly targeted to wealthy individuals who are interested in buying and investing in art. The art fair definitely encourages this by having extended VIP dates and extravagant events.

10) Marina Abramovic, Victory, 1997

Even though the works subject matter actually juxtaposes the ideology of wealth, the works worth is a spectacle in itself. It sold for 80 000 euros.

11) Kirsten Sims, In a Flash, 2019, Ceramic

Due to the functionality of the object Sims has created it feels misplaced amongst an array of “display” items. This piece unlike the rest is not just to be understood for its aesthetic worth.

12) I normally am very comfortable talking to strangers however at art fair I felt heavily scrutinized for my age and dress (I had a hole in my shirt which many women felt the need to make direct eye contact with) which made it harder for me to discuss work with people. I was almost laughed away by the people exhibiting Abramovic’s work when I asked for the price. It was 80 000 euros and apparently just as expensive to ask a question without utter judgement.

13) Investec is a prominent sponsor in the event. It is a private banking firm that only caters to those of a certain earning potential. I am certain that almost all of the VIP guests have accounts with Investec and would feel a sense of patriotism when they saw their bank was sponsoring the event. This helps build their relationship further and will encourage more people to lean towards Investec for cultural investments.

14) The CTICC is a very large space designed specifically for events like this. It has the capacity to cater to big sums of people and can plan events efficiently. It is also centrally located and easy to access. Events such as The International Tattoo convention and Design Indaba are also hosted at this site.

15) Albert Newall’s Untitled was made in 1952 through watercolour and ink on paper.

16) The youngest artist is a recent Michaelis graduate. Her name is Talia Ramkilawan and she is 23 years old.

17) The solo booths’ décor or paint on the walls correlate with the artwork. The space is integrated and has a stronger relationship with the works in comparison to other booths.

18) Georgina Gratrix- Gratrix’s process and the manner in which she paints is very intriguing and intense. The thick application of oil paint reminiscent to layers of make up entices people continue viewing her “pretty-ugly” work.

Igshaan Adams- The delicate nature of his work is very intricate and complicated. Through this intricacy he is able to communicate a wave of movement and narrative to the viewer.

19) I noticed a lot of work focusing on the subject of origin and identity. These are beautiful concepts that hold such a deeper meaning than when explored fully. Every human has an identity and every human can empathize with another’s identity (I HOPE) therefore creating a common understanding and concept to explore. Materials that frequented were Ink Jet Prints of photographs, weaving and sewing supplies and alternative materials for sculpture building.

20) I would love to be represented by Smith Gallery as I think they have a good understanding of how to work with young and up and coming artists. Their galleries tend to keep up with art trends and don't appear to fit into a particular mold.

21) I would love to work for WHATIFTHEWORLD as I have always found their exhibitions exciting and emotive. Their ability to transforms an artists vision into a physical space is quite remarkable. It would be an honor to be part of that team.

22) “I wonder if the maintenance team is going to be pissed about all the Ed Young balloons on the ceiling?”. “Do any of these works actually sell or is this just a giant publicity stunt?”.

 Vanessa Beecroftt

Vb. Paulina. 005.fs.pol, 2014

Digital print on canvas

127 x 101 cm

Gitte Mölle

Pushy passion, 2018

Oil and collage on panel

120 x 120 cm

Moffat Takadiwe

Camouflaged Robots, 2019

Found spray tops

246 × 90 × 14 cm

Rosie Mudge

Door, a the back of my mind, 2019

Automative paint and glitter glue on canvas

180 x 140 cm

Anna van der Ploeg

Great imaginary walls, 2018

Monotype on Hahnemulhe

110 x 80 cm

Jorge Maccchi

Cover 01, 2012

Oil on canvas

198 x 334 cm

Athi-Patra Ruga

The ever promised erection, 2017

High-density foam, artificial flowers and jewels.

60 × 40 × 35 cm

Tabita Rezaire

INNER FIRE: BBHMM, 2016

Disc print

170 x 100 cm

1.

Goodman: Entering the Goodman gallery space feels somewhat like entering an old museum. Its main booth, too, was serious and dry. It contrasted starkly to their solo booth, showing Tabita Rezaire’s (2019) work. Rezaire’s bright, millennial digital collages – one of the most exciting exhibits for me at the fair – had a very disconnected feeling from the somber main booth.

Blank: Blank’s booth was bright, clean and organized, similar to the main gallery space. Compared to Bronwyn Katz’ solo show at the Blank gallery space which was smoothly curated, I found the curatorship at the Blank Art Fair booth somewhat disjointed. I felt a strong disconnect between the works being shown. A number of the works in the booth were unlabeled, making some different artist’s work run into each other in a way I found quite confusing! This differed from the main gallery space, where Katz’ exhibition had a smooth and holistic feel.

Stevenson: The Stevenson booth was quite welcoming, with a very friendly “cool” person running it. Dressed quite casually compared to people in the surrounding booths, I found them helpful and easy to talk to. They were very diplomatic and friendly when Rowan declared a Penny Siopis painting “basic”. The main gallery is a little loftier, but still a very welcoming space. While the Simphiwe Ndzube’s show at the main gallery bold me over as I entered the space, the works at the Art Fair booth were not as evocative or memorable. Though this is also due to differences between the two spaces. The main gallery’s big white rooms flooded with natural light are a more effective space than a booth at the CTICC.

 2.

Works I like:

Vanessa Beecroftt

Vb. Paulina. 005.fs.pol, 2014

Digital print on canvas

127 x 101 cm

Though quite simple, this portrait intrigued me. There was something timeless about it, as though it could be from any time or any world.

Gitte Mölle

Pushy passion, 2018

Oil and collage on panel

120 x 120 cm

Though I’ve seen this work before at Mölle’s solo show, it still caught my attention at the Art Fair. Mölle creates strange landscapes that take you into a world that feels both mystically dreamlike and digitally synthetic.

 Moffat Takadiwe

Camouflaged Robots, 2019

Found spray tops

246 × 90 × 14 cm

The texture and colour in this work invited me to look at it longer.

Works I dislike:

 Rosie Mudge

Door, a the back of my mind, 2019

Automative paint and glitter glue on canvas

180 x 140 cm

Though people are often excited by Mudge’s glittery paintings, I am never grabbed by her work. I find them conceptually basic, or at least ineffective on me.

 Anna van der Ploeg

Great imaginary walls, 2018

Monotype on Hahnemulhe

110 x 80 cm

Though i am a fan and follower of van der Ploeg, Great imaginary walls (2018) did not captivate me. The colours felt muddied.

 Jorge Maccchi

Cover 01, 2012

Oil on canvas

198 x 334 cm

This painting struck me as uninteresting and lazily laid out, especially for a Guggenheim fellow.

 3.

There was a lot of art working with tactile and unconventional mediums at the fair, and I noticed many artists incorporating textures like material, rope, fur, hair and even toothpicks. I saw recurring iterations of tactile, rounded shapes and forms.

 4.

Many of the booths bled into each other, and there was a lot of similarity with the predominantly white walls and bright overhead lighting. Some booths played with colour on the walls, such as Smac. Using furniture and colour Blank and Smith created booths that felt interesting and inviting.  

 5.

Most of the booths had clear labeling with uniform size and format. I saw a number of floating works with no labeling. The signage was sometimes confusing, and I could not always distinguish between booths. I liked that no prices were included in the labels; it felt like i was not influenced by their market value.

 6.

I am impressed with whoever does the layout for the fair, as it must be a monumental task. However, I found the layout overwhelming and sometimes confusing. Solo booths were removed far from galleries. Though the number of artists and work shown is impressive and exciting, I found myself quickly saturated with all the stimulus in the space.

 7.

The lighting is cold and clinical – not unlike some gallery spaces – and the space is devoid of natural light. However, it was also bright and clear and conducive to viewing the art.

 8.

The fair workers all wore black, but the people working in the booths were a mixed bag, ranging from very casual to very formal. Much of the clientele had the laid-back golf-style attire of European tourists in Cape Town. There were also a lot of students in uniforms.

 9.

My first impression was that the fair was first and foremost an exhibition and secondly a market, though this was probably naïve. Because there were no prices on artworks, I wasn’t influenced when looking at them. This differed to the Strauss and Co. show room where all the works are priced. Here the prices become part of the work’s title.

 10.

Athi-Patra Ruga

The ever promised erection, 2017

High-density foam, artificial flowers and jewels.

60 × 40 × 35 cm

This work seems to play with ideas of wealth. Blending opulence and kitsch it both exemplifies and examines notions of wealth.

  11.

Tabita Rezaire

INNER FIRE: BBHMM, 2016

Disc print

170 x 100 cm

Razor’s digital collage, playing with pop culture and a myriad of internet references, felt different to the rest of the Art Fair in both medium and subject matter.

 12.

Asking about prices was easier than I expected. People were friendly, though they evidently did not take me very seriously.

 13.

Boschendal Wine Estate and Investec, as well as the CTICC itself, were the most obvious brands in the space. These brands elevated the Art Fair, appealing to its wealthier clientele. Boschendal would naturally choose an Art Fair to push their product; almost everyone drinks wine at art exhibitions.

 14.

There are a broad range of events at CTICC, ranging from corporate events to Indabas to flower shows. I imagine they chose it because it is the only large function venue in central Cape Town. Near the Waterfront, it is well situated for foreign visitors to the Art Fair.

 15.

There was a collection of Jesse Fernandez photographs exhibited, ranging in dates from as far back as 1950.

 16.

Talia Ramkilawan, 22.

Exhibiting with Smith.

 17.

The solo booths have a more synthesized and unified feel. The artist’s names are displayed more prominently than in the group exhibits.

 18.

With new ears to the art world, no big names popped up to me. Personally I am very excited to see Tabita Rezaire’s and Talia Ramkilawan’s further work.

 19.

I observed trends in texture and medium as subject matter. In many works the texture of the work felt like the subject matter. I didn’t see any trends in content.

 20.

Blank

 21.

Smith.

I’d be happy for any position.

 22.

How do galleries choose whom to represent, and who should be given a solo booth?

 23.

Cape Town Art Fair 2019

1.   Blank projects – The curation of the work was very similar to the exhibition in the gallery, it was very minimalistic. However, there was a wider range of variety of different mediums and much more colour.

Stevenson Gallery – They included a lot of paintings and it was curated very similarly to the show room in the gallery. There was lots of colour and included artists Penny Siopis and Zander Blom whose work is present in the show room.

Goodman Gallery – The curation of the work was completely different to that in the gallery. There were a lot more works and they were packed together which is a contrast to the usual curation of shows at the gallery.

2.  Works I liked:

Asukra Nirasawa, Cell Division, 952 Cells, 2018

Mixed media on canvas, 150x200 cm

I really enjoy the use of colour, texture and shape in this work. I’m very interested in the subject matter and think the piece is executed really well.

Kim Wolhuter, First Drink

80 x 120 cm, edition 10

I love the emotion this work triggers as it is such a special and vital moment at the start of life. The photograph includes a lot of detail. The use of light and shadow creates a very emotive contrast which I really enjoy.

Stacey Gillian Abe, Seat of Honor #6, #7, #8, 2017

UV digital print on Art Board

Edition 3/5

50 x 50cm

The images are very atmospheric and very powerful. I love the sense of movement within each image and the narrative that continues throughout the series.

Works I disliked:

Chris Soal, The search for meaningfulness in the search for meaning, 2018

Concrete, and birch wood toothpicks held with polyurethane adhesive on ribstop fabric. 130 x 70 x 7cm

The texture of this piece makes me feel very uncomfortable. I am intrigued by the shape and materials, and want to get close but when I do my heart races and I felt extremely unnerved.

Armand Bous, Les Fre Sang (Les Inseparable), 2017

124cm x 90cm

Acrylic and collage on card

I am not excited about this piece and don't enjoy the use of colour.

Kenneth Bakker, Abstract, 1960

68x 129 cm

Oil on board

This piece does not intrigue or inspire me. I could walk past this with out noticing it, nothing grabs my attention. It reminds me of an art work that could be found in a waiting room or hotel reception.

3.  I found that painting and photography were predominant mediums present.

4. Most booths had white walls however, a few decided to have colourful walls. Another difference which was present between the booths was the inclusion of furniture, only a couple of booths had small plants whereas most booths had table and chairs.

5. Labels have been written in a variety of ways. There was a selection of; hand written labels on the wall, written labels on the floor and labels written on to masking tape. However, most labels are neatly typed out on to paper and placed on the wall directly next to or underneath the art work. I found the signs for each booth were often too small or located in a place which sometimes made it unclear to which booth I was currently in.

6. The layout of the booths was very simple and linear, making it easy for viewers and employees to move around.

7. The lighting in the convention centre was very bright and natural light. Some works had lights directly above them or pointing on to them which often added to the work. these lights were extremely bright and often much cooler than the other lights used.

8. I noticed that people working at the fair, especially in the booths wore very simple outfits. Most people were wearing black, white or a neutral coloured clothing. They didn’t wear patterned clothing, and nothing blended in with the artworks or distracted from them.

9. Products that were being sold at the fair included, books, tote bags, t-shirts, as well as books, posters and other merchandise of the artist’s and their works. I think  the Art Fair is largely aimed people who are interested in art, such as students, lectures’/teachers, practising artists and other people working in the art industry. In addition to this, I feel that the art fair also attracts tourists, who travel from different places in the world to experience and discover the art and artists in Case Town.

10. Athi -Patra Ruga The Ever Promised Erection I, 2019

High-density foam, artificial flowers and jewels

I feel the overall aesthetic and the materials used for this piece really exemplify the spectacle of wealth. Furthermore the style of sculpture exemplifies wealth and power.

11. John Newdigate (In collaboration with Ian Garrett), Flying Ants In Summer Rain, 2018

Hand painted and Glazed Porcelain.

83cm x 52cm

I feel this piece didn’t fit in with the work as the functionality of the pieces is very different from the rest of the work present.

12. It was easy to speak to some staff about the work, in some booths I was approached by members of staff and was asked if I needed help with anything or wanted any information. Other booths were hesitant about sharing prices whereas others had price lists available.

13.The main sponsor of the art fair is Investec.

Investec focus on specialist banking, assest management and wealth and investment divisions. I think the possible clientele of this sponsor are people involved in the art industry such as gallery owners, curators, collectors and people who interested in investment and banking opportunities. I think they chose the art fair as a place to push their product as a place to attract a large audience and to show their interest into an industry that has the ability to create and include a lot of wealth.

14. I think the Cape Town International Convention Centre is a great place for the art fair due to it’s location and accessability. Other commercial events that take place here include; Cape Town International Jazz Festival, FanCon Cape Town Comic Con and Cape Town Homemakers Expo.

15. The oldest work I could find at the fair was Albert Newall’s Untiled. This was a watercolour and ink painting on paper which was made in 1952.

16. The youngest artist at the fair was Talia Ramikillawn who is 23 and recently graduated from Michaelis. Her work was exhibited at Smith.

17.The furniture and painting of the walls of the solo booths relate and compliment the artist work much more than that in the other booths. In a lot of the solo booths the artist’s work was much more spaced out whereas in some of the other booths the work could be quite cramped.

18. Georgina Gratix – Her work has become extremely sought after. Her style of oil painting and using bright colours is intriguing and aesthetically very pleasing.

Igshaan Adams - His use of material and the style of his work holds so much emotion.

19. The trends in subject matter this year included identity and art in the digital age. I believe art in the digital age was a trend and an important subject as the world is constantly looking towards the digital and how we relate to the digital age is constantly changing as technology becomes more advance. Identity is a popular subject matter as many people go through time in their life where they question their identity and it can often be constantly changing. I believe identity is something we are always questioning and discovering.

Materials that were on trend this year included thread, string, beads and pins. I believe this is because many artists were pushing the limit of a canvas and how they can move beyond that.

20. I would love to be represented by Smith as they seem to take a lot of young artist and support them and push them as they grow as artists.

21. I would love to work for Stephenson as I love the wide range of artist they work with and the work that is produced. The subject matter they work with is extremely important and I would love to work with these artists to exhibit their work in the most powerful and meaningful way.

22. How do galleries chose which artists they would like to show at the fair? How many international buyers are usually at the fair? How many people does it take to set up and take down the fair?

1.

Goodman:

Much like the actual gallery, the walls of the booth were painted a dark grey. I recognised the gallerist from the previous day. The style of displaying the work at the booth was similar to the actual gallery, however, there was a clear difference in the type of work that was shown at the gallery and in the booth. The work in the gallery on the top floor was solely Nolan Oswald Dennis. The top floor ‘vibe’ matched that of the booth in the sense of clean layout and a stark sense of professionalism.

Stevenson:

The gallery had clear labels and was well curated. The booth had a poor labeling system as the work did not have its titles, it only had rough pencil markings of the artists’ names on the walls of the booth. I did not recognise the gallerists but I did recognise some of the artists such as Zander Blom’s Landscape Lofthus 1911 and Rodent, 2018. The general ‘vibe’ of the booth was not as professional as the gallery.

Blank Projects:

The gallerist at the booth matched that of the gallery visit of the previous day and just as willing to assist. The style of the work was completely different to that of the gallery as I found the work more conceptual and experimental in the gallery which would be difficult to negotiate in a highly populated art fair. The gallery showcased the work of Bronwyn Katz only while the booth showed a wide range of artists’ work.

2.

Works I love:

Votives for the Human Exclusion Zones (series)

Nigel Mullins

Oil on Supawood, frame and found objects

2018

Everard Read Gallery

This series contains various well known landmarks painted in a gestural, expressive style. I loved the concept of how millions of images exist of these landmarks but this style of representation is unique. I am also fascinated by the texture created by a usually flat medium and the way it is traditionally presented in a frame. The way the work was presented in a shrine-like style.

2. Eve Returns to Eden

Kirsten Beets

Glass, Oil on Board

2019

Salon Ninety One Gallery

This work was displayed in a series that was typically aesthetic by the use of pastel colours and fond memories associated with the beach, however, this work specifically is not as clean cut as the rest of them.  It has the pastel aesthetics of the rest of Beets’ works but contains a new type of expressionism which presents a playful mobility.

3. A Seat at the Table (series)

Justin Dingwell

Photography

2018

ARTCO Gallery

This photographic series stood out among the rest of the photographs at the fair as the subject matter was contemporary and showed a model that subtly created awareness for vitiligo while showcasing a softer side of socially typical masculinity. The monochromaticism of each image creates a personal kind of aesthetic appeal when combined together in the series.

Works I dislike or find frustrating:

A02 132/118/19

Andrzej Urbanski

Spray paint and acrylic on shaped canvas

2019

Everard Read Gallery

This work to me was too flat and did not stand out to me. It seemed to be influenced by the Pop Art movement as it seems like something that could be mass-produced.

2. The Phoenix

Benon Lutaaya

Acrylics on Canvas

Date Unknown

This work seemed to tell a too familiar story. The technique used seemed unoriginal and popular in the contemporary art world as this work seemed as if i had already seen it before.

3. Inner Fire: BBHMM

Tabita Rezaire

Diasec-mounted digital print

2016

Goodman Gallery

I found this work challenging as it had a powerful meaning attached to it and one that I was supportive of, however, the format of the work is aesthetically unappealing to me. It seems incredibly ‘superficial’ and ‘materialistic’.  

3.

I found the traditional mediums of oil and acrylics on canvas to dominate the majority of the works at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair.

4.

Most of the booths hang the artworks around the rectangular perimeter of the booth. Some booths display the empirical data below the artwork while others do not and the viewer is forced to ask the assistant at the booth. Different booths make use of different fonts in terms of their signage. A few booths had a sitting area with a few chairs around a coffee table laden with various art books associated with the booth.

5.

Each booth had the name of the gallery or the name of the artist's collection on it. Most artworks had small cards underneath with information on the artist, title, medium and date of creation. Various stickers were used on this card to denote whether the work had been sold or not. A few booths used large letter stickers to denote the artists’ names spanning 1.5m at the entrance of the booth with the names of titles under the works accompanying them.

6.

The fair is set out in a way where each booth runs into the next with thin walls separating each. It seemed as if the fair was created like a maze. I think the maze-like aspect makes it difficult to leave the fair which is ideal for those  selling art as it forces the buyers to spend more time with the work.

7.

The lighting at the fair was excellent. Each artwork had two spotlights on it because there was hundreds of lights suspended from the centre’s ceiling which creates  a general dimly lit area.

8.

The people working at the booths were usually dressed in head-to-toe black. While overhearing various conversations at the fair, buyers and consultants seemed to be dressed formally while members of the public who were there to spectate were dressed casually.

9.

There were primary and secondary markets present at the fair which include the artists, galleries and collectors. The products being sold are the various artworks and the artists who wish to exhibit in the different galleries. The fair is aimed at those individuals who buy art or who work for galleries or art collectors or the incredibly wealthy.

10.

Selenite and Rose Quartz Eroded Bear

Daniel Arsham

Selenite and rose quartz

2017

Perrotin Gallery

This work exemplifies wealth to me because of its use of traditionally expensive materials such as the minerals. The use of the toy bear is an example of wealth in its most elementary form as certain toys can be used to show wealth among children once they understand the significance of class and the role money plays in our society.

11.

Leisure Set

Cameron Platter

Carved Wood and paint

2019

WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery

This piece of art seems more along the lines of a piece of furniture which i view as a piece of functional art. The rest of the fair’s artworks seemed intended for viewing and conveying a message while this artwork conveys a message while it may be used in everyday life for providing a seat.

12.

The two artworks I inquired about were R22 000 and R39 000.

13.

The brands I saw at the fair were Investec and Moroso. Investec is an international specialist banking and asset management group. Statistically speaking art fairs bring a lot of money into a city through tourists and the purchase of art. Moroso is a furniture brand. Furniture and art are closely related. Many art buyers often invest in furniture too.

14.

The CTICC is an accessible landmark in the city and is housed in the centre of everything. It often houses international attractions and is a good size for displaying a lot of objects. The CTICC also houses Comic Con and the Homemakers Expo.

15.

Untitled

Albert Newall

Oil on Board

1953

SMAC Gallery

16.

Talia Ramkilawan (age 23)

17.

I found the solo booths to give more of an explanation of the work and as a viewer I was able to deduce the influences in the artist’s life that led to their unique style.

18.

William Kentridge, Penny Siopis. These are some of the most celebrated South African artists who still create work presently, subsequently, they have large bodies of work so the chances are high for South African galleries to have one of their artworks.

19.

I noticed a lot of Africans portrayed as the subject matter or issues related to the ‘African-experience’. This was a strategic move on the curators’ behalf but the fair exhibits a lot of African art.

20.

Smith Gallery

21.

I would love to work as an assistant to the curator of the Smith Gallery booth. Whomever decided on the work to show at the booth at the fair shares a similar taste to me. I also loved the presence of work from a lot of young, female artists.

22.

Why are contextual passages explaining the work not available?

How do the various galleries become part of the art fair?

Which gallery is the most profitable at this art fair?

Does the Cape Town art fair make a positive economic contribution towards the city’s tourism?

23.