VISUAL ART

TRANSITION

Untitled by Mike McMeekan

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Artist/lecturer Mike McMeekan exhibits a collection of multi-media work in the main and mezzanine galleries of the NSA under the title Transition, subtitled G'bye the beloved country.

Many of the works derive their source from the Durban docks. These include the ship form, an image used by artists for many centuries to represent both phy-sical and metaphysical movement.

He also uses ships containers which for him represent the "mini worlds" of many recent "departees" from South Africa, the containers enabling them to carry with them something of their homeland wherever they go.

The images are particularly poignant in light of the fact that McMeekan himself will be leaving South Africa next year.

OBSERVATIONS

McMeekan's observations find expres-sion in a variety of media. Also on exhi-bition will be figure paintings, archi-tectural lithographs and drawings, sculp-tures and prints of popular snack foods such as koeksisters and samoosas.

Running until July 17, the exhibition is part of McMeekan's work for a masters degree at the University of Natal.

TREVOR MAKHOBA

Running at the Durban Art Gallery this month is an exhibition by Trevor Makhoba, 1996 Standard Bank Young Artists Award winner for visual arts. This collection of work has toured major art galleries since last year's festival.

Trevor Makhoba was born in Durban and, self-taught, became a full-time artist in 1989. "He is an emerging contem-porary artist whose "vision focuses on the state of flux of black life in South Africa. His narrative paintings are a vehicle through which he communicates his personal disquiet and anxiety," says Nicole Donald of Gallery on Tyrone in Johannesburg, who wrote the notes for last year's Standard Bank National Arts Festival programme.

Makhoba's works reflect his perception of such issues as child molestation, alcohol abuse, crime and violence. He also explores cultural issues and where his Zulu heritage stands in a new society.

MUSEUM BOXES

Earlier this year the Carnegie Art Gallery in Newcastle initiated an educa-tional project with local junior schools. Children were encouraged to create their own "museum in a box" to help them become aware of the importance of heritage and the functions of museums.

This fun exhibition, comprising some 70 of these original boxes, will be on view at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pieter-maritzburg from July 22 to August 17. As the exhibition is particularly suitable for young children, the Gallery is encouraging visits from junior schools.

GUEST ARTIST PROJECT

Alastair Whitton, who participates with Neville Gabie in the exhibition at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg titled Material Evidence, will be artist in residence on July 4 and from July 8 to 11. He will be available to conduct group tours and demonstrations. Contact Kobus or Mduduzi on (0331) 41-1804.

THREE FRIENDS

On view at the Elizabeth Gordon Gallery is an exhibition by Gerald Baise, Buck Jones and Heidi Smallwood.

Cloissone tile - Heidi Smallwood,
Sculpture - Gerald Baise

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Basil (Buck) Jones and Gerald have worked together for 20 years as mentor and student respectively. Heidi and Gerald's friendship goes back 25 years. "Many years ago we discussed the idea of exhibiting together but nothing came of it" says Gerald Baise. "She was busy with her pottery and I with my sculpture. "It sort of all came together last year over a glass of wine", he adds. "I expressed the idea of having an exhibi-tion in 1997, Heidi was working in a new medium and somehow the two - sculpture and cloisonn‚ enamel work - together seemed exciting and different. Basil's abstract paintings complement Heidi's work in colour and so the idea of exhibiting together was born".

The exhibition represents the response to each other of years of friendship with all the trials and tribulations of life being shared sometimes closely and sometimes at a distance. "Each in his/her own way has contributed to each other's work. This is after all what friendship is about," adds Gerald.