Jeannette Unite converted the Michaelis Upper Gallery into an open studio during March
referencing a personal archive of 1500 mining images, collected during 12 years of
research and travel.
Paradox of Plenty. An archive of 1500 images exhibited at Michaelis Upper Gallery March 2011.
The Cape Town art school is named after gold mining magnate, Sir Max Michaelis, a
pertinent link between the Johannesburg mining industry and Michaelis’ consequent
patronage to the art school. With March 2011 seeing the 125th anniversary of the
discovery of gold in Johannesburg, Unite’s new body of work reflects on how this
discovery has shaped the social-political history of South Africa.
Jeannette Unite converted the Michaelis Upper Gallery into a studio from the 2nd -
21st of March, which was open to the public
This allowed a rare glimpse into Unite’s
working methods and a chance for personal engagement with the artist. Works produced
were exhibited in the Upper Michaelis Gallery until April 7th 2011.
In over twelve years of on-going research, Unite has visited archives, libraries and
museums in mining areas, exploring the issues related to mineral extraction, wars
and conflict, migrant labour, the resource curse and the impact of neo-colonialism
on the contemporary African industrial landscape. The Paradox of Plenty creates
a comment on the environmental impact of the conspicuous consumption of finite
metal resources that underpins the techno-spasm we live in.
Jeannette Unite’s awards include receiving a Kellogg’s Foundation scholarship,
a public art commission for the Department of Science and Technology and
Unite was one of four South African artists at the Beijing Biennale in September
2010 and in Central Asia in 2009 where she won an
award for the most unique use
of material. She has presented papers about
her artwork at conferences in Dublin at the UNESCO Art Critics international
conference AICA, in Ghana at the 50 year Jubilee Cultural Development
Conference, at a colour colloquium at Rhodes University and will be presenting
at conferences in Madrid, Spain as well as in Austria in April 2011.
2nd March 18:30 Launch of Project
7th April 17:00 Exhibition .Ends
A limited edition series of signed Headgear prints to
commemorate 125 years
of discovery of gold in Johannesburg are available.
For further information and images please contact
Jeannette@artunite.com (+27 (0)76 906 9767) or Nadja.daehnke@uct.ac.za
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