kagablog

“TWILIGHT”, JOHAN THOM, 2008

Twilight: Light diffused by reflection of sun’s rays between daybreak and sunrise or sunset and dark…faint light; (fig.) condition of imperfect knowledge, understanding…
～Of the gods…(trans. Ger. Gotterdammerung…) destruction of the gods and world in conflict with the powers of evil; hence (fig.) complete downfall of a regime etc…

Performance held at the Kwazulu Natal Association of Arts, Durban (South Africa), Tuesday 13 May 2008
Duration: 2 Hours
Materials: 50 Litres sump oil; 50 kg Omo Washing Powder; Ultravoilet lights
Assistants: Peter Court & Bryan Hiles
Photographs: Shane De Lange

First presented at the 2003 Venice Biennale, Johan Thom shows the video projection Bind/Ontbind as “a metaphor for the constant processes of decay and of regeneration [which] may disfigure us, but whenever we attempt to replace them with new systems of thought we are in fact simply disfiguring ourselves anew. Also, at the opening, Thom will perform (Twilight) of the Idols, exploring the physical action of the clenched fist associated with political groups, anger, violence and frustration.

02.02.08 - 04.05.08

Palazzo delle Papesse
Palazzo delle Papesse - Centro Arte Contemporanea
Via di Citta
126 53100 Siena
Italien
fon 0577 - 22071
segreteria@papesse.org
homepage

.ZA
young art from South Africa
Kuratoren: Lorenzo Fusi, Marlene Dumas, Kendell Geers, Bernie Searle, Minnette Vari, Sue Williamson

mit Bridget Baker, Simon Gush, Nicholas Hlobo, Nandipha Mntambo, Zanele Muholi, Ruth Sacks, Sean Slemon, Pippa Stalker, Doreen Southwood, Johan Thom, Nontsikelelo Lolo Veleko, James Webb, Ed Young

Pressetext:

Palazzo delle Papesse announces the opening of their 2008 exhibition programme with the group show .za - young art from South Africa.

The exhibition was conceived by Lorenzo Fusi, who asked five established South African artists - Marlene Dumas, Kendell Geers, Bernie Searle, Minnette Vàri, Sue Williamson - to take part in the event in the role of co-curators. Each of these artists was asked to put forward the work of artists not older than thirty-five, still residing or mainly operating in South Africa. More than twenty works were thus gathered from as many artists, mostly unknown or very little known to the Italian and European public.

The show represents a sort of passing on of the torch, as well as a tribute on the part of the better known artists of already established international reputation towards their younger colleagues, often penalized by their geographical isolation in the farthermost point of the African continent. The generation that gained ample visibility in the Nineties, riding the wave of global enthusiasm for the end of Apartheid, passes the torch on to a new generation still in search of recognition. These younger artists reached maturity in the course of the journey their country took towards political stability, finally achieving the state of modern democracy through a process sometimes fraught with difficulties and contradictions.

The exhibition looks at South Africa through the eyes of South Africans rather than through western eyes, rejecting pre-conceived ideas and stereotyped interpretations of the country’s culture. The partial portrait that emerges highlights the unresolved conflicts of a multiethnic society torn between tradition and modernity, drawn as it is towards the future, especially in view of the new image it intends to present to the global community as the host of the football World Cup in 2010.

The works selected do not share a common theme: rather, they bear witness to the diversity of expression and debate within the current contemporary art scene in South Africa.
However, many of the artists in the show seem to share the influence of the post-conceptual experience.
The ‘new art’ from South Africa, although often politically and socially committed, can no longer be referenced solely in relation to Apartheid. On the contrary, the artists taking part in the show seem to strive to overcome this easy and univocal classification. Torn between a life at home and the possibility of a life abroad, between activism and diaspora, the artists of .ZA provide a perfect example of the plight of intellectuals and cultural professionals at the periphery of the globalised world, where everything appears to be within reach yet the periphery knows little redemption from its condition of isolation.

The selected artists include: Bridget Baker, Simon Gush, Nicholas Hlobo, Nandipha Mntambo, Zanele Muholi, Ruth Sacks, Sean Slemon, Pippa Stalker, Doreen Southwood, Johan Thom, Nontsikelelo Lolo Veleko, James Webb, Ed Young.

Catalogue: Silvana Editoriale, bilingual italian-english, will include essays by all the curators.

David Koloane is arguably one of South Africa’s foremost cultural practitioners. A founding member of the Fordsburg Artists Studios (commonly known as ‘The Bag Factory’) in Johannesburg, he is an internationally renowned artist, curator and critic. Currently Koloane is involved with the German South African Symposium, a body whose main aim is the furthering of cultural cooperation and exchange between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of South Africa. Recently Koloane and various representatives from the South African National Gallery, the Northern Flagship Institution, the Pretoria Art Museum, the German Foreign Office and the Bochum Museum in Germany, met in Stellenbosch in order to select two promising, young South Africans to co-curate with German counterparts, a travelling international exhibition. In brief, the city of Bochum is the cultural capital of Europe in 2010 and wish to celebrate through a series of events including a travelling German/South African art exhibition beginning at the Bochum Museum, and later moving to various venues in South Africa. Quite fortuitously this coincides with the hosting of the Soccer World cup in South Africa in 2010. After much debate it was decided that Nontombeko Ntombela and Rachel Montshiwa will represent South Africa in this venture. In what follows David Koloane answers some questions regarding the selection process, its criteria and the projects’ outcomes.

JT: Firstly, for those of us who are not familiar with it, could you elaborate a little on the origins and the goals of the German South African Symposium?

DK: The German South African Symposium was conceived in 2005 by Dr Ralph Seippel and Bodo Schaff (the then German Cultural Attaché who has since unfortunately been deployed in Latin America). Dr Ralph Seippel is the German gallerist who initiated the Daimler Chrysler Awards and recently opened up a branch of the Seippel Gallery in Johannesburg. The connection with the Bochum Museum in Germany was inspired by the ‘New Identities’ exhibition, a major survey of South African art and culture that was hosted there in 2004 and later that same year at the Pretoria Art Museum. Broadly speaking the The German South African Symposium seeks to develop and expand upon cultural co-operation between South Africa and Germany.

JT: I think the selection of South African representatives Nontombeko Ntombela and Rachel Montshiwa quite interesting. Both individuals hail from so-called ‘marginalised’ areas in terms of the dynamics of the contemporary South African art world (Durban and Pretoria respectively). Does this reflect anything particular to the goals of the Symposium or the projects’ selection criteria?

DK: It was for me an interesting choice as nobody on the panel had the faintest idea as to what the selection process would yield. You will also notice that the various representatives came from different geographical areas in the country and provided names from which a consensus was eventually reached. So no, it does not reflect anything particular to the project, except where it concerns our focus on finding the best possible candidates.

JT: What specific traits were the selection panel looking for in selecting possible candidates?

DK: The criteria, which was unanimously accepted by all the delegation members, was that potential candidates had to display passion, self-initiative, hunger for curatorial experience and a fair amount of self-acquired knowledge of the contemporary art scene both locally and abroad. The candidates’ aspirations and vitality had to be sustainable, not short-lived or opportunistic. Writing skills were also essential to enable candidates to elucidate exhibition concepts and artists profiles with ease.

JT: It is always a mammoth task to curate a travelling international exhibition. Is part of the plan to throw these young curators into the ‘deep-end’ or is the project geared towards developing skills within a professional, practical environment? If so, what support structures are in place in order to help facilitate the process?

DK: The exhibition will not be a large-scale event in the order of a biennale for example, but rather of manageable scale - maximising the possibility for curatorial exploration and growth. There will be proficient support structures in place in both Germany and South Africa. However, it is important to caution against the support structures not ultimately compromising the candidates’ potential and innovative ability at any level of the process.

Throwing candidates unto the ‘deep-end’ might work in certain instances or emergencies but its not always an appropriate method of nurturing potential. With instructive and constructive guidance from the National Gallery in Cape Town, the Bag Factory in Johannesburg with its variety of artists from different countries, the Luthuli Museum in Kwazulu Natal and finally the Pretoria Art Museum and the National Cultural History Museum in Pretoria at a local level, the candidates will not be at a loss for support.

JT: How will the project develop from here? For example, when is the German South African Symposium due to meet again?

DK: As you mentioned earlier, the city of Bochum is the cultural capital of Europe in 2010. The launch of this exhibition will coincide with this event before travelling to South Africa. The exhibition preparations should therefore be finalized by 2009 (before which candidates will travel to all the host venues, participate in a variety of activities such as studio & museum visits and ultimately select participating artists)

The next symposium workshop will be convened in South Africa in March 2008. At this point there will be progress reports form the South African and German components as well as additional institutions that have pledged support for the project.

JT: On a more personal note, you are often called upon to select young curators, writers and artists for inclusion in a variety of art-related projects. Apart from being a full time practicing artist, how do you view your role in the contemporary South African art world?

DK: I feel honoured to have been bestowed with various forms of responsibility within the visual arts over the years. Looking back at my few years of teaching I would like to reiterate how dire the situation was during the FUBA era for black South African artists. So it comes naturally for me to extend a helping hand to younger, emerging artists today. I was assisted by a variety of people in the creative sphere (including Bill Ainslee, Louis Maqhubela & Fikile Magodlela), so I have to do likewise.

JT: Is there perhaps something like a ‘personal dream’ you still harbour for the South African art world?

Yes. I would like to witness the development of an institution that has an open teaching policy based on the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam but with a contemporary African emphasis in terms of subject matter and imagery. It should have a rotating panel of practicing artists who teach by example.

at johan thom’s bag factory studio, fordsburg

« Welcome to the slaughterhouse» est un essai puissant réalisé par Aryan Kaganof en 2007 avec les extraits de films et la complicité d’autres vidéastes de la African Noise Foundation. Pendant les 41 minutes du film, nous visionnons de scènes violentes, en provenance parfois de reportages télévisuels qui commencent par un emblème très choquant de cette année en cours : les images de la dernière tuerie universitaire aux États Unis, perpétrée par Cho Seung Hui. Il nous parle au début du film de ses motivations et de sa décision d’assassiner ses amis étudiants et de sa méthode secrète. La deuxième partie du film est un collage ironique de plusieurs images CNN du président américain actuel en train d’exposer son projet contre le terrorisme. Les intertitres superposés parodient son discours en mélangeant ses paroles qui nous promettent de nous épargner du chantage des terroristes.
La musique du compositeur Joel Assaizky, acolyte de Kaganof depuis longtemps et membre de leur groupe «Freedom Fighter », vise à attribuer une unité et cohérence intime à ce collage légèrement hétéroclite. A part les thèmes de la violence et de la guerre qui reviennent tout le temps, les autres thèmes du film sont pluriels. Ainsi dans la troisième partie du film qui s’appelle «Baphomet danse macabre » on voit les extraits du bal de «L’année dernière à Marienbad », des scènes apparemment sans suite logique mais en contradiction sonore puisque dans le film remonté de Resnais un couple se regarde paisiblement et amoureusement.

La quatrième partie est la plus sadomasochiste et elle est faite par les images d’une performance réelle de Johan Thom. Elle s’appelle «Baphomet » tout court et elle est une adaptation contemporaine d’une ancienne performance de Otto Muehl datant de 1966 «Bodybuilding » où l’artiste s’attache fermement le visage avec des bandages. Ici, 41 ans après, Thom s’attache le visage avec des fils transparents et solides qui font sûrement mal. Cette fois les trucages électroniques et les effets stroboscopiques transforment son visage en un espace modifiable et élastique, sinon plastique, en contradiction émotionnelle avec la musique mélodique et sereine cette fois de Ruth White. La représentation du mal corporel serait en plein accord avec les autres images du film.

La cinquième partie est la plus abstraite et formellement une variation de sa précédente. Elle s’appelle «Corticotropin » et elle s’inspire des créations plastiques abstraites de Kaganof. Le plasticien Kaganof a voulu les animer afin de souligner le coté énigmatique de son essai. «Panic Attack » est le titre de la sixième partie et elle est une adaptation du film «Moral Panic » de Rob Schroder, qui consiste en un collage télé de reportages datant entre 1963 et 2004. Principalement inspiré d’images de guerre et d’attentats terroristes, le film de Schroder serait inspiré par le cinéma militant de Guy Debord mais dans un contexte plus contemporain.

« Marie en train d’adorer Baphomet » est la septième partie et elle contient les images d’un film plus ancien de Kaganof «Deux têtes sont meilleures qu’une seule ». Le monstre bicéphale qui chante en trucages impressionnants serait une variation de l’individu contemporain. L’avant-dernière partie s’appelle «War Zone » et elle est la plus violente avec les images réelles de cadavres lynchés. La neuvième et dernière partie s’appelle «Floor Crossing » et contient encore une fois les scènes du classique «Dead man 2: return of the dead man », un film sur la mort et la résurrection par le biais de l’amour pure.
Avec ce film Kaganof voudrait avant tout détourner la télévision, qui n’est pas sa préférence, afin de nous montrer que les informations et reportages de télé sont un moyen de manipulation massive. Les rotoreliefs de sa cinquième partie ne sont qu’une métonymie du vertige de la désinformation télévisuelle. En général son film reprend l’hétéroclite de cette désinformation afin de lui attribuer une parfaite cohérence esthétique et poétique digne du sommet de l’art vidéo. Le film est dédié à la mémoire de Kurt Vonnegut, auteur américain du roman «Abattoir cinq » (Slaughterhouse five) , mort en 2007.

Dionysos ANDRONIS

RE/ACTION: PERFORMANCE ART NOW

A WORKSHOP IN PERFORMANCE ART PRESENTED BY JOHAN THOM AT THE BAG FACTORY ARTISTS STUDIOS,25 JUL – 8 AUG 2007

During the following weeks Johan Thom will present a workshop focussed on exploring contemporary practices in performance art. The workshop will be divided into a series of lectures, group/ individual exercises and discussions aimed at evaluating the relationship between performance art, its practices and theories, and its capacity for inspiring new directions in contemporary South African artistic expression. A primary aim is to introduce into the vocabulary of young South African artists theoretical and practical knowledge of the processes, concepts and strategic value of performance art today. These goals will be realised by conducting an intensive 4 day course in Performance Art culminating in a Exhibition/ Performance event to be held on the 8th of August at the Bag Factory.

VENUE: The Fordsburg Artists Studios (Bag Factory), 10 Mahlatini Street, Fordsburg, Johannesburg

DATES: 09h00 -14h00 Sat & Sun (Weekends of the 28 & 29th of Jul and the 4th & 5th of Aug)

TARGET GROUP: Young practicing artists (including students who are enrolled at tertiary institutions) Interested in exploring and experimenting with the possibilities of performance art.

MATERIALS/ REQUIREMENTS: Pen and paper – each participant must bring a small A5 notebook/ artists workbook in which to keep a visual and written diary for the duration of the workshop No traditional arts materials will be required. (With the exception of the participants final artwork presented for the exhibition not being purely a performance. Each participant will have to actively contribute to the workshop by bringing their own particular skills and life experience.

COST: R200 per participant

WHO TO CONTACT: Johan Thom 076 769 3930
Bronwyn Lace 083 284 4726
The Bag Factory 011 834 9181

PLEASE NOTE THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF 12 FOR LOGISTICAL PURPOSES.

The Fordsburg Artists Studios (Bag Factory) presents:
‘The Theory of Flight’, a solo exhibition by Johan Thom
Dates: 18 July – 8 August 2007
Opening: Wednesday 18 July 2007 at 18h30
Venue: Fordsburg Artists Studios (Bag Factory), 10 Mahlatini Street, Fordsburg, Johannesburg
Contact: +27 11 834 9181
Bagfactoryart.org.za/exhibitions

‘The Theory of Flight’ is a single-channel video installation produced by Johan Thom whilst on residency in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2006. Later that year the installation was included in the First Architecture, Art and Landscape Biennale of the Canary Islands by curator Antonio Zaya. Now, for the first time, the work will be shown in the artists hometown, Johannesburg, South Africa.

‘The Theory of Flight’ is wry commentary on the failures and successes of humanity’s search for mental and spiritual enlightenment. A 10-minute video loop of the artist meditating in Buddhist pose is projected onto the physical installation (comprising a massive heap of soil from which two large glass plates protrude). To the viewer it seems as if they are in the presence of a ghostly apparition that floats above a mountain of soil. In the video loop the carcasses of recently slaughtered chickens and ducks progressively weigh down Thom’s arms until he can no longer bear their weight. Finally, in a desperate attempt to maintain his equilibrium, Thom attempts to fly, using his arms as wings. The soundtrack haunts as the sound of scavenging crows gathering nearby blends with that of the early morning traffic of Dhaka.

Through the kind assistance and support of the Fordsburg Artists Studios and a private patron the ‘Theory of Flight’ will be shown in South Africa for the first time.

This exhibition coincides with an intensive 4 day Workshop on performance art presented by Johan Thom that will culminate in a performance event/ exhibition to be held on the evening of the 8th of August at the Bag Factory Gallery Space. The workshop will be held on the weekends of the 28/29 July and the 4/5 July. Interested parties should contact the Bag Factory as soon as possible as there is only space for a maximum of 12 participants.

High resolution images available on request.
Related links:
http://www.youtube.com/thomjohan
http://www.art.co.za/johanthom
http://www.kagablog.com/contributors/johan-thom

Artist Bio:
Johan Thom (b1976) is a full-time artist resident at the Fordsburg Artists Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa. He often uses video, sound and performance to explore the close link between the human being, their socio-political and economic environment and spirituality. His works are often confrontational and darkly humorous, terrorizing our sense of space, order and stability.

Thom has shown and participated in numerous exhibitions and art-projects at venues such as the First Canary Island Biennale (2006), Belgrade International Theatre Festival (2006), the Britto Arts Trust in Bangladesh (2006), the Rotterdam Film Festival (2006), the Venice Biennale (2003 & 2005), the CRIC/Pro Helvetia residency program in Switzerland (2004/5), the Ampersand Fellowship in New York (2005), the International Computer Arts Festival in Slovenia (2004) and various other arts festivals and group exhibitions in South Africa. He is a regular contributor to publications on contemporary art such as ‘Art South Africa’. From 2001 - 2006 he lectured in African and South African art and contemporary critical theory at the Tshwane university of Technology before becoming a full time artist in 2007.

The Omo Mailbag
Freepost Address
Kwazulu Natal
Durban
South Africa
4000

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have had a ‘great experience’ with OMO Multi Active washing powder. Please find enclosed a short DVD (4min39sec) detailing this wonderful encounter.

For ever so long I have felt dirty and dejected. My thoughts have constantly veered to the dark side – swearing like a trooper, having outrageous sexual fantasies, desiring the overthrow of the establishment and generally thinking about death. But no longer. I have thoroughly cleansed myself with your product. I must say though that it tastes awful though (fortunately I had some Champagne on hand to wash away the aftertaste and to celebrate my newfound lease on life). Now my life seems worthwhile, and I have an added spring in my step. Wherever I go people can notice the difference.

However, should say that the OMO Toll-free Helpline wasn’t helpful at all. But I guess that is the wonder of our brave new world. We can help ourselves. Thus after carefully following your instructions for use in a frontloading machine, I decided that, for such severe filth as pervades my being, one scoop simply wouldn’t do. I am happy to report that a whole 1kg box seems to have done the trick (for now anyway).

Rest assured that I am not an idiot or a madman: I know that this product is meant for use in a machine! But after having read so much contemporary philosophy and socio-political theory I cannot help but experience my body as a mechanical gadget simply in service of the state, capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism and god knows what or who else.

So as long as I keep on having dirty thoughts I am going to keep loading my machine with your product! I am really committed to being a well-adapted, fully functional citizen.

If you ever need anyone to testify to the power of OMO washing powder, know that I am your man.

Yours truly

Johan Thom

I am Baphomet, god of the templars, advocate of the damned and guide of the souls through the underworld. in the ancient mystery cults the priest worshipped me as Abraxas, Xnobius or goat-buck who unites aspects of the darkness and light in one single godly image but in truth I am substance imprisond, the world-creating spirit, who moves in the realm of the shades.For between my horns is a torch alight as symbol of the spirituality which allows itself to be percived as light, for I am the bringer of light though the darkness belongs to my nature.and so I bring mankind the hidden knowledge when I apper in their minds as a field of energy and they sense my thoughts and belive they are their own: For I have no physical form, but I am just a point of light moving in their brains.You too have just visualized me as an image, for I am the seed, called insight by you, which leads the souls back to their own origins.through me you encounter who you really are, and through me you lose yourself in the one whom you encircle in ever new images.So i am the godly spirit, who has materialized himself in order to show you how you can form ideas from energies and then, from these, substance.And now you arise in me out of the force of totality as a spark of god, projected into space and time.For it is I who creates you through feeling you because you are a part of that which is I, for I am everything which is.Only when I have completely penetrated you, is all the longing of the flesh assuaged. then you will become like god and recognize good and evil.But understand that I am more than just the part which touches you here, and you are more than just the part which you encapsulate, for our symbol is the phoenix, the symbol of rejuvenation, the legendary Egyptian eagle of the skies with red and golden plumage, who burns in its nest of myrrh and rises ever new from its own ashes.The final answer to all questions are you yourself, in the innermost eye which conceals itself from you, because it itself is the seeing, for I am the symbol of the spirit which recognizes itself in its own eye and of the shadow which conceals itself in light.In the recognition recognized, beyond undersanding, mankind knows, without knowing, that he knows. For now he knows why he cannot know, but because he knows this, he knows-and is silent!only in silence is there nothing more which could be expressed in words, and it is no longer a matter of the images behind the truth, but of the truth behind the images behind that throws the one who recognizes back upon himself: upon the truth behind the mask behind the mask behind which his image of the recognition hides!For I am nothing because I am all! For being everything I need not be anything else, for I am now the all-encompassing, all-penetrating, all-illuminating “I myself!”

sound artist, joel assaizky, of the african noise foundation at their second live performance - saturday 21 april at premises gallery, johannesburg. video montages by aryan kaganof.

have a look at more photos by christo doherty on his flickr page

and there are more pics from the gig on vetseun

african noise foundation featuring johan thom
baphomet

african noise foundation featuring johan thom
baphomet
3min46sec, dvcam
music by ruth white and joel assaizky
text by charles baudelaire - “spleen” from “les fleurs du mal”

world premiere
saturday 21 april
the premises gallery
civic theatre, johannesburg
7pm