Happy women’s month from the ladies behind Berman Contemporary

Berman Contemporary is a female-led contemporary art gallery in Johannesburg, founded in 2016 by Candice Berman, with a focus on the representation, support and empowerment of women artists. Our curatorial programme encompasses a broad spectrum of genres and media, including sculpture, painting, video, photography and installation.

The Berman Contemporary exhibition programme offers an art experience that celebrates the innovative and expressive lens of contemporary art. The gallery brings together emerging and established female talents from around the country, representing a generation of women creatives from the southern hemisphere who are standing up and expressing their voices by embracing their narratives and ancestral practices, all the while cherishing their values and belonging.

Berman Contemporary offers our women artists an ongoing mentorship programme to support their artistic development and growth within the international art ecosystem, whereafter we collaboratively shape ideas on how to present their artistic output in a unique and interactive way. This ongoing support is a process of discovery and playfulness through continuous, generative engagement, which acts as a catalyst for interconnectedness with a wide range of art collectors and other talented forces.

What do I dare to say out loud?

Solo exhibition | DuduBloom More
27 July – 1 September 2024
Curated by Morgan Kunhardt

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening of What do I dare say out loud? on Saturday the 27th of July. Become a part of Dudu’s woollen world until the 1st of September at 223 Jan Smuts Creative Hub!

In this evolving landscape, DuduBloom More has distinguished herself by pushing the boundaries of her practice as a visual artist in South Africa. Her latest body of work delves deeper into the complex depths of the self, navigating intense emotions and existential inquiry through the use of shape and colour.

Through her works, the exhibition unfurls a tapestry of introspection, inviting viewers to embark on a journey, which investigates the way we think and question, the way we feel and express and the way we reflect and respond. By questioning what we dare to speak of, the exhibition fosters a safe space for vulnerability and connection, making the unspoken heard and the unseen visible

#ARTladies

Women’s month group exhibition
27 July – 1 September 2024
Curated by Candice Berman

In celebration of South African women’s month the #ARTladies group exhibition features the work of all ten female artists represented by Berman Contemporary: Amogelang Maepa, Athenkosi Kwinana, Chrisél Attewell, Cow Mash, DuduBloom More, Hazel Mphande, Lee-At Meyerov, Mellaney Roberts, Natalie de Morney and Odette Graskie.

South Africa commemorates Women's Month in August as a tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 to petition against the proposed changes to the pass laws. The women left 14,000 petitions at the office doors of prime minister J.G. Strijdom. The women stood silently for 30 minutes and then started singing a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion.

As a tribute to these brave women, Berman Contemporary has invited our 10 female represented artists to showcase their work. The exhibition offers an art experience that celebrates the innovative and expressive lens of contemporary art by bringing together emerging and established female talents from around the country.

Ndijongile

Solo exhibition | Athenkosi Kwinana
September – 19 October 2024
Curated by Candice Berman

September is Albinism Awareness month in South Africa and Berman Contemporary is committed to using our gallery as a platform for spreading awareness. Athenkosi Kwinana will be opening her solo exhibition, Ndijongile, on the 7th of September with a panel discussion on the 28th of September. Her exhibition will also create a space for other artists living with albinism to exhibit their work.

“My artistic practice delves into representing Persons with Albinism (PWA) in South Africa, aiming to confront the systemic violence and discrimination we face daily. Through my work, I challenge existing social prejudices and stigmas surrounding PWA, seeking to foster greater awareness and understanding. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks such as postcolonial theory and discourses on black female subjectivity, human rights, identity, and specific theories such as intersectionality. I explore the complexities of representing PWA within contemporary South African visual art and popular culture. My continuing research critically examines recent depictions of the albinotic body, particularly through the lens of a black feminist perspective.” – Athenkosi Kwinana

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