Last weeks to see RE GONA and THE SCULPTURAL SYMPHONY

Be sure not to miss Cow Mash’s solo exhibition, RE GONA and the group exhibition, A SCULPTURAL SYMPHONY, curated by Els van Mourik. Both exhibitions close on the 14th of April.

A SCULPTURAL SYMPHONY presents a group of South African visual artists, which include Amogelang Maepa, Chrisél Attewell, Lee-At Meyerov, Mellaney Roberts, and Paballo Majela. This curated collection outlines the exploration of sculpture, through diverse conceptual and technical approaches, these artists collectively challenge and redefine the aesthetic and conceptual parameters of contemporary sculptural art.

Cow Mash draws us into her lineage with her solo exhibition, RE GONA. The title, being the response to “Le Kae” (How are you?), translates to “We are here”. In Sepedi no one stands alone, people speak of themselves in the plural because every person represents their community. RE GONA becomes Mash’s we-ness in her ancestral ties, support system and religious bonds. As explained by the artist’s father “According to the Bible the purpose of humanity is to multiply.”

Natalie de Morney’s solo exhibition, RE-CONNECTIONS, opens on the 20th of April

Sculptor and ceramicist, Natalie de Morney, will be opening her first solo exhibition curated by Els van Mourik.

The curated exhibition will be a designated space to honour her ancestors, to remember her San ancestry lineage, and to create an opportunity for people to explore their ancestral roots. In different ancestral traditions, objects and symbols are displayed to embody the ancestors’ energy. Her installation of 500 ceramic curls carry an energetic signature, which connects with our sense of history and imagination, and gives us the parts of (our) history that may have been lost.

THE NEW VANGUARD - a moving perspective opening on the 20th of April

Andrea Moses, Joy Mwhali, Kay Inga Lokwe, Khumo Rasebitse, Nomfundo Mohlala, Thembeka Heidi Sincuba, and Zita Oranje.

After THE NEW VANGUARD exhibitions: LABYRINTHINE in 2020 and DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE in 2021, Berman Contemporary is very happy to announce the 3rd edition of our emerging and early career artists programme. Supporting a new generation of artists with professional help in promoting their work, better establishing their careers, and expanding their visibility, we are pleased to present 7 artists in the upcoming group exhibition opening on the 20th of April.

Art + Design = Creative Hub

Berman Contemporary’s new home, 223 Jan Smuts Creative Hub, was featured in Volume 12 (Reframe) of House and Leisure.

“The House and Leisure team explores Johannesburg's newest home for creativity, which has been brought to life by some of the city's brightest names in art and design.

If there was any doubt about the vitality of Johannesburg’s creative life, a step inside 223 Jan Smuts is an inspiring reminder that beyond the smoke and mirrors, the city is full of diamonds just waiting to be unearthed for those willing to look for them.”

In the same volume the Art Editor, Zanele Kumalo, reflects on the theme of this year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair whilst mentioning Chrisel Attewell’s Refractions: Smoke and Water, 2023, shown in the solo section.

RE GONA on the Radar

Since the opening of Cow Mash’s solo exhibition RE GONA, Cow has been featured in several digital publications.

Bubblegum Club

“Some grow in ponds with no water while others grow in upside-down pot plants with no soil. The women are on all fours, praying, grazing, and moving. Cow bells ring in the distance. The land is black; it is not cursed.”

Between 10 and 5

“Through her art, she invites us to ponder the interconnectedness of ancestry and the modern world. Central to the exhibition is the figure of the woman farmer, a nod to Mash's own lineage and the evolving dynamics of agricultural heritage.”

SA Creatives news

“In her own words, Mash explains that her work goes through the complexities of existing as a Black woman in today’s world, putting together both the weight and the strength, growth, and transformation that come with that identity.”

STUDIO VISIT SERIES: COW MASH

Introducing the fifth of our Artist Studio Visit Series, showcasing Cow Mash.

At Berman Contemporary, we are committed to fostering meaningful connections between our clients, collectors, and the artists we proudly represent. As part of our ongoing initiative, we are delighted to unveil exclusive glimpses into the creative process of our artists through studio videos and curated features on ARTSY.

This video explores into the world of Cow Mash, and the preparations she worked on for her solo exhibition, RE GONA. Through intimate snapshots of her studio practice, viewers will gain insight into Cow's artistic vision, her chosen mediums, and the narratives that underpin her works.

Have a look at our latest viewing room on ARTSY - STUDIO VISIT SERIES: COW MASH. This online feature showcases the behind the scenes of Cow Mash at work in her studio.

“My current creative process is guided by my self-given name, Cow. In my daily existence and in my art, I navigate my experiences and thoughts through cow-metaphors, cow associations, and cow analogies. I create sculptures that speak to the transformation of traditions and culture using various synthetic materials and found objects. My artworks are an investigation of the past from a present perspective and a negotiation of possible futures through the cow as a bridge between everything. My work is an archive that is assisted by cow metaphors to speak of my individual womanhood.” – Cow Mash

Artist Athenkosi Kwinana’s passion for creating new narratives about people living with albinism by Edward Tsumele

The Creatory ArtLab residency artist, Athenkosi Kwinana, sat down with the editor of City Life Arts, Edward Tsumele, to discuss the influences of artwork.

“Kwinana, who has researched the subject in her entire academic career, from undergraduate level up to a Masters level, writing a thesis on the subject for her Masters degree in Fine Art that she completed at the University of Johannesburg in 2022, Kwinana is therefore able to fuse social activism, art making and academic rigour into her art practice. This positions the artist on a trajectory that makes her one of the few artists who are in a position to articulate and visually represent people living with this condition in the country.”

Follow Athenkosi Kwinana on Instagram to track her creative process.

*Visits are welcomed within opening hours. If you would like to meet Athi herself, please check with our gallery manager Sonja Meyer which days the artist will be present.

The remains of a conversation with Odette Graskie by Christi Sa

Christi Sa is a Dutch writer who hosts different artists in conversation to create articles from a different perspective.

“An image exists in my mind of you holding up one of your artworks -one that I specifically like – while you walk toward me. The artwork is a gift and I cherish it while it moves gently on my left while I type. Things that move lift me up. The noses and eyes and many lips of your artwork are near me. I am surrounded by people when I type these remains.”

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Odette Graskie at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees

Odette Graskie opened a solo exhibition entitled Drawing as Movement in Oudtshoorn at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK). The show ran in the first week of the festival from the 23rd to the 26th of March and consisted of her sculptural paper installation Threads of Connection and other related works. The title of the show refers to how the redrawing of the portrait creates movement for the moments between herself and the sitter. The installation created a unique paper world, which allowed festivalgoers to enter the space move through the exhibition.

“One of my favourite moments was the opening, when there was load shedding and visitors really embraced the moment. They walked through the installation with their phone flashlights with the work throwing wonderful shadows in the room.” – Odette Graskie

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