Thursday, January 5, 2012

Storm Janse van Rensburg and Claire van Blerck


One of the best things about the New Year is the opportunity given to wipe last year’s messy slate clean again. Emails one should have – but did not – respond to ages ago can now be sent out with Happy New Year wishes and the recipient will probably forgive you.

This period of armistice doesn’t last long, however – after January 15 the truce is toast.

It’s also the time of year to make a list of all the half formed projects in your mind, and see which ones have strong enough legs to warrant further work. And which ones can be dumped right now.

Over at the Goodman Cape last week, the artists gathered for end of year drinks and to say goodbye to Storm Janse van Rensburg, who is off to Berlin. The incoming director is Federico Freschi, currently associate professor in the history of art department at Wits. Let’s raise a glass to his success.

Stuart Bird’s carved wooden text piece overcame at least some of the artist’s difficulties when it sold on opening night at the Goodman Cape Summer Show.