Rites Of Passage | Group Exhibition at Gallery One11 | Curated by Lloyd Pollak

February 6th – March 9th 2020

RITES OF PASSAGE: “Birth, death and every damn thing in-between”

Co-Curated by Lloyd Pollak

Rites of passage mark any event of major consequence in our life cycle, particularly any change in our social or sexual status. Usually they take place in societally approved ways that involve the community and some ceremony, but they may also take place behind closed doors like sexual initiation, or prove entirely secular like kitchen teas. Birth, baptism, confirmation, puberty, coming-of-age, loss of virginity, courtship (if such still exists), engagement, marriage, old age and finally, death, to name but a few of the most significant rites of passage.

Are such events empty, outmoded formalities? Or do they still possess social, cultural, psychological and spiritual relevance? The brief is inclusive raising all the perennial and most fundamental questions about the nature of human life. The exhibition will showcase some of firm favourites and never shown before work that will guaranteed leave the audience gasping for breath.

The roll call of participating artists includes Andrew Verster, Pierre Fouché, Matt Hindley, Anton Karstel, Daniel Halter, Iaan Waldeck-Pyrmont, Henk Serfontein, Cameron Voyile Voyiya, Gabriel Clarke-Brown, Clare Menck, Verna du Toit, Zeyanda Majoze, Nadja Dhaenke, Cathy Layzell, Arlene Armaler and the freshly shorn and tonsured Max Wolpe. Catherine Ochalla, Khomo Ramalla and Annemieke Engelbrecht are among the exciting additions to the local scene.

Further inspiration for an astonishing intervention was provided by James Webb and Jo O’Connor. Their strategy of subversion was eagerly applauded by no less than Maurizio Cattelan but hush! We must leave you in suspense and reveal no more.

Our directive to the artists was to strive for emotional authenticity and be true to whatever they felt. As such key events are recorded in the family album, we urged all participants to avoid the bland factuality of the “happy snap”, shun the literal, unleash the imagination, push the boundaries and invent the new.

Perch yourself for two wondrous shows Rites of Passage and My Wild Dogs by Jean Theron Louw both opening on the 5th of February at 18h30, 111 Loop st. keynote speaker Marilyn Martin. Cancel all engagements and be there, this is going to be phenomenal.

[Words taken from: https://events.time.ly/ytwzoey/36684615]