Unframed Podcast Unframed

In this final episode of the season, we delve into the multifaceted world of art prizes. with two remarkable artists – Bulumko Mbete and Buhlebezwe Siwani, each bringing their unique perspective and experiences to the table.

Bulumko, the 2024 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sokoto Award winner and 2023 recipient of the Cassirer Welz Award, is currently doing her MFA at Carnegie Mellon University in the US. Her practice reflects her deep exploration of craft and design methodologies, particularly those traditionally performed by women in Southern Africa. She offers candid insights into the transformative potential of art prizes in shaping artists careers, alongside a nuanced reflection on the uncertainties and complexities they entail.

Amsterdam-based Buhlebezwe was the recipient of the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award in 2021 and has recently been shortlisted amongst 21 artists from all over the world for the 2024 Future Generations Art Prize. Buhlebezwe, whose practice explores spirituality through performance, installation, photography, and more, shares insights into the impact of these awards on her practice, and offers advice to emerging artists on applying for prizes while emphasizing the importance of resilience and kindness in the art world.

In separate conversations with each artist which will feature in two parts in this episode, we examine the implications, benefits, and challenges of both grassroots prizes and highly esteemed prizes. In both interviews, we navigate a spectrum of perspectives, embracing both the optimism surrounding artist prizes' potential to elevate artist visibility and the healthy skepticism that prompts us to critically examine their broader implications.

Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by the National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)

In this episode, we delve into the role of the Biennale, a pivotal contemporary art exhibition in the global art landscape. We are joined by Clive Kellner, Executive Director of the Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation, whose career spans 25 years and holds significant involvement in South Africa's art history since the country's democracy in 1994, notably, and pertinent to this conversation, with the historic Johannesburg Biennale. Also with us is Ame Bell, Director at David Krut Projects and curator of the South African Pavillion at the 2022 Venice Biennale.

Clive brings insights into the historic 1995 and 1997 Johannesburg Biennale, reflecting on the impact, significance and challenges of these events. Ame shares her experiences and perspectives from curating the South African Pavillion in Venice, offering insights into the contemporary dynamics and global influence of biennales.

Together, we explore the meaningful contributions and limitations of biennales within both local and global contexts, from accessibility and representation to the broader impact of large-scale exhibitions on the global stage and the diverse participants they attract.

Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)

In this episode, we are joined by special guests Storm Janse van Rensburg and Kutlwano Mokgojwa to delve into the pivotal role museums play in shaping South Africa's arts landscape.

Kutlwano, an art curator, writer, and administrator at the Wits Art Museum or WAM in Johannesburg, provides an insightful overview of WAM, tracing its funding journey and commitment to conserving, exhibiting, and democratizing contemporary and historical art.

Storm is Senior Curator and Head of Curatorial Affairs at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town. With over 25 years of experience, he shares his firsthand accounts of South Africa's vibrant art scene during the mid-90s, reflecting on the transformative power of museums in fostering creativity, imagination, and storytelling.

The conversation navigates through WAM's evolution, Zeitz MOCAA’s impact, and their enduring influence on South Africa's cultural narrative.

Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)

In this episode, we unpack the gallery's role in the art landscape, considering diverse gallery models, their operational dynamics, and their modes of engagement with artists, collectors and audiences. Joining us, with their unique experiences and insights of the gallery space, are Lerato Bereng and Banele Khoza.

Lerato is a Johannesburg-based curator and director at Stevenson Gallery which has spaces in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Amsterdam. She holds a BA Fine Art and an MFA, majoring in curating.

Banele is a Johannesburg-based artist and gallery director. He obtained a BTech in Fine Arts and has won multiple awards for his artistic practice. In 2018, Banele opened doors to his gallery BKhz in Braamfontein, which now operates from the iconic Keyes Art Mile in Rosebank.

In the episode, Lerato reflects on the role of a gallerist as a creative problem solver. She provides a valuable perspective on the gallerist-artist relationship, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and the joy of working closely with artists. Banele sheds light on his journey in founding BKHZ and his innovative strategies that empower artists to direct their own careers. The conversation emphasises the human connection and how it contributes to a healthy and sustainable gallery practice.

Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)

This episode brings together two South African curators, each contributing their unique perspective to contextualize the role of the curator as a cultural broker within the art landscape. We welcome Sven Christian and Jana Terblanche, both accomplished curators and creatives, to share their insights on the evolving nature of curatorial work.
Sven, based in Johannesburg, is a writer, editor, and curator with a BA Fine Art and an MA in Contemporary Curatorial Practices. Currently, he serves as the curator of NIROX Sculpture Park and the Villa-Legodi Centre for Sculpture.
Jana, located in Cape Town, has curated extensively across galleries and independently, showcasing her expertise in exhibitions for platforms like FNB Art Joburg, Investec Cape Town Art Fair, 1-54 London, and Art Rotterdam. She now holds the role of curator and director at Southern Guild Gallery.
In this episode, Sven emphasizes the significance of shared thinking and scholarship, influencing curatorial practices rooted in care. He advocates for a deliberate approach to knowledge production and circulation. Jana explores the importance of aligning gallery and artist goals through interpersonal skills and relationship-building. We delve into curatorship, dissecting power dynamics and historical contexts within the local art scene.
Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)

In this episode, we delve into the inner workings of the Artist’s Studio, exploring it as both a physical space and a conceptual framework. Joining us are artists Penny Siopis and Nolan Oswald Dennis, each offering unique insights into their artistic practices.
Penny, based in Cape Town, has been a pivotal figure in the South African art scene since the 1980s. Her diverse body of work, spanning painting, film, photography, and installation, delves into themes of identity and memory through what she terms the 'poetics of vulnerability.'
Nolan, based from Johannesburg, is dedicated to exploring a 'black consciousness of space' in his para-disciplinary practice. With participation in renowned events like the Berlin and Lagos Biennales, he interrogates hidden structural conditions through diagrams, models, and installations.
In this episode, Penny emphasizes the importance of embracing chaos in the studio as a catalyst for creativity, while Nolan reflects on the transformative impact of his return from the US, highlighting the role of community, cultural encounters, and rituals.
Season 4 is made possible by the generous support of the PESP funding by National Arts Council and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Subscribe, review, like and follow @unframedpodcast

Production for Season 4:
Anthea Pokroy (Project Lead & Host)
Nkgopoleng Moloi (Co-Host)
Niamh Walsh-Vorster (Project Manager)
The Audio Room & This Audio is Visual (Sound Engineers)
Alyx Carolus (Social Media)
Sanele Balintaba (Design)