New to artSPACE durban from Monday, June 29 at 6 pm for 6.30 pm swany’s Prick! Subverting the stitch.

In eighteenth-century literature the figure of the woman embroidering not only represented the pinnacle of good-breeding and virtue but also one of sexual provocation. This is because, focused on her stitching, she was exposed to the male gaze.

The artist, swany, challenges the traditional decorative connotations of embroidery deliberately going against the assumed decorativeness of needle and thread. With his work, because it often deals with gender issues, he uses embroidery and stitching to deconstruct certain societal perceptions:

• that it is a craft associated with the feminine (specifically the female sex) and not considered an art form but a craft, and
• the manner in which he creates it which is associated with the masculine (in a factory, on production lines) as well as the non-creative, reproduction of banal images.

In Prick! he presents his recent explorations with embroidery and gender, and which reflect his continued struggle against societal constraints and prejudices.

swany has an honours degree in visual arts from UNISA and is currently studying for his masters in visual arts. He is employed as the KZN arts mentor lecturer for UNISA (part-time) as well as a designer in the clothing industry (full-time).

In the Main Gallery at artSPACE durban is the group exhibition, Durban – Yesterday, Now and Tomorrow.

For a second time since its first Inspiration exhibition artSPACE durban has invited twenty-five Durban artists to enjoy an
eight hour tour of the city. The tour was designed to give artists a day away from their usual work places and environment to reflect on the theme of the exhibition while in different and unfamiliar surroundings with all that entails. The result is Durban – Yesterday, Now and Tomorrow.

The participating artists are: Caroline Birch, Jane Oliver, Grace Kotze, Coral, Spencer, Nicole Pletts, Trui Roozeveld van der Ven, Scott Bredin, Pascale Chandler, Celeste Bredin, Bronwyn Bruce, Lee Scott Hempson, Andreas Chasomeris, Bernice Stott, Corne Eksteen, Deidre Maree, Pam Benporath, Karen Bradtke, Kay Smart, Rob Domijan, Michele Silk and Mandy Kok

Both exhibitions run until Saturday, July 18. To see more of the works on show go to www.http://artworksartspace.blogspot.com/

Upcoming Shows at artSPACE durban 2015

20 July – 1 August 2015 (2 weeks): “Umlambo uswiwa nge dondolo” a Solo Exhibition by Bambo Sibiya sponsored by Alliance Francais de Durban and Barclay’s – Main Gallery; “still point” a Solo Exhibition by Fran Saunders – Middle Gallery

14/15 July SASOL New Signatures: Collection http://www.sasolsignatures.co.za

3 – 8 August (1 week): IEB Matric Art Exhibition/Competition – Main Gallery + Corridor + Middle

10 August – 29 August 2015 (3 weeks): “Reflections on Light” – group show of artists and scientists working together – Main Gallery; “The Essence of Trees” – Kim Wessels – Corridor/Middle Gallery

31 August – 19 September 2015 (3 weeks): “Sea Fever” – Jane Strode – Main Gallery; “disintegration” – Corné Eksteen – Middle Gallery