In her 11th solo exhibition, titled Some Dance To Remember Some Dance To Forget, Sanell Aggenbach offers a wry yet whimsical tribute to South Africa as a ‘Daydream Nation” poised somewhere between (sonic) youth and adulthood, Africa and the West.
In a tribute to music as muse, seminal albums and iconic rock images are reproduced in a series of monotype prints. Pennie Smith’s epic photo of The Clash’s Paul Simonon smashing his bass guitar, Peter Saville’s Joy Division covers, PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, The Smith’s iconic vinyl single Shoplifters Of The World Unite, a squinting Buddy Holly and an inspired Howlin’ Wolf among others, are offered as both adopted comrades and transient markers of rebel identity. Each image melds nostalgic yearning and sharp-edged irony for a not-so-gentle skewering of the idea of homeland. The result is a haunted critique of Afrikaner identity from a generation inspired by post-punk musicians and their performance art.
Until May 5. Blank Projects, 113-115 Sir Lowry road, Woodstock, Cape Town.
South Africa’s answer to Burning Man in the Nervada desert, AfrikaBurn is best described as a ‘participant created art gathering.” An experimental in radical utopianism it aims to create a temporary community based on radical self-expression and self-reliance in a non-commercial environment. Its part party, part exhibition, part indescribably surreal daydream. Like Burning Man it transforms the desert into a psychedelic playground complete with art installations, kinetic sculptures and suntanned bodies clad in body paint and glitter (and sometimes not much else). Unlike Burning Man it has managed to escape commercialisation. AfrikaBurn is a not for profit, non-commercial, mostly volunteer run event. There is nothing for sale – no vendors, no advertising, not even a barter economy. Everything is based on the gift economy, a system that’s all about giving of oneself without expecting anything in return. For a radical experience of alternative living bring everything that you will need to survive – shelter, food and water – and head to the Tankwa-Karoo National Park from April 27 until May 2. Visit www.afrikaburn.com for tickets.