Don’t miss the opportunity to see In the Weave, an exhibition of works by Walter Oltmann, one of South Africa’s finest and most intriguing artists, now on display at Standard Bank Gallery, until 29 March 2014.
Curated by Neil Dundas, In the Weave celebrates Oltmann’s output over the last three decades. It also explores his sources, inspirations and allusions to the exchange of concepts between cultures in southern Africa.
Although he is noted for his drawings and prints, Oltmann is best known for his wire sculptures, for which he uses techniques which parallel handcrafts. Oltmann’s sculptures, which may be understood as three-dimensional drawings using wire, are intricately worked in time-intensive and demanding processes related to weaving, basket-making, textiles and vessels. His wire sculptures explore, or relate to, domestic crafts often associated with the home, but with material and imagery that seem sometimes incongruous in relation to these activities.
Whether rendered with pencil and ink on paper, or made with wire, Oltmann’s exquisite works are a sensitive blend of finely observed natural forms and poetic social comment. His work reveals his fascination with the natural world, art history and its intersection with science, and, more recently, archaeology and unearthed human remains.
It is fitting that Standard Bank has selected to support this exhibition and the publication that accompanies it. Standard Bank has a long association with Oltmann: in 1990 he was the joint first-prize winner of the Standard Bank National Drawing Competition; in 2001 he was the recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Art; his work has been on show on several Standard Bank Gallery group or themed exhibitions; and his works Mantis (2001) and Mother and Child (2007) are included in the Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection.
This exhibition runs until 29 March 2014, at the Standard Bank Gallery, corner of Simmonds and Frederick Streets, Johannesburg. The Gallery (Tel: 011 631 4467) is open Mondays to Fridays, 08:00-16:30; on Saturdays, 09:00-13:00; and is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free. For further information about Standard Bank Gallery see www.standardbankarts.co.za
Author: Fiona Gordon.
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Walter Oltmann, Shoring, 2007 (Detail). Aluminium, aluminium wire and rocks, 108 x 105 x 27cm. Private Collection. Photographer:
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