South Africa

Memory and Magic

_{Contemporary Art of the !Xun and Khwe, is an exhibition of 82 artworks from the private collection of Hella Rabbethge-Schiller of Rosenheim, Germany, curated by Carol Kaufmann, which can currently be seen at the Durban Art Gallery until 13 May.}

_{On exhibition are among the best works produced by 11 of the artists from the !Xun and Khwe Cultural Project since the projects inception in 1994 until the present day. The extensive exhibition is on view at the Durban Art Gallery from March 14 until May 13, 2007.}

_{"The contemporary art of the San people is unique because it emerges from a short phase of transition from the ancient culture - the rock art, the oral history, the old traditions, their magical world - to the modern, globalised world of media communication and formal education," says Hella Rabbethge-Schiller.}

_{Hella Rabbethge-Schiller inherited a family farm near Kimberly in the 1970's, where she spent some of her formative years with her family before moving back to Germany. There she encountered members of the newly-arrived San refugee community who settled nearby at Schmidtsdrift, after having fled their homes in Angola and Northern Namibia due to hostilities there. Hella was struck by the vitality and creativity of the artworks created as part of an NGO development programme, devised primarily as a form of art therapy to cathartically and emotionally manage post-traumatic stress as a result of the warfare and conflict which ravaged much of Namibia and Angola. Many of the projects participants were actively involved in military service - many as trackers for the then SADF. She resolved to dedicate part of her life to support these artists and promote the art in achieving the recognition it deserves.}

_{Rabbethge-Schiller's complete collection consists of over 400 works from the !Xun and Khwe artists, resulting in the largest and most comprehensive collection of such work in existence and has until now resided outside South Africa. 82 of the pieces are currently touring the country, having spent six months in Cape Town. It will return to Johannesburg, to the MuseumAfrika after leaving Durban in mid May. It has already been seen in Windhoek, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Gernany. The exhibition tour co-incides with the launch of the book, Memory and Magic, which doubles as an exhibition catalogue. It details the story of the artwork of the San people and follows the art development project and the astonishing art which came through the process.}

_{Of particular interest is a series of narratives and accompanying paintings by art project participant, "Flai" who has put to paper a selection of traditionally oral folkloric stories which have been translated into English and form part of the exhibition together with the paintings - the visual representations - of the stories.}

_{As companion pieces to the exhibition, are a selection of photographs by acclaimed Durban photographer Paul Weinberg.}

_{This travelling exhibition is supported by the Goethe Institute.}

_{For more information contact the Durban Art Gallery on 031 311 2264.}

_{The Durban Art Gallery is situated in the Durban City Hall. Entrance is in Smith St. There are wheelchair facilities. Entry is free and all are welcome. The gallery is open seven days a week: Mon to Sat 8:30am until 4pm and Sunday 11am until 4pm.}

_{EXHIBITION OPENING 6PM WED 14 MARCH - ALL WELCOME!}

_{EXHIBITION TO BE OPENED BY Dr BODO SCHAFF - DEPUTY AMBASSADOR OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY}

_{For more information contact:}

_{Durban Art Gallery}

_{2nd floor, City Hall,Smith Street, Durban, 4001.}

_{Tel: 031 311 2262 / 4}

_{E-mail: strettonj@durban.gov.za}

_{Illa Thompson}

_{Publicity Matters}

_{Arts and Culture Publicist of the Year: 1998 and 2003}

_{PANSA KZN Deputy Chairperson: 2005 and 2006}

_{tel 031 201 1638}

_{mobile 083 326 3234}

_{pubmat@iafrica.com}

_{"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams." Yann Martel}

 _{Artslink.co.za News}

_{www.artslink.co.za}

_{082 230 CALL}

_{082 230 2255}