South Africa

<sub>Exhibition:  MARLENE DUMAS: Intimate Relations

Artist: Marlene Dumas

Venues and dates: Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, 8 November 2007-13 January 2008. Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg, 6 February-29 March 2008</sub>

_{Standard Bank and Iziko South African National Gallery will be hosting the first solo exhibition in South Africa by Marlene Dumas, the internationally acclaimed contemporary South African-born artist.}

_{Curated by Dumas herself and Emma Bedford from South Africa, the exhibition is to be held at Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town from 8 November 2007-13 January 2008 before it moves to the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg, where it runs from 6 February-29 March 2008.} 

_{Born in Kuilsriver, near Cape Town, Dumas is a graduate of the Michaelis School of Art, University of Cape Town. She left South Africa in 1976 and now lives and works in Amsterdam. Dumas is generally unknown to the broad South African public, although her work from local public collections is exhibited here from time to time. As a highlight on the exhibitions calendar for 2007/08, MARLENE DUMAS: Intimate Relations is thus an opportunity for South African audiences to become acquainted with the work of this internationally acclaimed contemporary artist.}

_{The exhibition and its related publication are conceived as a homecoming that will give South African audiences in-depth insights into her extraordinary oeuvre through a broad selection of her work, ranging from early conceptual pieces from her student years at Michaelis to very recent paintings and drawings dealing with contemporary global issues. The works, selected by the artist and Bedford, will be drawn from a variety of public and private collections in the Netherlands and Belgium.}  

_{Dumas chose ‘Intimate Relations’ as the exhibition’s title as a way of framing the curatorial vision and selection of work to focus thinking around questions of what constitutes intimate relations between people, places and paintings.}

_{According to Bedford, Dumas’ work “deals with the cycle of life, and with issues of gender, sexuality, pleasure and pain, amongst others. While intellectual, ethical and moral questions stimulate and absorb her, it is her awareness of how these are experienced in and through the body that is central to her work.”}   

_{Dumas and Bedford will edit the accompanying catalogue. It will include text by the artist, an overview essay by Bedford, further essays by Drs. Achille Mbembe and Sarah Nuttall of the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research, and a literary response to Dumas’ work by the South African author, Marlene van Niekerk. The catalogue will be co-published by Jacana Media, Johannesburg, and Roma Publications, Amsterdam.}

_{MARLENE DUMAS: Intimate Relations is sponsored by Standard Bank, the Mondriaan Foundation, Royal Netherlands Embassy, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Iziko South African National Gallery.}

 _Works

_{HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES OF THESE AND OTHER WORKS ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST}

_{Marlene Dumas, Straitjacket, 1993. Oil on canvas, 90x70 cm. Private collection. Photograph courtesy of Zeno X Gallery.}

_{Marlene Dumas, Helena, 1992. Oil on canvas, 60x50 cm. Collection of the artist. Photograph courtesy of the artist.}

_{Marlene Dumas, Naomi, 1995. Oil on canvas, 150x110 cm. Private collection. Photograph courtesy of the artist.}

_{Issued by The Heritage Agency on behalf of Standard Bank Gallery and Iziko South African National Gallery}

_{For further information please contact:}

 _{Jo-Anne Duggan}

_{The Heritage Agency}

_{Tel: 083 285 3600}

_{Email: jo-anne@heritageagency.co.za}

_{Jo-Anne Duggan}

_{Heritage Agency}

_{Box 12581 Mill Street8010}

_{Phone 021 685 3856 (Office),}

_{083 285 3600 (Cell)}

_{021 685 3856 (Home)}

<sub>Fax 021 461 5734


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