Conrad Botes
dal 4/12/2003 al 31/1/2004
Segnalato da
4/12/2003
Conrad Botes
The Scene Gallery, New York
The Big White Sleep. Featuring a collaboration with artist Stephanie Diamond. The iconoclastic sensibility and bold graphic style of Bitterkomix reverberates throughout Botes's versatile artistic production. Whether it is in his canvases, in his delicate paintings on glass, or mixed media installations, Botes' works are distinguished by a pop sensibility, bright colors, and a dark, sometimes outright cruel, sense of humor.
The Big White Sleep
Featuring a collaboration with artist Stephanie DiamondOpening Reception: December 4th 6 - 9pm
Scene Gallery is pleased to announce the first USA solo exhibition of the South African artist, Conrad Botes. Internationally known as one of the founders of the irreverent comic publication Bitterkomix, a cultural institution of sorts in South Africa, characterized by its sexually and racially charged imagery and its acerbic debunking of everything held dear by the Afrikaner establishment.
The iconoclastic sensibility and bold graphic style of Bitterkomix reverberates throughout Botes's versatile artistic production. Whether it is in his canvases, in his delicate paintings on glass, or mixed media installations, Botes' works are distinguished by a pop sensibility, bright colors, and a dark, sometimes outright cruel, sense of humor. At the core of Botes' work is a relentless examination of the unspeakable trauma inflicted to generations of South Africans by the legacy of the apartheid. Or in the artist's own words, '...since I grew up as a white male under apartheid it makes sense to make art about hierarchy, abuse of power, domination, suppression and so forth... Self criticism, subversion and confrontation are important elements that I want to pursue in my work'
The exhibition also features a collaboration between Botes and New York artist Stephanie Diamond. For this project Botes has painted onto a series of Diamond's photographs. As Diamond points out, 'Botes' direct iconography painted on top of my subtle imagery works as if someone was painting my private thoughts.'
Conrad Botes has exhibited widely in South Africa and Europe. His recent exhibitions include 'Passport to South Africa,' Centro Culturale Trevi, Bolzano, Italy; 'In Fumo,' Galleria of Modern Art, Bergamo, Italy and 'Comix 2000,' Institute Francais de Bastica, Corsica, France.
This exhibition has been curated by independent curator and writer Euridice Arratia.
Opening Reception: December 4th 6 - 9pm
Image:
Funny Hell (series) 2003
Oil based paint on glass
23.5 inches (diameter)
The Scene Gallery
42 Rivington Street
NY NY 10002
T: 212.674.0508