19/3/2000
The blind spot
www.bosweb.nl, Cape Town
Participating on the project "on line/ on face" - a collaboration
between dutch and south african artists-
Kevin Brand and Rob Moonen initiated their cooperation under the name
"the blind spot"
by marking of Kevin Brand's place of birth in the former District Six in
Capetown SA on 12 march 2000
Further developments will be shown on the site
http://www.bosweb.nl/rm/2000/2000_blindspot.htm
or visit :www.bosweb.nl/rm
See also collabarotion of Annet van der Elzen and Andrew Putter on the
project "on line/ on face":
http://www.artthrob.co.za/00mar/reviews.html#putter
'Life is Precious' - a street performance
by Sue Williamson
'Life is Precious' arose out of a Cape Town experience of visiting Dutch artist Anet van
de Elzen. Attempting to give three street children a little money each, she was shocked
to be virtually knocked over by a mob of twice as many more, who seemed to appear
from nowhere. A consideration of this event and the experience of coming from a first
world to a third world country, grew into a performance piece with local artist Andrew
Putter, which took place in St George's Mall in central Cape Town on Saturday morning.
The two drew a chalk circle as a stage, and seated in the middle, Van de Elzen
blindfolded herself in black, as Putter walked round the circle singing in a low voice and
flinging coins onto the ground. Van de Elzen then uncovered her face, and in a powerful
and lyrical voice addressed the gathered audience to sing a Bach composition which
translates loosely as Are You By My Side? As with many performances, exact
interpretations are elusive. The strength of the piece arose from the associations created
by the actions of the performers, and the effect of Van de Elzens transformation from a
partially bound and silenced figure to one reaching out to an audience through song.