Relationships with Joburg on canvas

Gold Rush will see a plethora of mediums, styles and ideas from artists such as Michael Meyersfeld, Miss Yucki and Senzeni Marasela.

The gallery’s Megan Kidd said, “Some responses to the city present an acquiescent view of the places they represent. Some function as a rebellion against the notions that these structures and contexts have come to embody. By investigating and engaging with these places, the artists deconstruct and reconstruct sites, whether real or imagined.”

Kidd explained that the history of this city had found its way into the very blood of its inhabitants.

“The city was born just over 120 years ago with the unearthing of gold from beneath the broad, grassy plateau of the highveld,” she said.

“Now the largest and most prosperous city in South Africa, it has become a working metropolis, home to glorious electrical storms, the world’s largest urban forest, and a darker side that is juxtaposed by equal amounts of compassion and generosity.”

Gold Rush will feature artworks that “take a more thoughtful look at the city that lives in the artists’ blood” – from the jacarandas that bloom citywide to the distinctive skyline, and from maps hidden under video footage to tongue-in-cheek commentary and portraits of Joburg residents.

“The city that exemplifies the people’s vacillation between the deepest anguish and overwhelming optimism is represented here in the art that has touched the spirit of Jozi,” said Kidd.

Other artists who will participate in the exhibition include Audrey Anderson, Ross Passmoor, Karl Gietl, Leon Krige, Jonty van Zeller, Stephen Graham, Sally Gaule, Gawie Joubert, Yael Feldman, Marion Boehm, Senzo Shabangu, Joel Mpah Dooh, Diana Hyslop, Neill Wright, Gavin Wynford, Isaac Zavale and Zwelethu Macepha.

Gold Rush is at In Toto Gallery, 6 Birdhaven Centre, 66 St Andrew Street, Birdhaven, from 6 February until 5 March.

Details: 011 447 6543; www.intotogallery.co.za