PARKWOOD – The launch of Lizamore & Associates’ new gallery space gave the city’s art community reason to celebrate.
The bigger and better premises were a clear indicator that after 31 years in the art industry, owner Teresa Lizamore has no intentions of slackening her pace.
The new premises on Jan Smuts Avenue is a stone’s throw away from Lizamore’s previous gallery space at Chester Court, and features a large, airy exhibition space and several outside areas dotted with chairs, tables and sculptures.
The new space was christened with the group exhibition, Marking the Map.
Gallery spokesperson Suen Muller said, “Participating artists [were] asked to make their own mark by re-evaluating themselves and creating a single work or collection of pieces that reflects their own oeuvre.”
Participating artists include Heike Allerton-Davies, Dirk Bahmann, Mandy Coppes-Martin, Frikkie Esksteen, Stephan Erasmus, Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, Kilmany-Jo Liversage, Benon Lutaaya, Lehlogonolo Mashaba, Louis Olivier, Uwe Pfaff, Karin Preller, Jaco Sieberhagen, Pat Sithole, Richard Smith and Judy Woodborne.
The exhibition was opened by art critic and journalist, Johan Myburg.
In his speech, Myburg referred to the quote on the exhibition invitation, by Nicholas Crane, which read, “Maps codify the miracle of existence”.
He said the quote was taken from Crane’s biography of cartographer Gerardus Mercator.
“As geographers and cartographers map the perceived world, so artists make marks and codify the miracle of existence,” said Myburg.
“I believe that art doesn’t mimic or describe the world, but speaks it into existence… Old maps sometimes said ‘Here be dragons’. Were there dragons? No, but for sailors, they became a reality to contend with.”
He said for 13 years since it first opened its doors in Fairland, the gallery had “mapped” the careers of the exhibiting artists.
“What artist, gallery owner or curator doesn’t want it said of them 500 years later, that he or she codified the miracle of existence?” asked Myburg.
Another guest speaker, Absa corporate collection head, Cecile Loedolff, referred to Lizamore’s involvement with corporate art collections and said that the business sector’s approach to art had changed.
“Without the drive, passion and love for art, you can’t exist in the corporate world. If you don’t have this passion, you might as well be dead. I have no doubt this beautiful space will be extremely successful,” she said.
Details: Lizamore & Associates Gallery, 155 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood; 082 651 4702; www.lizamore.co.za
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