Sculptural works and live painting at this year’s Turbine Art Fair evoke visitors’ gaze and curiosity
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Another edition of Turbine Art Fair, its 11th ended at the weekend at its new home at Hyde Park Corner Mall in Sandton, where both emerging and established galleries exhibited works from both emerging and established artists.
Having converted the Parking Lot 7 into an oasis of art, collectors both those wishing to add to their growing collection of art and those starting their collection had a wide media from which to choose, from painting, drawing, installation to sculpture, among other media.
And at this year’s edition of Turbine Art Fair, there was a prominent presence of sculptural works, including booths owned and manned by well-known Limpopo sculptor, Collen Maswanganye and Antony Shapiro. And interestingly and encouragingly, both sculptors in their booths exhibited works by other artists, further giving collectors of sculptures options on exceptionally good works.
Maswanganye exhibited works that were created as part of his recent mentorship programme that he held at the Nirox Sculpture Park on the West Rand, working with emerging sculptors. Cape Town -based sculptor and teacher Shapiro also had works from other artists, apart from his own works further giving collectors of sculptural works wide options from which to choose art works on display.
Another booth that displayed sculptural works is Parkh8urst based Gallery Kalashnikovv. And during this year’s art fair visitors had an opportunity to watch an artist paint live, and that segment of the art fair seemed to interest the curiosity of many a visitor as the body of the artist, barely dressed, was rather covered in painting, making his whole body a canvas as he painted on the real canvas as visitors took pictures on their cell phones.
The Turbine Art Fair took place from July 27 to July 30, 2023. The new home of Turbine Art Fair is also a new home of the company behind the fair, the Forum Company which indents to repurpose the space to accommodate the new headquarters of The Forum Company immediately after the art fair.