Works on Paper exhibition at Berman Contemporary allows for viewers to engage with the artists’ process of creating

By Edward Tsumele

We are now in February at the beginning of a third year in a row while the world is facing a pandemic which does not seem to be in a hurry to retreat to wherever it came from. It will therefore be interesting to see how different sectors of the economy throughout the world adjust to this reality and create new models of dong business to in the context of these times of Covid-19. And yes with a number of people getting vaccinated and people in general being more are and what they need to do to protect themselves from the virus and those they love, the situation is much better than when the outbreak happened in 2020.

However the reality is the pandemic is still here with us as the virus and its mutations are still part of us, and the arts sector, just like other sectors have to find a way of living with this reality, and operating within the constraints of this virus.

“I have just flown in this week. In the Netherlands, we have just come out of the lockdown six weeks ago. The problem there was mainly the problem of hospitalisaton with hospital admissions having risen exponentially due to the Omncron, “  Els Van Mourik told CITYLIFE/ARTS on Saturday, on the occasion of the opening of a new group exhibition this year at Berman Contemporary Gallery at the Rand Steam Shopping Centre in Richmond, Johannesburg.  Murik is the curator of this group exhibition, which features works on paper from a number of exciting artists. The exhibition, which is currently on is simply titled Works on Paper.

Mourik travels regularly from The Netherlands to South Africa as she is in charge of curating exhibitions at the gallery as the resident curator for the gallery at Rand Steam.

Works on Paper is a group exhibition showcasing the works of Chrisél Attewell, Ingrid Bolton, Odette Graskie and Stefan Blom. Collectively, the Works on Paper  exhibition draws upon on the intimate nature of mark making.

“The works allow the viewer to engage with the artists and their processes, which include drawing, collage, printmaking, and mixed media on paper. The show aims to celebrate works on paper as not only fundamental to the artist’s practice but as a primary form of artistic expression,” the gallery says.