top of page

My top 7 picks from FNB Joburg Art Fair


People love lists. Rankings, status and all that shit. The best young (though they are in their forties) African artists to watch blah, blah, blah. In my new capacity as an art consultant I am trying to give the people what they want. I will write the nuanced piece scrutinising the fair in a few days but for now this is what I am liking. It will probably change when I really get into the writing and I realise these selections were completely superficially driven or coincided with a nice conversation with someone next to the artwork in question and I confused that feel-good feeling with the work in closet proximity.

Number 1: Candice Breitz Her (NOT HIM)

I need to be super clear on this: I like Her and not Him. Him did not do it for me, I didn't really feel Breitz got into the male psyche and all its trappings - or are men really less complicated or are free from strife? Or is it possible that cinema does not really ever expose men? Maybe these are questions she hoped to pose. Or maybe she didn't pay close enough attention to men... Her is radical; a saw a number of women leave the booth in tears. Via Streep Breitz penetrated to the core issues that plague women; their reliance on men to establish their identity. It hurt to watch. It was the only work at the fair that "moved" me to tears so had to top the list. She is a clever one that Breitz.

Number 2: Johann Van der Schiff @Gallery AOP