Last Saturday I went to the opening of contemporary fine artist, Robert Slingsby´s, new exhibition a the Barnard Gallery in Newlands, Cape Town.
The exhibition titled “CC-Unlimited Power” is the artists response to the credit crunch. It constitutes two years of work and a refinement of how Robert views the causal factors. It was through this journey that the artist identified most to have a C.C. as an abbreviation. CC-Unlimited Power deals with the current, pressing and provocative theme of green consciousness. Slingsby communicates his points through images like the motor vehicle and bones as representation of our car(bone) fuelled economy, which are used as icons, painted on massive canvases.
Underlying all the pieces is the artists passion for the Richtersveld, near the Orange River, its ancient rock art and the remnants of a genus of humanity that live there; the fundamental inspiration in Robert´s work for over thirty years.
“I have chosen to use the motor car as a powerful metaphor for the twentieth century. It represents democracy, the open road and freedom whilst its consequences entail devastating effects on the earth´s eco systems, its species and marginalised people through the consumption of carbon based fossil fuels. This relationship is represented by the car-bone whilst the magrinalised community of the Richtersveld demonstrate the impact in a narrative manner” says Robert of his collection.
According to art commentator Hazel Friedman, “The derivations of the exhibition´s title are numerous and unavoidably current within the lexicon of a world recession, global warming and the ubiquitous presence of economic-speak: credit crunch, closed corporations, climate change… the list continues.”
Included in this magnificent collection is a forged steel and stainless steel car titled ´Carbon (e)´ – a definite must-see! My favorite piece was the piece titled ´In ten minutes´ which was inspired by the artists children.
This compelling series of paintings from Robert Slingsby will be showcased at the Barnard Gallery until 15 November 2010. So if you are interested in contemporary art or just the green movement in general you wont want to miss this one.
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