LERATO SHADI: HEMA

Or Six Hours Of Out-Breath Captured In 792 Balloons

Lerato Shadi is a young multi-media performance artist based in Johannesburg. Born and raised in Mafikeng, she moved to Johannesburg to study hospitality management, before switching to fine art. She completed her B-tech (Honours) in Fine Art at the University of Johannesburg in 2006.

She is currently exhibiting a video piece at the KZNSA Gallery titled Hema (or Six hours of out-breath captured in 792 balloons).

Hema is based on a performance staged by Shadi at the offices of the advertising agency Ogilvy in Cape Town. In this performance she blew six hours worth of out-breath into 792 balloons, letting the balloons fall down the stairwell once she had filled each with her breath. By storing this output of existence, Shadi literally captures the essence of life. She sites her performance in the centre of a modern, slightly industrial, office building where she sits cross-legged in the centre of a staircase landing. That the inflated colourful balloons are associated with life’s more light-hearted moments juxtaposes well with the solemn, meditative pose of the artist herself, perhaps demonstrating that attempts to secure and grasp the ethereal quality of life/living brings seemingly weightless, intangible results. The repetitive motions of the artist as she exhales into the balloons, together with the office setting she chose for this piece, reinforce thoughts of industry.

Hema runs until August 8 at the KZNSA Gallery at 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, in Durban. More information on 031 277 1703, fax 031 201 8051 or cell 082 220 0368 or visit www.kznsagallery.co.za