CALLY LOTZ & ANTHEA MARTIN

UNISA Students Cally Lotz and Anthea Martin exhibit at artSPACE Durban.

Both established independent artists, UNISA Students Cally Lotz and Anthea Martin are exhibiting in the Middle Gallery and the Front Room of artSPACEdurban.

Cally Lotz has titled her exhibition Apocalypse. By foregrounding the real-life consequences of ecological disaster, Lotz’s aim with this exhibition is to challenge the viewer to re-consider the status quo and open it up to alteration. Her research has been triggered by being very close to the recent devastating Australian bushfires. Glen Albrecht, an Australian philosopher, has coined a term to describe the effects of global warming on the mental state of Australians. The combination of words solacium (comfort) and algia (pain) infers an emotional disquiet that results from nostalgia firmly rooted in the now. Solastalgia indicates a present that is becoming a past before one’s very eyes: the environment, which we imbue with so much meaning, is disappearing as we watch it. We are beginning to imagine and challenge ourselves to think about what climate change is going to mean for man. The exhibition comprises three series of A4 photographs depicting altered landscape with digital stop-frame animation. This is Lotz’s final year presentation of practical work for her honours degree in Visual Art, UNISA.

Looking at the Numinous in the Landscape is the title of Anthea Martin’s exhibition in which photographs, watercolours, drawings are collaged to create images of the landscape inhabited by four goddesses and beasts. Four goddess dolls represent the realms of memory, fertility, creativity, spirituality.

“The sacred earth is in need of protection - do the beasts
have the answers? Will they intercede with the goddesses
on our behalf?”

These images and others will be displayed in a handmade book and in a short audio visual programme. Anthea Martin is a third year fine art student at UNISA.

Cally Lotz and Anthea Martin’s exhibition runs until November 14. artSPACE durban is situated at 3 Millar Road (off Umgeni Road) close to the Waste Centre. More information on 031 312 0793 or visit www.artspacedurban.co.za or www.artspacedurban.blogspot.com