(“Bird Spirit Collage” by Anthea Martin)
artSPACE durban’s first
exhibition of 2016 will be Birds and Man
by Anthea Martin.
It will open along
with the launch of artSPACE durban studios, which will be housed in the former
Main Gallery space.
Anthea Martin is a
practising artist and teacher who has exhibited widely in Durban and other
places in South Africa. She has been involved in the Durban art world for many
years, firstly having her own Gallery in Westville, then as director of The
African Art Centre for 13 years.
Martin comments on
her exhibition: “Birds kept appearing in my collages, so called me to question
their presence and to reflect on their beauty and ability to survive our
changing world climate and destruction of their habitat.
“Man and birds have
had a long connection that encompasses centuries of beliefs, superstition and
facts about birds. As birds can negotiate the heavenly heights they were
thought to be messengers of the Gods. Omens were read from the appearance of
certain types of birds such as owls and ravens as harbingers of birth, death or
foretelling significant events. Eagles, Hawks and other birds of prey were
frequently used as symbols of power and might.
“On the earthly
plane, birds are used for hunting to procure food and for sport. Their feathers
have adorned our bodies in the past and present. Their quills wrote in ink our
histories. Literature has endless references to birds in poems, prose, fairy
and folk tales which explore their enduring power to fascinate us.”
Birds and Man opens on March 5 at 11h00 and runs until
March 31. 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
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