(The new Tamasa
Gallery)
(Report by Carol Brown)
There’s a buzz around Florida Road. The opening of a new Art Gallery in
the City is a major event for Durban’s cultural landscape and it’s all
happening on Wednesday (October 23, 2019). The well-loved and respected Tamasa
Gallery has moved.
If you have been around the area recently, you will have been aware of
the work that has taken place on what was previously an elegant old homestead
which was beginning to show its age but still retained its grace and elegance.
When it came on the market, Interior Designer Mario Rodrigues jumped at the
chance to fulfil his dream of designing a contemporary gallery space. He and a
business partner purchased the property and in January of this year work began.
The result is a magnificent building. It references the “White Cube”
tradition of modern gallery spaces but, unlike the classic white cube designed
to shut out the world and the light, this one does the opposite. It is bathed
in light and sunshine with a vista into the street and the lush Durban foliage.
The early typical Durban architectural features such as the high ceilings,
stained glass panels, verandah columns and wooden floors are all retained and honoured
in the design.
It is appropriate that the opening exhibition should have the theme of Yellow. The colour has many connotations
but some of the strongest include Spring, sunshine, energy and freshness.
Tamasa Gallerist Maria’s inspired choice of theme has been well-considered by
the 29 artists who are showing in this exhibition. Each has interpreted it in
different ways. Cameron Platter’s bright black and yellow graphic marks are
bold, and energetic whilst artists such as Ingrid Adams, Lisa King and Marianne
Meijer use the colour sparingly almost like punctuation marks.
Many of the artists on the Yellow
exhibition have been connected with Tamasa from its early days – these include
Bronwen Findlay, Hendrik Stroebel, Andrew Verster, Anthony Starkey and Pascale
Chandler whose work is included among newer artists.
This exhibition marks the closing of a circle for Maria Soares who
started her curating career in 1985 as a young assistant at the original
Elizabeth Gordon Gallery in Florida Road which was established by Liz Meth and
Gordon Lowing. When the business changed hands, she and the late Tony Stephen
established Tamasa Gallery in Overport where they built a solid reputation. Her
move back to Florida Road in this remarkable new space will undoubtedly be a
highlight of Durban’s cultural landscape.
Yellow is a highlight of
the year and heralds the new decade of 2020 on a high note. A must see. – Carol Brown
Yellow opens on October 24
and will run until November, 11, 2019. Gallery hours: Monday to Friday from 08h30
to 16h30 and Saturday from 09h00 to 13h00. Tamasa is situated at 740 Currie Road
(just off Florida Road, close to Cecil and Boyd’s shop). Contact 031 207 1223
or 072 627 6725, email: tamasacc@mweb.co.za
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