Absa is set to continue its role of shaping the visual arts landscape in South Africa when it hosts an exhibition titled Remnant from Thursday, 26 August 2021.

The exhibition will explore residual remnants of human existence, playing on the title of the exhibition itself and will be hosted on the Absa Art Hot Spot platform.

Remnant will highlight artworks from two of South Africa’s most promising artists Kirsten Eksteen and Asanda Kupa.

Eksteen hails from Grassy Park in the Cape Flats and will be presenting ten artworks ranging from installation to linen-based canvasses. The 26-year-old sees the exhibition as an opportunity to introduce her unique style of art to the country.

“During the 2018 Absa L’Atelier Art Competition, I won a merit award that allowed me to take up a one-month residency in New York. During my time there, I discovered that art comes from an artist and, therefore, the artist is part of the artwork they produce,” she says.

“For this exhibition, I will be showcasing work such as my steel wool suit which I designed and wore until my It was moulded to my body shape. This is a personification of the idea that the artist is part of the work they produce,” she adds.

Asanda Kupa, who is 42 years old and hails from the Molteno in the Eastern Cape, says he was born to be an artist. For him, this exhibition serves as a reminder of the most topical issues in the country; namely, land ownership.

“Historically, my art has always shown the movement of people. This time around, my work showcases the movement of people without the physical presence of people therein,” he says.

“I also touch on the contested issue of land through some of the works. I deal with the issue of land ownership and whether the land belongs to us or whether we belong to the land?” he adds.

Asanda Kupa – Abantu Ngabomhlaba Abanamhlaba – 2021

 

Asanda Kupa – Ixesha Lidlulile Kodwa Ubungqina Bukhona – 2021

Absa Senior Specialist Art Curator, Dr Paul Bayliss, says the newly launched Absa Art Hot Spot allows Asa to continue making possibilities a reality for artists from across the African continent even during the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, which has restricted art lovers to limited physical gatherings.

“The Absa Art Hot Spot allows us to keep positively impacting the broader visual arts community by identifying, nurturing, and supporting fledgling as well as more established artists and providing continual education around the visual arts. This is exemplified by the artists we have chosen to showcase at the Remnant Exhibition. Asanda and Kirsten are uniquely gifted creatives whose portfolios and personal backgrounds are totally distinct from one another. However, it is their differences which make their upcoming collaboration even more authentic and engaging. It is by honing the artists’ skills and creating platforms such as this, that we can ignite the creative economy on the African continent,” he says.

Remnant will be live for viewing on the Absa Art Spot from 26 August until 31 December 2021 and art lovers can view it by login onto: https://www.arthotspot.absa.africa

 

About Kirsten Eksteen

Kirsten Eksteen was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She was the first student to pursue art as a subject at Grassdale Secondary School. Kirsten attended the Peter Clark Art Centre between the years 2011and 2014.

She achieved BA Honours in Fine Art at Michaelis School of Fine Art and was placed on the UCT Deans List. Eksteen became the first artist to make history in the Absa L’Atelier 2018 competition by having two bodies of work recognised within the top ten.
She was the award recipient of the New York Ampersand residency and designed the Absa L’Atelier trophy for the 2019 winners.

 

About Asanda Kupa

Asanda Kupa lives and works in Johannesburg, with his studio located at the renowned Bag Factory. He holds an N.Dip in Fine Art from Walter Sisulu University and a BTech degree from Tshwane University of Technology.

He was the recipient of both the Ann Bryant Young Artist of the Year Award in 2010, and the Reinhold Cassirer Award in 2013.

 

About Absa Art Hot Spot

The exhibition is presented virtually using the Absa Art Hot Spot.

Launched in May this year, the Absa Art Hot Spot delivers an engaging experience for artists, collectors, and consumers.

The completely virtual platform allows for the democratisation of art on the continent as it takes art to the people, giving Absa and artists more opportunities to interact with their audiences, enabling them to create and engage in completely new ways.

The platform is expertly curated providing opportunities for focused dialogue, networking, and insights sharing and displays a variety of original artwork, as well as artwork from previous Absa L’Atelier winners and participants from across Africa.

Visitors get a glimpse of how art across the continent has evolved, have an opportunity to revisit exhibitions previously hosted in the Absa Gallery, view previously hosted art masterclasses and artist interviews, or watch the latest art online seminar in the virtual auditorium.

 

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