COVID – 19 – THE GIFT OF WALLS – DYS-U-TOPIA AND
EXHIBITION OF DIGITAL ARTWORKS featured in the book
By Bettie Coetzee Lambrecht
“The content of the book deals with the simultaneous experience of Good and Bad, Pain and Delight which was served to us so generously during South Africa’s hard Lockdown. Instead of chapters, the book of 84 pages in A4 portrait format, is divided into “Rooms”, each dealing with different aspects of the emotions evoked during this period. Universal experiences and feelings are however, not restricted to only this particular period in time. This paradox features in many works of art, literature and in everyday expressions.
The reason for “Rooms” instead of chapters: During Lockdown we practice(d) social distancing. How to overcome the feelings resulting from this inhuman experience? Imagination.
I invited friends, writers, poets, artists to be participants in my photo project by visiting my website and choose two Posts dealing with the above theme. My request was: Write down your gut feel response to whichever image in this Post speaks to you. Whether it is one word, a sentence without proper punctuation or grammar, a poem, a picture of your own. However long you want to write.
The responses of 29 participants are also printed in the book. Sometimes the reactions from different participants to the same picture are illuminating and surprisingly similar reactions sometimes to the same picture.
In this way, I managed to create a kind of imaginary art gallery where friends or even strangers would sometimes chat informally about an artwork.
This was the Gift I received from the Participants. Being forced to sit in front of my computer screen to design and layout the book, when otherwise I would have escaped my 64 sq m sized apartment in Cape Town, I finally managed to get it printed. Sometimes one needs to be detained to be free….”
-Bettie Coetzee Lambrecht
DATE: 10 November 2020
VENUE: MOGALAKWENA GALLERY at Montebello Design Centre, 31 Newlands Avenue, Newlands Cape Town.
TIME: Exhibition of Digital Artwork, Artists Book daily from 10.30 to 16.00 until 30 November. Certain responses from participants will be read at 11.00 at the launch on 10 November.
Please note that Covid-19 protocol will be observed at all times.
You are welcome to join us for lunch at 12:00 at The Gardener’s Cottage on the same premises at Montebello. The telephone number, should you wish to make a table reservation, is: 021 689 3158.
For a Preview of the book, go to www.publisher.co.za
The signed, limited edition of 100 books as well as the Digital Artworks printed by hand on archival paper can be purchased from the Author/Artist at the Mogalakwena Gallery.