Hermanus FynArts, the classic style festival that celebrates South African arts and artists, will take place from 8 – 17 June 2018. This year the number of events has almost doubled since the festival debuted in 2013 and the top artists, musicians, performers and speakers taking part offer a programme that is entertaining, stimulating and enriching.
Apart from exhibitions, the line-up includes a wide range of concerts, daily talks on art and art-related topics in the Strauss & Co Lecture Series and a wide range of workshops. Also on the programme are the FynArts Demonstration Kitchen presenting celebrity and top chefs, the popular Wine Plus series of tutored tastings, a variety of dinners and wine-related events, films, shows for children and outreach programmes.
The 2018 Festival Artist is Kate Gottgens who will present an exhibition of new paintings curated by Marilyn Martin. This exhibition follows on from Kate’s recent solo exhibitions, Tired from Smiling at SMAC Gallery and The Meek at The Silo District, both in Cape Town. Gottgens is among southern Africa’s most accomplished painters, and her ability to mystify the ‘normal’ and depict the uncanny in her laconic paint application is widely recognised.
Sculpture on the Cliffs has the human figure as its subject this year. The ten artists who have been invited to take part are Andre Stead, Angus Taylor, Frank van Reenen, Haidee Nel, Lwandiso Njara, Marco Cianfanelli, Marieke Prinsloo-Rowe, Mark Chapman, Ruhan Janse van Vuuren and Strijdom van der Merwe. The exhibition will reflect a diversity of materials, techiques, functions, beliefs and purpose in a way that is sensitive to both the site and context.
Beyond Fire is the title of the group ceramic exhibition at the Windsor Hotel. Thirty-two invited artists will take part in an event curated by Liz Coates and which continues to grow as a result of the enthusiastic support received from artists and the public alike. The display of both art and utility pieces will demonstrate the artists’ distinctive use of themes, styles and techniques.
A Thread Runs Through It is a collaborative relationship between one fibre artist and one painter. Twenty-one pairs of artists – a painter and a fibre artist – will work together to interpret the theme, A Thread Runs Through It. This type of collaboration is a first for FynArts and promises an interesting exhibition.
The full programme of exhibitions includes, Origins, song of Nooitgedacht, by Jennifer Gough-Cooper; Art in the Auditorium an exhibition of the work of artists who have taken part in Sculpture on the Cliffs; Stamps: Miniature Art on loan from the South African Post Office Museum that will portray representative examples of art used on stamps; and Floral Art at Table by Alyson Kessel.
Nineteen galleries, situated both in the centre of the town as well as in the Hemel-en-Aarde village and the valley, will each present a special exhibition for the festival. A wide range of subject matter and styles will be presented in both group and solo exhibitions, as well as two jewellery exhibitions. A third jewellery exhibition will be held at the Marine Hotel.
Six wine farms will present FynArts exhibitions that include painting, sculpture, mobiles and the finalists in two competitions – the Tollman Bouchard Finlayson Art Award, and at Sumaridge, the Violet Bellingham Memorial Trophy for Grade 10 – 12 learners.
Other exhibitions include those by members of the Hermanus Art Society, the Hermanus Photographic Society and the Volmoed artists. Curro Hermanus will present Sense of Self, an exhibition of the work of Grade 10 – 12 learners. Learners at Lukhanyo Primary School in Zwelihle will share their photographs taken as part of a project Through their own eyes. The photographs will be displayed both at the school and at Dunya Cake Delight.
Further details and the full programme of concerts, talks, workshops, demonstrations, films taking place during the Hermanus FynArts festival are available at hermanusfynarts.co.za