Estate Living November 2016 Digital Issue | Page 74

FACING

south

With the resurgence of awareness of the
Global South as a socio-political construct, and
Sultry Mein by Chris Denovan

a renewed emphasis on the creative exploits
of Africa, the South and the diaspora, it seems
there is a renegotiating of the idea of Northern
and Western countries as the origin of modern
art. As such, the focus is turning away from
eurocentricity and the Western canon and
turning towards the South for new ideas and

and Asia without truly understanding the

aesthetics. The exhibition for Eclectica Design

context, and challenging the world to find a

and Art’s summer season aims to celebrate and

new centre and consolidate an acknowledged

critically consider the implications of turning

art tradition within the South. The idealised

southward and facing in new directions, through

portraits of men and women by Corné

fine art, performance and design.

Eksteen, Chris Denovan, Sarah Danes Jarrett
and Peter Pharoah celebrate and illuminate

The show was put together through a process

human beauty and image. The portraits are

of communication and collaboration between

confrontational in their gaze, speaking to the

the gallery and the artists featured. Once the

idea of facing up to something − and the idea

theme was decided on, the artwork creation

of looking in a particular direction speaks to

was navigated through an organic process.

the idea of a portrait, where the artist and the

Each show is unique and individual, so the

sitter must both confront particular levels of

selection of artists is always done with the

self-awareness and become self-reflexive.

specific show in mind.
The abstract work by Natasha Barnes shows an
South Facing draws on id