Woodstock has seen some welcome changes thanks to the pioneering moves of the creative businessfolk behind such ventures as the Woodstock Exchange and the Old Biscuit Mill. New to the block is the Salt Circle Arcade. And my, has she blossomed!
Live Music
Fantasy rockers Myddle Earth perform Celtic music at Salt Circle Arcade
Nothing says fresh like live performances by the underground talent of Cape Town’s music scene. Specially hand-picked for Arcade on Fire – the frequent Saturday morning food, music and clothing mini-festival – are three special up-and-comers: gypsy electro-swing outfit Pravda, Celtic and fantasy rockers Myddle Earth and classical-majors-turned-DJs Lazarus & Franco. Catch them while you can…
For more information visit their Facebook page: Myddle Earth.
Home Brew
Beerguevara gives you the home brewing goods.
Ladies, mention the word ‘shopping’ to your man if you’re looking for an afternoon to yourself. Mention beer if you want company. Beerguevara is a revolutionary home brewing supply store located in the Arcade, and sells everything from supplies to the flavoursome brews themselves. Starter packs make great gifts for those looking to upturn the beerstablishment.
Food Trucks
The welcoming face of Carl, the lunchtime legend.
In a city all but void of street food culture, the mobile chaps are doing their part to provide the greatest, greasiest, most succulent fare that ever traversed a serving hatch. Philly cheese steaks and wraps, gourmet burgers by The Nob and Southern Italian by Limoncello. It’s all there.
Second-Hand Books (Blank Books)
Browser heaven
Nothing like sitting around in a bookstore paging through nostalgic, dated adventures that have had adventures of their own. Stumble upon a lost treasure – for your writer, a full-length 1980-something original Mortal Kombat graphic novel – and pocket browse around the satisfyingly cluttered shelves at your leisure with a glass of complimentary champagne.
Hand-Made Jewellery
Finely manicured mineral metallurgy by Manufactory
Watching something timeless slowly come to life is the privilege you get at Manufactory Jewellery Studio. The team of expert designers sits behind a workbench at the back of the shop painstakingly wringing, tweaking, filing and and polishing everything from driftwood to bronzed skull bones to create a completely unique and eye-grabbing style of accessory fashion.
Visit their Facebook page for more information.
Clothing
Cotton Hill fine ladies’ wear
Soft and flexible ladies’ cotton creations are the specialty of Cotton Hill, an emporium of fine dresses and accessories specializing in muted and grey colour tones. Owner Elaine is the one responsible for the occasional ice bucket of complimentary champagne and has been instrumental in helping organize the music event Arcade on Fire.
(Actual) Games
Kill some time with darts, pool, table tennis, pinball and foosball
A variety of awesome retro outdoor game tables awaits. At the time of writing, the pinball high score is 621 880 points. Also find your true love playing couples’ table tennis, pool, or finally settle the score on the foosball deck. The dartboard, too, is begging for a bulls-eye.
Take A Seat
Eco Furniture Design’s custom work
Sporting a range which includes solid blackwood tables and more contemporary bookcases, Eco Furniture Design seems bent on incorporating the sustainability of the product into the needs of the buyer, another reason to support Woodstock business. Third on the left is Living Legends, a charming, restored period furniture shop run by Brenda and Caroline, who have welcomed this writer’s efforts to initiate Arcade on Fire with open armoires. The shop lends itself gorgeously to Woodstock’s rustic atmosphere. In the words of one blogger, the gritty feel of the shops “adds to the character of Woodstock or any older area for that matter. Without them, people can just as well go to Canal Walk!”
More Furniture and Clothing
Five Legends Clothing and Living Legends
Five Legends offers classic, yet tastefully fashionable ladieswear clothing & accessories to a wide age range of women.
Living Legends Home is a purveyor of fine, upcycled furniture. The store sells a combination of lovingly restored & ‘glamourised’ pieces, as well as bespoke cabinetry that is locally manufactured & finished.
Tutu
Bespoke dancewear, active wear and swimwear. As their name suggests, they also make a lot of tutu’s and costumes for stage, film, clubs and festivals. Complete with onsite seamstress and fabrics bought from all the local mills in Cape Town.
For some more history and information on the arcade read Salt Circle Arcade.
Five Legends offers classic, yet tastefully fashionable ladieswear clothing & accessories to a wide age range of women.
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STEVENSON
Check out STEVENSON’s summer exhibition on till 11 January – A Sculptural Premise. Some 25 artists “explore our understanding of our three-dimensional reality through contemplations of space, volume and sculptural form across a range of mediums.” There is figurative work, conceptual, video, photographic, monumental, domestic scale… some famous names and instantly recognisable work, others less well-known but all to this leading gallery’s high standard. 
Jane Alexander, whose work Untitled recently sold for a record-breaking R5,5m at auction in November – has a 2008 figure, anonymous, draped in white and mounted high… nun-like, mysterious. Steven Cohen’s Coq/Cock is to be seen in a video with a Parisian setting, his high heels and vulnerability lending pathos to the inevitable authoritarian intervention. 
This show is truly a smorgasbord – if your taste is for ephemeral, do you try a soufflé as in Igshaan Adams’s suspended fabric work or do you go for the sharp metallic tang of Wim Blom’s raptor? More acute, sculptural edges may be found in Serge Alain Nitegeka’s series of paintings. Textures, stitching, a wide range of materials to sculpt and carry the artists’ message. So much to enjoy! 
BLANK PROJECTS
And across the road, BLANK PROJECTS opened on the same night – and also runs till 11 Jan – with an intriguing collection of works by the gallery’s artists entitled This is the Thing. One or two of the exhibitors also have work at Stevenson but the pieces, on the whole, are smaller in scale as suits this niche gallery. 
There is still space in the linking white cubes to show a dozen or more artists and a simple four-page catalogue gives pics, prices and detail of the works on view and some that are tucked away. No labels on the walls, you’ll need to refer to the printed sheets. All the works are dated 2013 and are “bound by an emphasis on process and materiality, placing the object, the thing, at the centre of our attention” as the catalogue puts it. Art Week Cape Town actually ended on 7 December but this event, sponsored by the National Arts Council, BASA, VANSA and CADT with openings great and small plus studio visits in and around the city and Khayelitsha has attracted much interest and put the spotlight on art.
Deep Sky Survey is the name of Lyndi Sales’s latest exhibition which runs to 14 July 2012 at Whatiftheworld’s impressive new location at 1 Argyle Road, corner Albert Road, Woodstock. “The body of work investigates the existential questions presented to us by science and its metaphors, man being a ‘symptom’ of the universe at large” explains the artist’s statement.
Sales has an impressive list of prizes and achievements, the most recent of which was appearing as one of three official representatives of South Africa at the last Venice Biennale. Whether one is happy about the transparency, or lack thereof, of that selection process, the current abstract works demand to be seen. Satellite Telescope dominates the main space, a multi-media installation of laser-cut radiant Perspex which is simply breath-taking. Swirls and whirls of iridescence snake through the gallery, suspended at chest level. The mirror-like material reflects us and makes us part of the work and the astrophysical world depicted.
More familiar, earlier works using paper laser traceries are upstairs but it is the six Perspex constructions on the ground floor which caught my eye. Highly finished, glossy and glitzy and very desirable, the large works seem designed to grace a Clifton architectural gem.
The constructions were influenced, we are told, by the blurring of the artist’s sight due to a personal eye problem. For me, this links their subject, infinite areas of space, with the intimate nature of personal vision. An exciting show.
Patrick Chapman is a seasoned art writer/collector and frequent visitor to Woodstock’s thriving arts hub.
Current exhibition until 14 July 2012
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1. What is the concept behind Side Street Studios?
Side street Studios is all about providing affordable space for the young up and coming artists in CT.
2. Why do you think art and design is flourishing in Woodstock?
The freedom of exploration. I think that originally a lot of the buildings were run down and derelict and the artists were allowed to do their own thing that immediately improved the look and feel of the building. I think this freedom together with low rentals, amazing views and inspiring spaces are very attractive for creative people.
3. Do you think too much gentrification in Woodstock will drive artists away?
I do think we need to be aware and careful and we must learn from international experience. Although redevelopment is an important part of urbanization, it is essential to try to include the local community in this process and by doing that hopefully we will be able to hold on to this amazing creative community that has been at the forefront of the Woodstock upliftment.
4. How many studios do you currently have available?
Side Street Studios is the umbrella brand for all the buildings in our portfolio which have creative tenants in them. We just purchased a new building on Albert Road which has space for 30 studios and shops, we are expecting to take transfer during April. At the moment we have 2 buildings which together accommodate about 10 creative tenants of which 32 William St. is one of them.
5. You had your first exhibition 2 weeks ago at one of your studios with a bunch of well known Woodstock artists including Senyol, Mackay, Justin Southey and Black Koki. How did that go and any more exhibitions on the horizon?
This exhibition was organized by the artists themselves and Side Street Studio played a supporting roll in providing the venue and coordinating the event. I am also involved in the #moonlightmass which is a night cycle ride through CT and it happens on the first full moon of every month. We have few big ideas for events later on in the year and will keep you posted.
6. Your previous venture the Woodstock Industrial centre, also previously an artists’ studio hub, has now been sold. Any idea on what will now be happening there?
The WIC is going undergoing massive redevelopment, there is a lot of money invested in this project and I am sure it will have an impact on the area and will fast-forward the development of Albert Rd and surrounding streets.
7. How can artists interested in studio space contact you?
Our website is www.sidestreet.co.za and they can always email me on [email protected] or call me on 021-4486511
All images kindly provided by http://www.revolution-daily.com/
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ILW met up with Berlin-based photographer Katrina James (originally from Australia) and who has been living in Woodstock for the last few months. It’s always interesting to see how others perceive the place we live in, and Katrina’s pictures of Woodstock have a gentle humility about them.
We asked her a few questions about her experience of living in Woodstock.
ILW: What brought you to Woodstock?
Katrina: I heard a lot about Cape Town when I was living in Berlin as many Germans I met had been there; so I decided that it sounded like an interesting place and was worth visiting. It was also good to escape the winter and return to the southern hemisphere without actually going back to Australia.
IWL: What was your first impression of Woodstock?
Katrina: It immediately felt more real (than Cape Town center), it definitely has a bit more grit, it is dynamic and there are many things to do. There is a raw industrial beauty here but real people are living within this. And there is a very strong community feeling here.
ILW: And how do you feel now that you’ve been here a few months? And constantly taken photographs?
Katrina: It hasn’t really changed. Cape Town itself has a lot of contradictions. There are lots of oceans but they are freezing. It’s either sunny and still or cool and windy. It can be hideously ugly but in the best way if that makes sense. I really love living here.
ILW: How would you describe yourself and your work as a photographer?
Katrina: I am fascinated with how we see, I think we really see with our brains and our eyes are just a channel to get there. I see my camera as recording what is happening on my channel. I strive to find beauty and humour in everything around me. My images are never contrived or setup they are exactly how my brain sees.
We’ve reposted some of her Woodstock pictures below. If you’re up for more, you can visit her site here.
She has a stall at the You, me and everyone we know market at the Labia today (Friday 2nd February) and then next month again. And ILW will be hosting a giveaway of one her prints (A3) next month, details to follow.
And here as promised are the images.
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Gabriel Clark-Brown outside his Gallery
ILW speaks to the artist, gallerist and media-man from the South African Print Gallery. We like the early adopters. The movers and shakers who recognised that our ’burb is the place for the arts. The big names are here, and for three years, so is the SA Print Gallery owned by Gabriel Clark-Brown. He’s an artist himself, a maker of marks, a fine art printmaker who combines business buzz with creativity. And he’s the editor and publisher of the SA Art Times. “SA’s leading visual arts publication” they call it. It appears monthly and it’s free. I pick up a copy when I visit my local galleries, an essential read and a reward for following the local art scene.
The Print Gallery interior
Gabriel barely has time to take coffee with me at The Kitchen – right next door to his compact print gallery at 109 Sir Lowry Road. He has an academic air – a little distracted. (I mean, wouldn’t you be, if you had to split your time between fiancée and two kids, publishing, gallery owning and making art?)
Joshua Miles and Alice Goldin at her opening
His life to date divides itself neatly into even spells. 7 years study, 7 years overseas and 7 years building the infrastructure of his businesses. His passion for “the language of printmaking” comes through strongly. He wants to nurture the germs of the young good culture that he finds here. Fine art prints in limited editions, usually around 30, are affordable and the quality is first-class. You’ll find works by Kentridge, Bell and Hodgins, Joshua Miles and many more. Alice Goldin was recently featured and Joshua Miles has been on since 10 December.
Joshua Miles
Gabriel Clark-Brown is approachable and entrepreneurial. The Art Times has become a key read for artlovers. His arts directory is a comprehensive annual publication. There’s not as much time left over as he would like to practise his own artmaking.
Joshua Miles (current exhibition)
He is always on the lookout for the next big thing. More branches of the print gallery? Perhaps Jo’burg? Who knows. For the moment we can be happy that Woodstock is it.
The South African Print Gallery: 109 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock, Cape Town.
Current exhibition until mid-January 2012: Joshua Miles is presenting new Work.
Patrick Chapman is a seasoned art writer/collector and frequent visitor to Woodstock’s thriving arts hub.
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The first thing I thought when I heard about the exhibition is that street art belongs in the street- so how do you exhibit this in a gallery? The truth is that street art has developed into a multifaceted ‘movement’, flourishing on the nervous energy of graffiti and stencilling, spray-can art, skateboard culture, hip music and urban fashion. Urban Art in its truest form is mostly unsanctioned and communicates with ordinary people, where the works comment on socio-political issues. Many artists use this as a form of peaceful protest to convey a message regarding certain issues affecting their communities. But nowadays it’s not just about the edgy and unlawfull stuff; since the works have such a large influence on popular culture and are such hot property, many street artists now make and sell limited edition prints for galleries.
Gallery owners Andries and Fred have been buying up works for the exhibition since June, and some of the works are on consignment from the artists. Interestingly enough, many of the prints are fairly inexpensive when sold by the artists, but the editions are so limited that they soon become hot property; for example the Banksy print on view is from a print run of only 25. The works on show range in price from R4500 – R350 000, and 16 of the works have been sold.
BANKSY; Choose your weapon; 2010; Serigraph; edition 25; 60x60cm
Quite a few of the works in the current show are from the controversial and prolific artist Mr. Brainwash. Mr. Brainwash is the Frenchman Thierry Guetta, and when he became interested in the street art movement he started filming a documentary about it, becoming the first person to film the elusive artist Banksy. Eventually Banksy and others cottoned on to the fact that he wasn’t really a filmmaker, and turned the cameras on him, producing the Oscar nominated film ‘Exit throught the gift shop’ which ironically made Mr. Brainwash even more famous. (See the trailer here). Now he is possibly the most succesful (financially) of the street artists, although he is really more of a pop artist, and his work is produced largely by others and (I feel) is very unoriginal. To be fair, this is the way much of contemporary art nowadays is produced, although Andries mentioned that it is likely that Banksy does most of his work himself, as he keeps such a low public profile.
- Mr Brainwash; Madonna; 2011; Mixed media on paper; 57x57cm
left: Mr. Brainwash; right: Shepard Fairey
There is also some work from local urban artists such as Faith 47 and Black Koki on view. The fact that Woodstock, Salt River, Observatory and the informal settlements are the urban art hotspots in Cape Town makes this area a popular place for artists to live and have their studios, and the perfect place to have this exhibition.
The exhibition closes November 19, and if you still need any convincing to go and see it, consider this quote from the Cape Times 8 November:
“So, whether you are a collector, an investor wanting to buy a Mr. Brainwash in case it turns out to be a Banksy, into conspiracy theories, or simply curious as to what the fuss is all about, here’s a chance to see the real McCoy within the safety of a gallery. All, without having to buy a plane ticket and lose shoe leather walking those gritty streets.”
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Photograph by Jenny Morkel
The last few weeks has seen the Lovell gallery holding a photographic exhibition on Woodstock. You have one week left in which to vote for your favorite picture so hurry down to the gallery and cast your vote before the 15th November.
Over a cappuccino, ILW spoke to Andy Parker of the Lovell gallery about how the idea for this competition came to be, as well as future plans for the event.
Photograph by Colin Brown
Andy was driving through Woodstock (with a rough map given to him by museum manager Brendan van Kraayenberg). Like many of us when we first ‘discover’ Woodstock, he was astounded at the variety and breadth of all the different aspects of this particular suburb, as well as the way new Woodstock was quickly encroaching on old Woodstock. Fearing that a lot of this heritage would be lost to the future, he decided to do something to capture as much of it as possible, by holding an annual photography competition with Heritage Day as the catalyst.
Photograph by Lisa Visser
With the sole criterion of capturing some unique aspect of Woodstock, a large number of photographers set out to do just that; and it is clear that the old versus new Woodstock is a strong element in many of the photographs.
The Lovell gallery is planning on this being a yearly event and the idea is to get all kinds of photographers and photographic schools to take part in next year’s competition. Andy believes strongly in giving back to the community and emphasises that any monies made from this and future events will be put straght back into the community for example through these kind of art projects. Communities, he believes, that take pride in their surroundings are better off all round and this is the Lovell gallery’s way of doing their bit.
Photograph by Carolynne Higgins
The selection was whittled down to the 20 photographs currently in the gallery. These 20 will be published as a desktop editon of which the winner will receive a copy.
The public vote will close on the 15th November (so hurry down to the gallery to vote!), and a panel headed by gallery owner Tamsin Lovell-Miller and comprising of local councillor Brett Herron, the Art Times’ Eugene Singer, Jean Brundrit from UCT, and Joel Singer of Origins coffee will meet on the 17th November to select their favorite. The public vote and the panel vote will then be collated to arrive at a final winner.
Visit the Lovell gallery at 139 Albert Road, Woodstock or visit the Lovell gallery webpage for more information. For a more general overview, have a look at our gallery overview here.
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The WhatiftheWorld Gallery
Whatiftheworld is a platform for a new generation of emerging South African contemporary artists, and was selected in 2007 by Contemporary Magazine (London) as one of the ‘Top 50 Emerging Galleries from Around the World.’ With its emphasis on new talents, it is firmly dedicated to the future of SA art.
Details: 1 Argyle Street (Corner Argyle and Albert Road), Woodstock.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.
Current Exhibition: Fold by Maja Marx (until 19th November)
Contact: [email protected]. T +27 (21) 802 3111. F +27 (0)21 462 1501Webpage: www.whatiftheworld.com
MUSEUM Photographic Art Gallery
MUSEUM is dedicated to the discovery, development and investment potential of contemporary South African fine art photography. Owned and curated by photographers Dylan Culhane and Greg Beadle, the gallery aims to unearth emerging talent, seeking out bold, original artists engaged in lens-based media. Situated in the newer Upper Eastside development.
Details: Upper Eastside, 31 Brickfield Rd, Salt River, Cape Town
OPENING HOURS Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.
Contact: [email protected]. [email protected] T +27 (21) 801 5064
Webpage: www.museum-gallery.co.za
A Word Of Art (in the Industrial Design Centre)
A WORD OF ART aims to create art projects and experiences rather than white-wall gallery shows, resulting in a mix of street art, graffiti art, underground art, popular art, modern art and contemporary art, also called “New brow”. The gallery is located in the Woodstock Industrial Centre which also hosts the Biblophilia bookshop,the Sixty Six coffee shop and the WIC and AWOA artist in residency apartment.
Details: 66-68 Albert RD, Woodstock Industrial Centre, Woodstock
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.
Contact: www.a-word-of-art.co.za
The Lovell Gallery
A gallery specializing in fresh, quality fine art by artists who are going places. Their aim is to make contemporary fine art available to collectors while it is still affordable. Also currently running the “One Day in Woodstock” 2011 photography competition which has been narrowed down to the top 20 works. Visit the gallery and vote before the 19th November! Early birds get a free cappuccino when voting.
Details: 139 Albert Road, Woodstock, 7915
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.
Contact: [email protected], +27 21 820 5505
Webpage: http://www.lovellgallery.co.za/
GREATMORE STUDIOS
Affiliated to the Bag Factory in Johannesburg and the Gasworks in London, Greatmore Studios offer work places to local artists and temporary residencies to visiting artists. Exhibitions by residents are held on an irregular basis.
Details: 47-49 Greatmore Street, Woodstock
Contact: [email protected] + 27 21 447 9699
Webpage: www.greatmoreart.org
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The Stevenson Gallery
One of the established galleries that has contributed to the popularity of the Sir Lowry Rd area since its move in 2008. It is one of the must-see destinations and is known for its engagement with contemporary art practices in South Africa as well giving South African artists a wider platform throughout the world. The Stevenson connection can, like Saatchi, work magic for an artist’s career.
The details:
Website: www.stevenson.info
The Goodman Gallery
At the forefront of South African contemporary art as well as the greater African continent. It has William Kentridge, Kendell Geers and David Goldblatt on its books. It offers space, glorious space, for its artists but finding the gallery entrance on the 3rd floor can be an interesting challenge for first-time visitors.
The details:
Website: www.goodman-gallery.com
Blank Projects
The details:
Website: www.blankprojects.com
34 Fine Art
Relocating in January last year from 34 Long Street, this gallery has joined the trend to Woodstock and is happy to be here with the big names. Parking is easier, too. Ask the Security to direct you if you have difficulty in spotting them on the 2nd floor. Contemporary artists and works from the international arena, including China.
The details:
Website: http://34fineart.com/
The South African Print Gallery
The details:
Website: www.printgallery.co.za
Art South Africa
The physical presence of the Art South Africa publication. Apart from the publication, it sells mostly prints and art books and is well worth popping your head in.
The details:
Website: www.artsouthafrica.com
South
Dedicated to art from Kwazulu Natal. On the first floor of Fairweather House (while looking for the Goodman Gallery).
The details: