When art meets history
MABONENG PRECINCT - NIROXprojects will host an exhibition of works by Nirox Foundation Cradle of Humankind artist in residence, Sean Blem.
The exhibited works that comprise Hyperextension are the result of Blem’s site-specific research and documentation of areas of early human habitation in Southern Africa.
“[Blem’s] interpretation of cartographic connections explores the link between specific archaeological sites in the Cradle of Humankind to more recent Iron Age and contemporary sites of human habitation,” said NIROXproject’s Neil Neiuwoudt.
“In addition, he extended his cartographic exploration into another similarly unknown area of our universe, the human brain; in particular, the prefrontal and frontal cortices.”
Nieuwoudt said this part of the brain was what differentiated human beings from other primates, and enabled the development of protective shelter which led to architecture, speech, language, artistic interpretation, music and culture.
“As the parameters of thought expanded, our frontal cortices took us to the moon and beyond. Often, to great interdisciplinary benefit, science and the arts have been linked, as demonstrated by the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Johann von Goethe,” he said.
Blem said he believed that “unexpected and unknown paths of further exploration” will become evident as research materials are investigated using archaeological, neurological and earth observation techniques, which would cohesively enhance knowledge and understanding.
Blem was born in Bloemfontein in 1969, and now lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.
He studied at Parsons School of Design, Paris and at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts.
Blem’s long-term projects combine in-depth research with the production of artefacts including works on paper, photography, text, painting and sculpture.
Hyperextension will run from 4 until 26 April at NIROXprojects, 264 Fox Street, Arts on Main, Maboneng Precinct.
Details: 072 350 4326; www.niroxarts.com
