A weekend of art and culture awaits visitors of the Riebeek Valley’s Solo Studios.
The eagerly anticipated “Solo Studios – Intimate Art Encounters” returns to the Riebeek Valley this weekend with what promises to be another highlight on the cultural calendar.
Calling the event “Intimate Art Encounters” means exactly what it says. Seventeen artists’ studios will be open to the public over the weekend of Friday 18 to Sunday 20 August, with eight of these artists having invited external collaborators to co-exhibit in their personal spaces.
A further seven group exhibitions will be held at various galleries and venues, including two private art collections in exclusive guest houses. Spending time in the intimate spaces of the artists’ studios will offer pass holders an insight into their processes and inspiration.
“We don’t merely sell art at Solo Studios,” says Klaus Piprek, co-founder and director of Solo Studios. “We sell an experience. These experiences go much further than the visual arts.” Apart from the art exhibitions there is so much more to enjoy in what has become known as Arts Town Riebeek Valley, encompassing the twin towns of Riebeek-Kasteel and Riebeek-West. Prepare to be lured away from your planned art route by the aromas wafting from a coffee shop by the scent of essential oils from the locally produced botanical range or by a tantalising wine tasting at some of the most acclaimed Swartland wine producers.
“As always, the Riebeek Valley will put on its best dress in anticipation of the influx of art aficionados to this prestigious event and visitors can expect a host of venues offering food experiences and wine tastings,” says Shawn Hewitt, project manager of this year’s event. “Entertainers will flow onto the streets and pavements and creative community development projects will be showcased in plentiful fringe activities. Add to that the richness of local flavour from the olive producers, the abundance of restaurants, the village bakery and the profusion of craft and artisanal outlets.”
“The best way to fully appreciate what we have to offer is to make a whole weekend of it,” Klaus advises. “There’s simply not enough time in one day to fully absorb all that Solo Studios and the valley have to offer.”
Artists
The record-breaking “Solo Studios – Intimate Art Encounters” event of 2022, with 183 art pieces sold, valued at R2,5 million, resulted in stiff competition to participate in this prestigious event. For the 2023 edition, 17 local artists were selected from the large number of worthy applications.
Following a list of the participating artists with their respective collaborators: Ade Kipades with Hennie Meyer; Andre Francois van Vuuren; Andries Dirks with Arno Morland; Antoinette von Saurma; Brett Shuman with Linda Waterkeyn; Dieter Wust; Emma Willemse; Gordon Williams with Paul Kristafor; Kevan Moses with Shui-Lyn White; Lizette Visser with Ros Koch; Louis Nel; Misha Hillier with Hannelie Strydom; Riaan van Zyl; Sharon Bischoff; Solly Smook; Tamlin Blake with Keiskamma Art Project; and Wiehan de Jager with Clayton Sutherland.
Galleries
The following galleries will be exhibiting various artists:
- Pictorex – “Printed at Pictorex” featuring William Walker, Mary Walker, Greta McMahon, Tanya Majo, Rudolph Willemse, Ad Goedhart, Linda Harrison, Johan Viljoen, Leila Fanner, Louisa Gerryts and Jacky Lloyd.
- Spier Arts Trust/The Creative Block featuring the works of Boyce Magandela and Emma Aspeling.
- Q Studio – Impendulo featuring Carl Collison and Hentie van der Merwe.
- RK Contemporary featuring Anton Momberg, Anthony Harris, Claire Greenspan, Greta McMahon, Tanya Majo, Thembalethu Mangunyana and Candice Dawn Blignaut.
- Gallery 7 on Plein featuring various non-professional and emerging local artists.
- The Hub displaying signature works of most participating artists.
- Royal Street Guest House will be open for a viewing of guest house owners’ private art collection.
- Die Kunshuis with RK Contemporary Gallery will be featuring Nicola Roos, Wehrner Lemmer and Trevor Rizzato.
Activities
For the event this year some exciting and relevant peripheral activities have been included to enhance the weekend art experience.
Solo Symphony Concert
The event will reach a crescendo on Sunday afternoon 20 August, with the performance of the Solo Symphony Concert by the Winelands Philharmonic Orchestra and featuring a collaboration with the local Riebeek Valley Steelband. Expect original compositions to form part of this collaboration!
World Film Premiere
One of the reasons for the continued success of Solo Studios is an element of voyeurism.
For this year’s edition Piprek pushes the envelope a little further by extending an invitation to the creative community of Riebeek Valley to participate in a collaborative film production project, and challenges the artists to expose a single element that inspires them, in a production entitled Monomania – 7 Chambers of Obsession.
Monomania is defined as possessing an exaggerated obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with a one topic. Seven artists, art fundis and poets participated in the project, all becoming amateur filmmakers in the process and exposing their inner obsessions. The result is an eclectic compilation covering topics from womanhood, sexuality and erotica to poverty, mental illness and depression, to motion, artificial intelligence and literature. The seven short films are woven into a collaborative production of one hour, making its world premiere at Solo Studios 2023.
In Plot’s Possession, Cristina Kirstein unveils the lighter depths of obsession; where we possess stories, and stories possess us.
Art fundi Tamzin Lovell tells a story of art and technology from the past into the future, through a combination of poetry and AI-generated art video, in Pixels and Poetry – A Journey into Art Technology.
On the other end of the film spectrum, Riaan van Zyl pays tribute to the traditional film making process in Eulogy to Motion. Van Zyl captures motion in his paintings, often depicting freeze frame-like imagery in his subject.
In My Beautiful Brein, the narrative of poet Donker Jonker provides a stark, disturbing view of disturbance of the mind.
TONG: Die Gekleurde Vrou is a collaborative production by The House of the Second Shadow, and explores “Womenhood, Sexuality and Poverty of Coloured Woman in black and white kaleidoscope and deconstructed video”.
For her 53rd birthday, Lean Bakker invited her friends to do this work with her. The gentle caresses of 26 hands activate the flow of Kundalini, life-force energy in her body. Sensation is about the movement of life-force.
Underwater photographer John Vowles practices his art below the surface. In Subaqueous we follow John as he submerges us into his realm.
Thought Leadership Talks
A recurring highlight of Solo Studios has been the inspiring talks by leaders in their respective fields. The 2023 edition promises to add to that legacy.
Tamzin Lovell is the founder and CEO of Artfundi, a software platform that empowers art businesses through technology. Tamzin presents two talks, namely “Art and Technology: Transforming Cultural Life and the Future of Artists”, and “The Living Legacy of Uche Okeke: Bridging Past and Present in Artistic Expression”.
Dr Nicky Terblanche, an academic, researcher, and entrepreneur, holds a PhD in leadership coaching and a master’s in electronic and software engineering. As a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch Business School, his expertise lies in AI Coaching. He founded CoachVici.com, an organisation creating AI Coaches, and leads research at Ovida.org. With 30+ published research articles and book chapters, he frequently speaks at international conferences on AI’s history, developments, ethics, and relevance to the art world. Nicky presents a talk on “Artificial intelligence (AI) – what’s all the fuss about?”
These talks promise to inspire and inform art lovers and professionals alike.
Blind wine tasting and film
The inspiring rise of wine Sommelier Joseph Dhafana is well
known, and his participation as captain of the Zimbabwean wine tasting team at
the world blind tasting championships has recently been captured in the film
Blind Ambition.
Joseph started his unlikely journey in Riebeek-Kasteel,
where, as an economic refugee from Zimbabwe, he got his first job as a gardener
before being promoted to barman. Today, Joseph produces his own range of wines,
and his meteoric rise to one of the most recognisable young figures in the wine
industry is nothing short of remarkable.
Joseph returns to his roots in Riebeek-Kasteel for Solo
Studios 2023, where he will host two screenings of Blind Ambition, after which
he will engage with the audience and give them some insight into blind wine
tasting of some of his wines.
Performing arts
Georick fon Velt, known as “The Mirrorsister”, embraces
small towns and the unconventional. With a diverse background in hospitality,
writing, marketing, and performance art, she now heads “The House of the Second
Shadow.”
Engaged with The For Life Centre and local arts, she
presents a thought-provoking one-person theatre performance called “Sosiaal –
Who am I in relation to you? Is it better to speak or to die?”
The Nights of the Long Tables
Another activity which has become a favourite at Solo
Studios is an opportunity to be invited to long tables presented by some of the
valley’s finest hosts and chefs. The 2023 edition includes offerings by
Aardvark Eats, Kokos Huis with Intellego Wines, The Valley Deli with
Allesverloren Wines, Olive and Vine, The Royal Hotel & Chef Giuseppe with
Arbeidsgenot Wines.
Due to previous popular demand, some Long Tables will be
hosted on both Friday 18th and Saturday 19 August.
Afterpiece
The official programme of exhibitions and events for Solo
Studios 2023 closes on the afternoon of Sunday 20 August. Join the locals –
artists, musicians, staff and other residents – for an after-party at La
Parrilla.
There is a variety of options of passes, from a Day Pass at
R150 to a Premier Weekend Pass at R395. Peripheral activities may incur a
surcharge.
For ticket sales and more information, visit www.solostudios.co.za.
Or feel free to contact Shawn Hewitt on 082 528 6785.
