Join the Land Art conversation!

Anni Snyman (co-ordinator of Site_Specific) has just arrived back from South Korea after a three week Nature Art tour as part of the Global Nomadic Art Project (GNAP) which culminated in an exhibition on the 1st of May 2014, Geumgang Nature Art Centre.

Twenty nine artists, critics, and supporting staff travelled around the southern parts of Korea, working in the field using natural materials and their bodies as they went. The trip was a pilot project for similar ventures in Asia 2015, Africa & Middle East 2016, Europe 2017, and America 2018. Invited members included Ko Seung-hyun; Ri Eung-woo; Jeon Won-gil; Lee Jae-eun; Ko Soon-ho; Kim Yong-min; Cho Kyu-hyun; Ko Hyun-hie; Jung Jang-Jig; Kwon O-yeol; Park Bong-gi; Kim Soon-im; Choi Yong-sun; Chung Hye-ryung; Hur Kang; Kim Sung-ho; Kim Young-ho; Yoon Jin-sup (South Korea) and Zhang Kai Qin (China); Somu Desai (India); Anni Snyman (South Africa); Mahmud Maktabi (Iran); Rumen Dimitrov (Bulgaria); Lynn Bennett-Mackenzie (UK,Scotland); Alpar Peter (Hungary); Saulius Valius (Lithuania); Diana Radaviciute (Lithuania); Delphine Saurat(France); and Reka Varallyay (Hungary).

Please join us in an online interview and conversation with Anni on the experiences and insights gained. Click ‘going’ to follow the interview, and start posting your questions before Monday 12 May 2014 on the event wall, even if you can’t attend the allocated time slot.  Hopefully some of her fellow travellers will be able to join us ~

ONLINE Q&A :
GNAP KOREA 2014 with Anni Snyman

www.facebook.com/events/1437648623149789/

One of our key values states: "Embedded within all it’s activities, Site_Specific holds education as it’s key role, aiming to influence minds and paradigms around issues of environment, community, culture, and artistic practice.”

Please join the conversation!

Cape Land Art gathering: Witsands Beach

Thank you to those of you who joined for our first Land Art session/meetup! Here is some pictures from the day in Radloff Park.

Please join us again on Sunday 18 May 2014 at Witsands Beach, Southern Peninsula. It's about a 45 minute drive from Plumstead - view the map on our new Facebook page.

We will be there from 9h00. When arriving, walk the site and begin creating straight away, as soon as you find a spot that inspires. i.e. play first, meet later! We will meet at 11 for refreshments and conversation. We can then visit one another’s work, and choose to leave or to continue with our installations for the rest of the day.

A few suggestions:

• Our focus is on process, on temporary work and exploration. Don’t put yourself under pressure to perform! For ideas or inspiration, look at the Site_Specific website and landartsouthafrica.blogspot.com or just google 'land art'!
• Please respect the environment and consider using only local, organic materials. Or you may need to remove MOOP (Matter Out of Place) at the end of the session.
• Please keep an eye out and stay clear of the nests of birds on the beach
• Feel free to clean up and collect litter as you go along.
• Some artists prefer to work quietly, so perhaps save your greetings for the break.
• For safety, stay close enough to keep an eye on other artists. Please note that participation is at your own risk, please take all precautions to keep yourself safe. 
• There is no charge, so bring your own refreshments, hat, sunblock and especially enough water.

Join our mailing list: eepurl.com/SLoMz
Join the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/capelandart
Also join the Site_Specific facebook page: www.facebook.com/sitespecific.landart

Please RSVP to Janet Ranson - janran@cybersmart.co.za - and make sure that we have your telephone number. Please save the number 072 3331 5057 for Janet Botes, in case you get lost or can't make it on the day. Hope to see you there!

Western Cape Land Art

Inspired by Site_Specific JOZI, monthly meetings around Cape Town is being initiated by artists in the Western Cape to help connect us to one another and to the Land. The first of these meetings were held on Monday, 14 April 2014 in Radlof Park, Somerset-West.

This shared day of discussion and participation resulted in some site-specific temporary installation as well as inspired plans for the future!  See more here and here. To join and participate, go to our Facebook page, or subscribe to the mailing list: eepurl.com/SLoMz to get updates about the monthly gatherings.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project

2014 Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project
“Fishing for a Better Environment”

Artists from all countries are invited to send a proposal for a site-specific outdoor sculpture installation that will celebrate the seafood producers and fishermen of Cheng Long area and raise awareness about environmental issues relating to seafood production, the main livelihood of Cheng Long residents.  The artworks will be created during a 25-day artist in residency in Cheng Long, a small rural village near the southwestern coast of Taiwan in Kouhu Township,Yunlin County.

Deadline for Entries: January 18, 2014
Artists will be selected and notified by February 17, 2014

Installation and Residency in Cheng Long, Kouhu Township, Taiwan:
April 10 (artists arrive) – May 5, 2014 (artists depart)

Dates of the Exhibition:
May 2, 2014 (opening ceremony), May 3 and 4 – Opening weekend activities with the artists.  The exhibition will stay on display through 2015, and we hope the artworks can continue to be enjoyed into the next year.

For more information, photos from previous residency projects, and application forms: artproject4wetland.wordpress.com

2013 Site_Specific Land Art Biennale

The Site_Specific Land Art Biennale is an event that will take place in Plettenberg Bay and surrounds during the week of 10 - 17 August 2013. As artists are working on setting up various ephemeral land art installations, visitors and locals will be able to observe their progress and attend public lectures and performances. You can also register and participate in Site_Specific's Public Programmes!

More than 40 local and international artists, including Cornelia Konrads from Germany, Won-Gil Jeon from Korea and Strijdom van der Merwe from Stellenbosch, will create temporary art works from natural materials during this week. The Biennale is hosted by Site_Specific, a not-for-profit association which aims to raise public awareness of environmental issues through their work. The event gives prominent artists the opportunity to produce works inspired by the natural surroundings and involves the public via an extensive education programme, calligraphy workshop and ecological land art walk from Nature’s Valley to Keurboomstrand.

For more information have a look at the Site_Specific Art Events Facebook page (facebook.com/sitespecific.landart) or website www.sitespecific.org.za

Call for proposals: international Environmental Art Residency

2013 Environmental Art Residency Program/Biennale: September
I-Park Foundation, East Haddam, Connecticut, USA

Application Deadline: Monday, April 1, 2013

A call for proposals to those working in the following creative fields:

• Environmental sculpture/installation
• Landscape/garden design
• Music composition, sound sculpture/design
• Performance art
• Language arts
• Architecture
• Photography, moving image
• Inter-disciplinary practice

Artists will create their works on site during their residency for presentation at the Biennale. 12 – 15 artists will be selected to participate. A $2,000 prize will be awarded to each participant or collaborating team to create the work, and transportation costs of up to $1,200 for artists travelling to and from other countries like South Africa. Lodging and meal service provided during the residency. There is a $30.00 entry fee.

To find out more and apply, go to:

• www.i-park.org/special-programs/2013-environmental-art-residency-program
• Environmental Art FAQ
• Application Materials

Hiernamaals | Hereafter exhibition in Stellenbosch

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FOCUS FEATURE ON: Land Art

Interview with Strijdom van der Merwe

Chelsea Amor Lotz wrote a perspective or review of Eco Art at the end of September. For October her contribution is an interview with renowned and respected South African sculptor and land artist Strijdom van der Merwe! As artist he's traveled widely, participated in Biennials and art festivals in several other countries and continents, and also makes substantial contributions to the local art scene, especially in Stellenbosch where's he's currently based. Without further ado, let's jump right in and read what he has to say about Land Art and the motivation behind his art:

Amor: What inspired you to do land art?

Strijdom: The constant discovery of unknown places and landscapes and materials to work with. To be exposed to the ever changing climate and weather and to be part of the cycles of nature.

Amor:  How long have you been doing land art for?

Strijdom: I have been working full time as a land artist since 1995, but one can argue that I have been discovering and exploring it since my days as a young boy on the farm where i grew up.

Amor:  What interests you most, about the concept of land art?

Strijdom: That you work outside the gallery space and that you are only bound by the rules and regulations of nature. Very important that most of the works exist because of there surrounding areas. The land is not a setting for the work but a part of the work. you learn to look wider and appreciate the interaction between many things.

Amor: Can you please tell us more about your most recent piece of land art?

Strijdom: The most recent large scale work was done for the Tulbagh Art Festival. We wrapped several hundred of renoster bush in red fabric on Gageheuwel just outside of town.The reason for doing that is because it was the Spring Festival and Galgeheuwel is well known for all the flowers and bulbs that bloom that time of the year. This work was to make people more aware of the blooming of colour that last only for n few weeks before the change into summer. It was a celebration of the short lived beauty of colour. This work enhanced the fact that nature is ever changing. The red fabric was dismantle after three days.

Strijdom van der Merwe

Tulbagh, Western Cape, South Africa

August 2012

more images on Land Art SA

Amor:  How do you see land art as relevant to the connection between man and nature?

Strijdom: We are nature. We are in the danger of losing our balance with nature. No matter how sophisticated we become, we are still part of the cycles of nature. Land art strengthens that connection and reminds us of our close connection. It also makes us aware of the dangers of not living sensitive towards the resources we have. We can't keep on taking, we have to learn to share.

Amor:  Which landscapes do you find the most inspiring?

Strijdom: The semi desert areas of the Karoo I have always found inspiring, it's like a blank canvas. But the most surprising is always the most unexpected landscapes. That is what makes land art so wonderful, you can sit in your studio and decide what to do, you have to walk the studio of your canvas to be inspired and only thén the creativity will follow.

Amor:  What is your 'dream piece'?

Strijdom: Always the next one. As a creative person you are always busy exploring, even when you're busy with one work, the ideas of the new better work have already taken place in your mind. And so it becomes a vicious circle of never ending discovery. What a blessing.

Amor:  Do you try to portray particular messages and meanings through your land art?

Strijdom: It depends from work to work. But in general, no, I don't go out to make a statement. I will always first let the forces of nature influence me, and what is created is a result of the site. But, when it comes to certain art festivals or commissions then you have an obligation towards the client and people - most of the time a certain theme has to be addressed. Recently I had an art work installation at the Circa gallery in Johannesburg where I made a statement against 'fracking' in the Karoo, because I felt it was necessary that by working in the landscape and having a close relationship with the landscape, you have to raise your voice in protest.

Amor:  Do you see yourself still doing land art, in 20 years time?

Strijdom: Yes, I guess that will be he case, the format may change and the scale of the work may change but the message may still be the same.

Amor:  What advice do you have for artists seeking to experiment with, and explore the medium of land through art?

Strijdom: This is no easy road. You have to learn the basics of art, going through all the disciplines of colour use, balance, perspective etc. Once you have an educated understanding of the history of art, and nature and human interaction, only then will you be able to create work that is a true and honest reflection of the site and understanding of our relationship with nature. To put 10 stones in a line to end up as an artwork is a life time of knowledge and sensitive observation. But the rewards are greater than any painting that hangs on a wall.

Strijdom van der Merwe's work is included in many private and public art collections. His work can be seen on his website www.strijdom.co.za and featured on www.landartsouthafrica.blogspot.com. He is an integral part as artist, founder and committee member of South Africa’s first international Land Art event, entitled Site_Specific. Two beautiful coffee table books of Strijdom's art is published and available from:

Sculpting the Land - Kalahari.com | Exclusive Books
Sculpting the Earth - Kalahari.com | Exclusive Books

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Chelsea Amor Lotz is a mother, model, humanitarian, entrepreneur, professional writer & author, living for the evolution in consciousness.

Check out our latest newsletter

See more at eepurl.com/p03sL

Art on the beach

Here's some images by Gretchen Hesse of land art pieces created at Plettenberg Bay as part of Site Specific!



If you have no idea what's been happening at Plet, have a look at this blog entry: ecojunki.blogspot.com/2011/05/site-specific-in-plettenberg-bay-next.html and at the Site Specific website: sitespecific.org.za





Photographs by Gretchen Hesse

Site Specific in Plettenberg Bay next week!

Pop in next week at Plettenberg Bay for Site Specific - SA’s first International Land Art event.



Download the brochure here: www.ecojunki.co.za/2NewSiteSpecificBrochure.pdf
Also read more about the project, as well as updates on the Site Specific website: sitespecific.org.za


Land Art by Strijdom van der Merwe

Just in case you missed the previous post we had about Site Specific, here is the line-up from their website:

Plettenberg Bay: 22-29 May 2011

22-27 May:
Artists create work along the Milkwood trail, Kranshoek and along the N2 at KwaNokuthula and New Horizons.

Saturday 28 May:

09-17:00
The art route is open to all, it includes a lovely walk along the Milkwood trail and the beaches. Guides are available at Central beach.

11:00
The Mayor of Plettenberg bay launches the event at the Timber Shed accompanied by DJ Jazztrain Live, Nthombo Theatre and The Unlimited Band.

12-16:00
Township art tours to sites in Kranshoek, KwaNokuthula and New Horizons.

15:00
Simon Bannister’s sculpture for the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative is unveiled on a beautiful ridge overlooking the ocean at the Griqua village of Kranshoek.

Sunday 29 May:
The art route can be viewed all day.

And here's an Afrikaans article published in Die Burger, written by Laetitia Pople

Tuesday 03:Editor's Choice: Die Burger: Plettenbergbaai gaan as inspirasie vir landkuns dien
2011-05-03

Deur Laetitia Pople
Kaapstad - Van die wêreld se voorste landkunstenaars en verskeie plaaslike kunstenaars gaan van 22 tot 29 Mei deelneem aan Site_Specific, ’n ­internasionale landkunsgebeurtenis by ­Plettenbergbaai.

Site_ Specific mik om kuns, kultuur, geskiedenis en die omgewing saam te bring en so te wys hoe landkuns mense se indrukke van hul ­natuurlike omgewing kan verander.

Volgens Strijdom Van der Merwe, Suid-Afrika se voorste landkunstenaar en deelnemer aan Site_Spesific, gaan die meeste werke van ­Plettenbergbaai se hoofstrand tot die Milk­wood-staproete in die Piesangrivier-vallei te sien wees. Daar gaan ook werke in die dorp wees.

Onder die deelnemers is die Italianers ­Gabriele Meneguzzi en Vincenzo Sponga en van Suid-Afrika neem Anni Snyman (die stigter van Site_Specific), Angus Taylor, Hannelie Coetzee, Jan van der Merwe, Andrew van der Merwe, Gordon Froud en Simon Max Bannister deel.

Bannister werk tans met Griekwa-klip­messelaars van Kranshoek aan ’n reuse-olifantbeeld wat deel vorm van ’n reeks beeldhou­werke vir die Eden-na-Addo-bewarings­korridor. Van der Merwe gaan saam met die Switserse land­kunstenaar Urs Twellmann werk.

Twellmann, wat al voorheen in Suid-Afrika aan landkuns-gebeure deelgeneem het, skep sy werke en installasies soos Van der Merwe op die plek en gebruik natuurlike materiale van die omgewing.

“Ons almal arriveer op 22 Mei, dan gaan ek die omgewing verken en kyk watter materiale ek kan vind vir my werk. Ek sal ook die inter­nasionale kunstenaars bystaan, almal van ons is ook betrokke by die slypskole,” het Van der Merwe gesê.

Begeleide toere na plaaslike landkuns en ­kulturele optredes in Kwa-Nokuthula, ­Kranshoek en New Horizon vorm deel van die program.

’n Groot openingsgeleentheid word vir 28 Mei om 11:00 beplan in die Timbershed, een van ­Plettenbergbaai se geskiedkundige bakens as ’n eertydse walvisstasie.

HumanEarth.2:Re(-)Presentations

The second installment of the HumanEarth exhibition series, curated by Cape Town based artist Nastasha Daniels, will be hosted by the North West University Botanical Gardens Gallery in Potchefstroom.

The artists for HumanEarth.2:Re(-)Presentations are:
Abri de Swardt
Janet Ranson
Russel Goodman
Hannalie Taute
SCAPES project artists: Janet Botes, Di Smith, Andrée Bonthuys, Leli Hoch

HumanEarth aims to shed some understanding on the relationship between human and nature, while encouraging dialogue and reflection on this complex relationship. The NWU botanical garden is among the 12 largest gardens of its kind in the country, and the gallery hosts art exhibitions throughout the year.

The Scapes Project, which is also included and shown as part of the exhibition, is another ongoing art project that focuses on human involvement with nature-dialogue. Contemporary art practises such as installation- and performance art are included as part of this project. The work shown at the exhibition will be Land Art prints. Land Art is a practice where the artist don't use the natural landscape only as reference and inspiration, but works physically with and within the landscape, using primarily natural found materials. The artworks are often ephemeral and transient, destroyed or decayed by natural processes like the wind and rain, and are therefore captured photographically to capture the moment.

The exhibition opens on 6 April at 5:30pm, at the NWU Botanical Gardens Gallery
Viewing: Mon – Fri, 10:00-16:00
Exhibition ends 2 May

For more information about the exhibition and gallery contact:
Elani Willemse
Tel: 018 299 2753
email: 20049820@nwu.ac.za.

For more information about the HumanEarth exhibition series and/or to participate, contact:
Nastasha Daniels
Artist, curator and organiser of HumanEarth exhibitions
Cell. 0788577551
Nastasha797@gmail.com

Have a look at photographs of this twig ball, as well as other land art on Roger Dautais blog at: rogerdautais.blogspot.com

Inspiring, organic work

Have a look at Jochen Kruger-Allenstein's work at
www.green-avant-garde.blogspot.com