Public Intimacy | South African Art in San Francisco

When Madiba passed away in December last year, people resonated with gratitude for the positive change that the legend brought to South Africa and the world. As our country is about to enter into the fifth democratic election that will take place on 7 May 2014, the new Public Intimacy: Art and Other Ordinary Acts in South Africa exhibition shines a light on our country’s tumultuous past and hopeful future.

Image: 10and5.com

Public Intimacy: Art and Other Ordinary Acts in South Africa is a collaborative exhibition from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA). Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of democracy in South Africa, the exhibition, which is based in San Francisco and opened on 21 February, is a collection of works from over 25 contemporary artists and collectives. The exhibition challenges the stereotypical perceived visual history of South Africa’s apartheid past by offering a fresh mix of works that explore the nuances of human interaction in a country still undergoing significant change.

Public Intimacy spans a broad range of mediums, featuring the works of artists such as David Goldblatt, Ernest Cole, Ian Berry, Billy Monk and the Handspring Puppet Company. Most of the works have been made in the last five years and span various visual mediums such as photography, painting, sculpture, video, performance, and publications.

The goal of the exhibition is to present an honest portrayal of a community still undergoing change, exploring how the politics of South Africa are embedded within the acts of the everyday. It is also a clear sign that our local artistic community is continually committed to activism and addressing political thought through their pieces.

While the exhibition isn’t directly accessible to most of us at the moment, it’s fantastic to know that our talented local artists’ work is being showcased around the world. And hey, if you do find yourself on the West Coast and are interested in seeing a very frank and relevant window into South Africa as it is today, check out more details here. Public Intimacy: Art and Other Ordinary Acts in South Africa, SFMOMA San Francisco, runs until 29 June.

Words Gosia Podgórska