Power Play, 2006

Solo exhibition, Bell-Roberts Gallery, Cape Town, 25 April – 20 May 2006

Exhibition Catalogue: Download PDF
Exhibition videos: Scroll to video

Examining power relationships in society, the body of work took more...

Examining power relationships in society, the body of work took as point of departure a line in Lev Manovich’s book The Language of New Media: “as the pioneer of interactive filmmaking Graham Weinbren argues, in relation to interactive media, making a choice involves a moral responsibility”. What I was consequently aiming at in this exhibition was for the viewer to be forced into a position of choice in their engagement with the work. Making use of formal sculptural and new media devices, size was of great importance. This was especially relevant to the major works as it related to human scale i.e. a punch bag hanging on lubricated bearings encouraged the viewer to thump it; and the broomsticks were placed at a height and angle which invited the viewer to pick them up and sweep the floor.

Manovich, L. 2001. The Language of New Media. Cambridge, Massachusetts. The MIT Press, p. 44.

Less...

Bomb, 2006, galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, brass, tanned leather, compressed wood, epoxy coating, car paint, rubber, 130 cm high x 141 cm wide x 85 cm deep.

Missiel / Missile, 2003 - Johann van der Schijff

Missiel / Missile, 2003, galvanized and painted mild steel, chromed mild steel, stainless steel, brass, tanned leather, rubber, 185 cm high x164 cm wide x 70 cm deep.

Lazy Susan, 2006 - Johann van der Schijff

Lazy Susan, 2006, galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, rubber, projection screen, electronic components, computer, projector, cabling, 228 cm high x 225 cm wide x 168 cm deep.

Hemelbesem, 2005 - Johann van der Schijff

Hemelbesem, 2005, galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, wood, bristle, plastic, rubber, 272 cm high x 138 cm wide x 100 cm deep.

Sweep-out I, 2006 - Johann van der Schijff

Sweep-out I, 2006, aluminium, bristle, plastic, 87 cm high x 171 cm wide x 14 cm deep.

In Emergency – Lift Border, 2006 - Johann van der Schijff

In Emergency – Lift Border, 2006, 100% hand tufted wool, 330 cm wide x 90 cm deep.

Sweep-out II, 2006 - Johann van der Schijff

Sweep-out II, 2006, aluminium, bristle, plastic, 50cm high x 86cm wide x 14cm deep.

Bomb, 2006, galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, brass, tanned leather, compressed wood, epoxy coating, car paint, rubber, 130 cm high x 141 cm wide x 85 cm deep.

Lazy Susan’s motion controllers picking up the viewer.

Detail of Missiel / Missile, 2003.

A computer visualisation of Bomb.

The computer manufactured parts of Bomb at the factory.

Bomb being worked on in the studio.

Bomb being lifted into the studio after computer aided manufactured parts have been assembled in the factory.

Bomb at the spray painting facility.

The electronic project box driving the electronics of Lazy Susan.

Slaansak / Punch Bag, 2005. Galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, tanned leather, rubber, 152cm wide x 160cm high x 90cm deep.

Peerbal (Pear Ball), 2006. Aluminium, stainless steel, plywood, tanned leather, stuffing, 90cm wide x 66cm high x 38cm deep.

Lazy Susan, 2006. Galvanized and painted mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, rubber, projection screen, electronic components, computer, projector, cabling, 225cm wide x 228cm high x 168cm deep.

In Emergency - Lift Border, 2006. 100% hand tufted wool, 330cm wide x 90cm deep.