User:Artspacejhb/Artspace Gallery, Johannesburg

Artspace Johannesburg, South Africa
Artspace Warehouse is a satellite gallery of Artspace, a contemporary fine art gallery based on Rosebank Johannesburg. The Warehouse, launched in 2009 was designed to be a salon space presenting an ever changing array of works stocked by the gallery.

However due to demand from artists for exhibiting space, and from the public in the area, the Warehouse will now also be opened to once again host exhibitions.

This saw the development of the Artspace Warehouse concept. The gallery's former location at 3 Hetty Avenue in Fairland has been refurbished to offer a new venue that will be used for select exhibitions, launches and events hosted by Artspace but is also available for hire for other functions.

The satellite venue is now open to artists looking to exhibit their work to a public audience or engage in large scale projects.

Following the recent trend of galleries opening 'project rooms', Artspace has decided to use its Warehouse to allow artists a broader scope to experiment or mount more experimental works. The works exhibited here will also appeal to a broader audience, with more variety for the private collector.

Says curator, Teresa Lizamore, "We are moving toward building a core group of contemporary artists at our main space in Rosebank, and working with them regularly in the longer term. We therefore have limited space to show new artists or engage with artists we haven't worked with in the past. The warehouse allows us to offer exhibitions to these artists and see how their work does in a public platform with a view to exploring future opportunities."

Artspace Johannesburg, South Africa

Artspace Mentorship Programme
Operating since 2008, this programme sees new artists given the invaluable opportunity to work under the mentorship of an established artist. The mentees work towards a solo exhibition at Artspace's Rosebank Gallery. The programme has run for three years and has showcased nine new artists working under the guidance of some of our top contemporary artists. The objective of the programme is to provide a launch platform into the market for new contemporary artists.

Outreach
Launched in 2008, this programme sees new artists work under the mentorship and guidance of established artists to mount a gallery exhibition. This MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME aims to expose new visual artists, who have previously had little or no exposure to the market.

"It is very difficult for a new artist to break into the market," Says curator Teresa Lizamore. "Galleries rarely work with unknown names. This programme is designed to give these artists a foot in the door and to expose them to working within the professional sphere. Navigating through relationships with galleries can be intimidating for a new artist with little experience. " "Those few galleries that do support emerging artists often have full programmes, leaving many young artists waiting for up to three years at a reputable gallery." The mentees work under the mentorship of the established artists to manage all aspects of a gallery exhibition, from conception of the body of work, writing a proposal, creating the works and mounting the show. Artists are also expected to host public walkabouts and will be exposed to a critique by a respected academic in the field. Also added to the programme is a formal workshop on professional practice which offers an introduction to the newer artists as how to handle themselves within the arts industry, what to expect from a gallery relationship, how to handle PR and marketing of their work and shows and how to build towards a sustainable career. Lizamore works closely with the mentees through gallery visits and sessions advising them on issues such as presentation, pricing, engaging with the market, and how to work within the gallery context. The project is endorsed by Business and Art South Africa (BASA) and is a part of their Barloworld Mentoring Programme.

Mentorship Programme

About the Gallery
Established in 2001, by Teresa Lizamore, Artspace has been showing the work of talented up and coming, as well as established contemporary South African artists for eight years.

The gallery's objective is to service the growing market of buyers who have begun to invest in South African art. By showing the work of newer up and coming artists, as well as those by more senior established names, the gallery provides collectors (both corporate and private), opportunities to consider works by artists that have a proven investment value, as well as works by artists who have been earmarked as those with promising career potential.

Artists such as Wayne Barker, Karin Preller, Jaco Sieberhagen, Judith Mason, Colbert Mashile, Collen Maswanganyi, Walter Oltmann, Richard Smith and Angus Taylor have been shown at Artspace, in a series of solo and group exhibitions, several of which were sell outs. Artspace is also well known for its annual showcase of Oppitafel - a group exhibition project that has run every December for the past few years.

In March 2008 Artspace moved from its former location in Fairlands to its current premises on Jan Smuts Avenue, alongside industry heavyweights such as David Krut Art Projects and Gallery, Resolution Gallery and Goodman Gallery. Together these institutions form what has become known as "the artstrip"- consolidating a variety of visual art focuses as one offering for the Johannesburg audience.

The current Artspace gallery location was designed by architects Mashabane Rose, architects responsible for the Apartheid Museum, Hector Pietersen Museum, as well as several significant art related spaces including University of Johannesburg's Art Centre.



For more information please contact us. [mailto:artspace@wol.co.za]