Grounded

by The Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State.

Grounded consists of work created by staff and students from the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State. The participating artists are Lyrene Kuhn- Botma, Andisa Luvalo, Jaco Spies, Adelheid von Maltitz, Leon Witthuhn, Bontle Tau, Juané Venter, Janine Allen, Johandi du Plessis, Dina Grobler, Kara Schoeman, Ben Botma and Willem Boshoff. The #OFMArtBeat spoke to Kara Schoeman about the art works and this initiative. Take a listen to the podcast below. 

The artworks were made before and during lockdown and the initial idea of being grounded originates from the idea of being grounded at home during the lockdown. Grounded in the sense of being restricted and being tied down by an authority operating above the self. However, the meaning of the term “grounded” also suggests having a sagacious ability, thus to make good decisions and an admirable and unpretentious understanding on issues. The valence of the term is embedded within its potential conflicted meanings and offers an energy suitable for an exhibition taking place amidst the Covid 19 pandemic.

To further explore this idea, the works will be categorized according to three extensions of the term ‘grounded’. These are “ground”, “aground” and “unground”. The three terms explore qualities in the works such as traces left by materials or processes that the materials underwent (ground); the quality of humans being increasingly stranded as opposed to the oscillation in the technological and capital liquid era we live in (aground); and the works’ subversive properties (unground).

Photographs of the original artworks are exhibited in this exhibition. Some artworks are for sale. Contact the artists directly for enquires, alternatively contact the curator Kara Schoeman SchoemanK1@ufs.ac.za, 082 716 3410. The exhibition is still on until the 15th of November 2020. View the works here: 

https://www.vrystaatkunstefees.co.za/grounded/