Portraits
by Janet (Meintjes) Jankes & Danny Popper

For this show Janet ( Meintjes) Jankes has worked from photographs both found and taken. Through the distortion of colour and form she attempts to enhance the peculiarities of the subject. Most of her subjects are known to her, others are political figures. Those known are generally friends and family and are deeply personal with the content often referring to dreams, memories and metaphor. The political figures were chosen from newspaper articles and accompanying photographs. The resultant works feature elements of both the Burlesque and grotesque.

This will be Janet's first exhibition after graduating with a BAFA at Wits University in 1976. During 2006 - 2008 she painted at Spencer Street Studio under the tutorship of Julia Teale. She has worked in the film industry since then working initially in the Props and production design departments and then for the past fifteen years as a casting director for feature films & commercials.

Constantly fascinated by human behaviour, specifically how subtle expression and nuance can allude to the real character beneath the layers of veneer & pretence, Janet sees the interface of these aspects as revealed in her daily work as a source of inspiration for her art.

Daniel Popper graduated from Michaelis in 2006. Since then he has participated in numerous group shows and developed a novel career in Puppetry, sculpture and art making. In February this year, Daniel had his debut solo painting exhibition at Micheal Obert Contemporary in Johannesburg. In his recent body of work Daniel engages his ongoing relationship with oil painting and his passion for portraiture.

Winter 2010

A special exhibition for winter 2010 will be presented by The Irma Stern Trust and Greatmore Studios from 3-31 July.

The Irma Stern Trust, in partnership with Greatmore Street Studios in Woodstock, is showing a selection of work from local artists as a winter 2010 exhibition. Greatmore Street Studios provide artists, both South African and international, with subsidized studio space for arts projects and residencies. Local and visiting artists are encouraged to interact and exchange skills, experiences and ideas while at the same time making their own art.

The work for this exhibition has been selected from a variety of South African artists who have worked in the studios at some stage during the last decade. As the expertise, experience and competencies of these artists vary and as their motivations, techniques and ultimate objectives are by no means uniform, the resultant artworks are diverse and embrace many different themes and topics.Some artists have academic backgrounds, while others are self-taught. Some are experimenting with a range of techniques and artistic media, while others are steadfast in their pursuit of a specially chosen medium and stye. Some have access to resources while others are more restricted in the availability of materials. Some are producing a body of work with a view to an exhibition while others are immersed in the process of creating for its own sake.

The result is a broad spectrum of works, both figurative and abstract, which, bear witness to the energy and commitment of those fortunate enough to have been granted the freedom to work in a supportive environment which is the embodiment of Greatmore Street Studios itself.

The Irma Stern Trust is pleased to host this exhibition and promote interest in the visual arts.