Fred Clarke
Into Gondwana

29.04.13 18.05.13

Gondwana was the name of a continental block that fractured in the Cretaceous Period. Africa, South America, Hindustan, Madagascar and Antarctica emerged from its rupture. So, as their shapes clearly indicate, South America and Africa were united millions of years ago, fitting the curve of Brazil perfectly with the vast bay of Africa.

In his proposal for this residency, the South African artist Fred Clarke inquired about the time when both continents were united and wonders about similarities, differences, inter-relationships and above all his own feeling of transfer to the other part to which his land once it was united.

ARTIST STATEMENT
My intention is to connect the two continents; Africa, and South America, through contemporary details, ancient geography, and basic human similarities that signal “unity / uniqueness.” I have visited Argentina once in the past and found an ancient and genuine familiarity. I want to produce a series of works on paper that demonstrate my observations and connections through metaphor, allegory, and playful comparisons. In addition, my work is variable, in movement, it follows the wave of inspiration, that way it evolves and is transformed in the process.

BIO
Frederick clarke
1986 | Johannesburg, South Africa
Lives in Johannesburg, South Africa
He works in the Math Room in Arts on Main, an art studio and exhibition space.

STUDIES
Bachelor of Fine Arts University of Witwatersrand. Johannesburg, South Africa
Master in English Literature at the University of Witwatersrand. Johannesburg, South Africa
She continues her training in different engraving workshops.

EXHIBITIONS
She has participated in numerous exhibitions, individual and group, as well as projects in South Africa and other countries.

Related Activities

Exhibitions

Territories
Group exhibition ´ace Collection

23.02.15 30.04.15

Territories is an exhibition curated by Adriana Moracci among artworks from the ‘ace collection. The aims of this selection is to allow us to reflect upon political, economic, linguistic and corporal territories. They have been interpreted by contemporary artists through photography, performance and printmaking.

ABOUT TERRITORIES (by Adriana Moracci

Territory is a defined, outlined and demarcated place that provides belonging and identity to whom occupy it. In some cases it is a place to access or emigrate. The territory notion goes beyond a determined border. Although the etymology of the word indicates land or field not every community has its own physical territory, but yes, all have their own idiosyncrasy, language and culture that unites and links. The body is also a territory, one that is always present and constantly changing. A territory that contains and links us with the other, through verbal and corporal language. A territory that enables encounter with the ancestral and the primary.

Related artists

Curated
Adriana Moracci

Exhibitions

Crossing Gondwana
Fred Clarke

15.05.13

Frederick Clarke presented Into Gondwana, a group of linoleum prints and monotypes, which represent a playful imaginarium with references to the universal, those shared aspects that exceed the geographic and cultural distances.

Gondwana is the name given to the continental shelf (the southern part of two supercontinents that suffered a fracture during the Cretaceous Period

Gondawa included most of the land masses in today’s Southern Hemisphere including Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar and the Australian continent. Then, as clearly is shown by South America and Africa shapes, they were connected millions of years ago .

In its proposal for this residency South African artist Fred Clarke explores that moment when both landmasses were united and questions similarities, differences, inter-relationships and especially his own experiences of moving to the other part of what once was a unit.

Once back home, Fred sent to us the catalogue of his solo show in South Africa, along with these words:

Attached is a catalogue for a solo exhibition opening tomorrow at Rubix Cube, Arts on Main, Johannesburg – titled “Into Gondwana”. Most of the work on this show was created in Argentina earlier this year, and was greatly inspired by you, and all the other amazing people along the way. Thank you. This show is dedicated to you, and the sister continent of South America. Underneath the Atlantic water, the mountains continue to connect what was, and in many ways still is Gondwana.

Related artists

Fred Clarke

´aceNITE

CROSSOVER
Crossover

15.05.13

We open the doors for the first ´aceNITE of the year, in Crossroads artists and very diverse works will meet on this special night. On Wednesday May 15 from 7:00 p.m. the opening of the exhibitions of two artists in residence took place, the first exhibition of the international project Crossover [KS-Bs.As] and an open studio.

In the Sala Políglota we will present 123 | 234 | 345 works that the Greek artist Erini Boutasi made during her residency in May. Her works establish a game between the gestural, the free and the determined.

In the Central Hall we will exhibit the works of the more than 20 international artists who participated in Crossover [KS-Bs.As]. This project explored the possibilities of collaborative work, the artists worked from matrices left by Miguel Rivera (Mexico), the artist who started the project.

Into Gondwana is the project of the South African artist in residence Frederick Clarke, you will be able to know his works that explore the unity, human and geographical, between the African and Latin American continent. In addition, you will be able to interact and learn about the work in progress of Felipe García (Colombia), an artist who is carrying out an intervention residency within which she will paint a mural on the terrace of ´ace as part of her project The Joy of Rebelion.