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Pushing against elitism in the arts

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 At her monthly Art of Dining events, Matroshe gives advice to beginner art collectors.
At her monthly Art of Dining events, Matroshe gives advice to beginner art collectors.
Pedrothe3rd

The art industry is often shunned for being elitist and inaccessible. Art curator Thembakazi Matroshe chats to City Press about pushing against this tide through her monthly Art of Dining event.

What do you enjoy most about your work as an art curator?

I love that I get to work with young artists who are not represented by galleries. Giving these young artists opportunities to showcase their work is extremely rewarding.

I’m constantly excited by the idea of seeking talent at its early stages, and contributing to the narrative and trajectory of an artist’s career.

Who are some of the artists bubbling under who have caught your attention?

I’m currently interested in artists who make use of unconventional materials, new media and performance.

The likes of Cow Mash, Bulumko Mbete, Inga Somdyala, Akudzwe Elsie Chiwa, Tatenda Chidora, Selloane Moeti, Lunga Ntila, Jody Brand, Nkcubeko Balani, Kgomotso Neto Tleane, Neo Diseko and Helena Uambembe.

What advice would you give to a novice art collector about purchasing art?

. Collect with purpose

. Support local and emerging artists

. Do your research so you may make an informed purchase

. Attend shows in your local community to enhance your visual literacy

You’ve expressed interest in non-gallery spaces. In what other places would you like to see art displayed?

My priority at the moment is integrating art into the everyday and not alienating viewers who are still new to viewing and collecting art.

How can the consumption and business of art be made more accessible?

It’s our duty as artists, curators and critics to develop a language that allows audiences to engage freely with art, in the same way that theatre has managed to do in South Africa.

If we become more transparent with audiences about the practice of art making, curating and the way the art market operates, we begin to dissolve the parameters within elite art spaces that prevent art from being accessible.

What role do you think art and imagery play in activism and capturing a time in history?

Art has always been at the heart of activism. There were artists across disciplines who made work that challenged the apartheid system and, as a result, were either imprisoned or exiled.

Art has always been synonymous with politics, and there is no doubt that visual art has almost always reflected the political climate of our times.

It is art that allows for engagement and debate, and a heightened awareness of issues.

Through the arts we are afforded moments of meditation, stillness and contemplation.

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