POP AND EARTHSONGS EXHIBITIONS By Lethabo Gumede www.themelrosegallery.com
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he Melrose Gallery presents the POP exhibition which runs from 12 November 2021 to 30 January 2022. The exhibition brings together an array of colour, a modern aesthetic and contemporary African art collaged into The Diamond Walk, Sandton City. As you enter the exhibition, you are greeted by two bold and boisterous artworks by Paul Blomkamp which provide a befitting interpretation of the exhibition’s inspiration by featuring two renowned popular culture icons: Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson. Drawing inspiration from a period that generated revolutionary ideas and tastemakers, the POP exhibition brings together a refreshing selection of 21st century sculptures, paintings, and mixed media. The neat curation of diverse works brings together a playful yet contemporary African art experience. Afterall, popular culture has the longstanding reputation of transcending the ordinary and bringing the thrill of contemporary to the masses and that is exactly what the POP exhibition articulates. The exhibition is a celebration of Pan African contemporary artists and their daring approach to contemporary African art. As a group exhibition, the confluence of ideas between the different medium is a radical coming together of established artists such as Dr Esther Mahlangu and Dr Willie Bester as well as emerging artists such as Aza Mansongi, Papytsho Mafolo and Ronald Muchatuta.
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