Wim Botha: Busts

WIM BOTHA

Busts 2003 – 2012

Theaa invasion, word scrutiny, Spec- Named for its place of origin, Joburg Altarpiece is the culmination of a seinspection Intinuously the firstries ofgroup largeislino prints, some of which have been individually in explored ulum and introThe first relatively dense and heavy.

Composite figurative sculptures The word Speculum refers todark, ‘a dense medical instrument forexhibited dilating the opening of a The first group isinrelatively dark, and heavy.

Composite figurative sculptures For his first solo show Johannesburg since his Standard Bank Young Artist exhibition installation, Botha fragments traditional baroque sculptural planes to convey a complexity the past two years.

In the Altarpiece eight panels are combined to complete since his 2003 installation commune: onomatopoeia.

The construct of defined space willof refers spection. are carved from bibles, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and wood, in a continuing evobodyvity in order to examine the interior.’

Serving as a common thread between the Named for its place of ori- evoare creating carved from bibles, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and wood, insmall a continuing informs, 2006, Wim Botha presents a new sculptural installation, large and individual three-dimensional sketches of light and lightness in space.

A cacophony of the project.

The component images, sourced from historical paintings and beto conveyed bythe aJoburg single black wooden strip that will geometrically through the space, ‘alution Botha’s of paper busts for which is known.

These are suspended in space, many facets of thein works, it implies aBotha process ofsnake invasion, scrutiny, inspection and For his first solo show Johannesburg since Standard Bank Young Artist gin, Altarpiece is the culmination ofThese a series of large lino prints, lution ofinthe paper busts for which Botha ishisknown. are suspended inexhibition space, drawings and recent large-scale prints. wings, carved from polystyrene, and a serpentine arrangement of fluorescent tubes present a sculptures, are skeletonised stripped ofThis their originalspace meaning.

The suggesting the outline of walls, doors andthe furniture. notional inhabited medical stallations fragmenting morphing.

While elements of traditional portraiture suggest introspection. in 2006, Wim Botha presents abeen new sculptural installation, large and small individual some ofand which haveexhibition exhibited individually in the past twoisyears.

In by fragmenting and morphing.

While the elements of traditional portraiture suggest The title of Botha’s is a neologism formed by combining chaotic struggle.

Infigurative what be a suggests contemporary retelling of the archetypal life-and-death resulting dansecould macabre itscase own mythology, with fluid identities works multiple media, with sculptures, prints, paintings and allThese formaninstruassortment ofin fragments, suggestive of both human and animal forms.

-Botha which insome kind of coherent identity, in this nothing more concrete isdrawings delivered than Botha’s installations -eight which incorporate sculptures, paintings and prints - reflect on drawings and recent large-scale prints. the panels are combined to‘apocalypse’ complete the project.

The some kind ofAltarpiece coherent identity, inthe this case nothing more concrete isearth delivered than ‘apocalypse’ and ‘agnosia’.

Botha notes that is generally The exhibition is primarily concerned with the passage of time, its origins and implicastruggle of the eagle and the serpent, dualistic conflict of heaven and is played out. and indeterminate intent. ing part of his intricate installations.

These reflect on and subvert the symbolic imagery sculptures are carved from rough laminated pine which Botha has formed, in his words: ment corporate a sense of flux and transition. the individual’s absorption into the encompassing hierarchical structures of statehood component sourced historical paintings and sculptures, a sense of flux and transition. understood toimages, mean the end offrom the but fact means The title of Botha’s exhibition is aworld, neologism formed bythe combining tions. works make use of visual elements that have origin in languages Metaphorically, the serpent is bound toBythe earth andtheir the in eagle isliterally released from thatof ofThe power, religion and art history. visually interfering with venerated forms ofbondart, for sculptures, and society.

By visually interfering with venerated forms of art, artefact and decoraThe exhibition is primarily concerned with the passage of time, its origins and implicaare skeletonised and stripped of their original meaning.

The resulting revelation or unveiling (of knowledge), while agnosia is a neurological ‘apocalypse’ ‘agnosia’.

Botha notes that ‘apocalypse’ is generally natural history, art history and ancient mythology, and are presented in a semi-strucBotha works in multiple media, with sculptures, prints, paintings and drawings all formage.

When the two come together in heated conflict, there is a metamorphosis, and a magIn the lower central panel of the Altarpiece, Botha has introduced the artefact and decoration, the artist offers questions related to the underlying implications ... with aggressive motions and an avoidance of refined form and labored detail, looking dilatpaintings The second installation, titled Solipsis, isand carved from polystyrene and incorpotion, he offers comment on the distorted ephemeral nature grandeur and tions.

The works make use suggests ofaccording visual elements that have their origin in of the languages of danse macabre its own mythology, with fluid and The second installation, titled Solipsis, isthe carved from polystyrene incorpocondition which, to one definition, results inidentities ‘an inability understood toinstallations. mean the end ofsolids world, but in literally means tured constellation seems to suggest aThese non-linear timeline. ing part of his intricate reflect on and subvert the symbolic imagery nificent, chaos-infused dragon, a attempt hybrid serpent with wings, isfact born, aand symbol ofto division, forms ofthat the Platonic or regular which have entranced -these and frusof systems and structures that to define who we are.

In several of his installations instead for accidental marks and spontaneous expressiveness.

Some of forms are spoing the and prints rates a cluster of fluorescent tubes.

This is an epic figurative group in the tradition tradition.

In several of his installations this subversion of symbolic imagery alludes to natural history, art history and ancient mythology, and are presented in a semi-strucindeterminate intent. rates a know, cluster ofname, fluorescent tubes.

This an epicmeaning figurative group in the tradition to identify, toisextract from visual, auditorevelation or unveiling (of knowledge), while agnosia is athat neurological ofthis power, religion and art history.

Byand visually interfering with venerated forms of with art, disintegration, strength and trated -toor man through the ages.

These forms reappear in the installation subversion alludes totransformation. the systemic decay inherent symbolic representations related radically painted smeared with white paint, creating a in partial skin contrasts and opening -ofreflect on of scenes of battle and conflict, as depicted in paintings and sculpture through the the slow but inevitable decay that edifices to authority and self-importance are bound tured constellation that seems to suggest a non-linear timeline. scenes of battle and asoffers depicted in paintings and sculpture through ry,condition or tactile impressions’.

The thus implies ourthe inability to truly which, according toword one definition, results in with ‘an inability tothe Saturn, or Kronos asisThings the godconflict, of time aquestions central theme, and links various other and decoration, the artist related to underlying implications Amazing from Other Places, in which a number of sculptural pieces to power.

This coupled with a forms reconstructive desire, simulating found imagery in an conceals the raw and rough surfaces of the wood. ofartefact a body the indiages.

Though the subject matter is violent, the brightness and lightness of the mateto undergo.

In the lower central panel of the Altarpiece, Botha has introduced ages.

Though the subject matter is violent, the brightness and lightness of the matepossess knowledge about the world even asthe it reveals itself tomateriality us. know, to name, to identify, and to extract meaning from visual, auditomotifs related to traditional depictions of time, or of god of time himself.

This is of systems and structures that attempt to define who we are.

In several of his installations The artist first explored dramatic monumental sculpture through the of polyare suspended in a coherent but fragmented and multi-faceted arrangealtered way that allows the possibility of a revision of our assumptions.

As in the Solipsis installation, this illusory space is situated in the realm of the immaterial. cavity inor vidual’s rials bring an almost otherworldly atmosphere the installation, imbuing it with Saturn, Kronos as the god of time or forms a central theme, and links with various other the forms of otherworldly the Platonic regular solids which have entranced - truly rials bring anor almost atmosphere to to the imbuing it with a a ry, tactile impressions’.

The word thus ouredges inability extended with references toto evolution, origin and artificial orsymbolic induced mutation. this subversion alludes thesolids systemic decay inherent ininstallation, representations styrene in his last solo exhibition in Cape Town in 2010, and continued thisto exploration ment.

The are unique in thatimplies the faces, and angles ofrelated For the artist this is aPlatonic world: order to absorption dream-like quality.

This is supported by the fragility of the material and the sense Upon viewing Wim Botha’s art, one is drawn into an environment of seductive yet motifs related to traditional depictions of time, or of the god of time himself.

This is and frustrated man through the ages.

These forms reappear in the dream-like quality.

This is supported byrevealed theBiennial fragility of the material the sense of of This tension between knowledge and our to compossess knowledge about thename world as itin reveals itself to us. to power.

This isin coupled with a Stevenson reconstructive desire, simulating found imagery in an inexamhis installations Berlin and the Göteborg 2011.

Botha isand drawn to expands this each form are congruent; the ofeven each figure isinability derived from itsand numHis solo exhibition at Michael features new work that continues into the delicacy and ephemerality that it creates. ambiguous signals where art historical references and types create a sombre tension. extended with references to evolution, origin and artificial or induced mutation. installation Amazing Things from Other Places, in which a number delicacy and ephemerality thatillustrated it of creates. prehend it has consequences for the viewer Botha’s work who, while Using as this source motif the depiction of time as aitsequence of events way that allows the possibility avery revision of of our assumptions. unusual sculptural material ‘because its specific character; is lightweight, fragile ber of faces, respectively 4, 6,of 8, 12 and 20.

Plato associated them with the on process, again fusing imagery on Western precedent with local resonance, ...altered the nature of which isstandard indeterminate -based situated somewhere between a parallel metaine the encomThe viewer’s share in this experience is one of almost involuntary association whereof sculptural pieces are suspended in a coherent but fragmented reading the artistic language of signs and materials, is aware that the This tension between knowledge revealed and our inability to comconsecutively arranged according to a linear model, the main installation adapts and and pristinely pure.

In its refractive whiteness it resembles freshly carved marble or snow.’ four classical elements, toof which Aristotle added a fifth.

Leonardo Da Vinci butby incorporating elements the meta-reality present inasare popular science fiction reality that mimics our own, and an internal mind-space, an entirely imaginary world that interior.’ passing hiBotha describes his use of this unusual sculptural material: the various elements displayed acquire a personal meaning.

If all of this sounds Using asalso source motif the standard illustrated depiction of time a sequence of events and multi-faceted arrangement.

The Platonic solids unique in Botha describes his use of this unusual sculptural material: artist’s intentions can never be fully grasped.

The existence of multiple prehend it has consequences for the viewer of Botha’s work who, while perverts this format in three-dimensional space.

By means of a suspended construction His solo exhibition at Michael Stevenson features new work that continues and expands Using a hot-wire cutter, forms are created by cutting deep inside a block, and become illustrated the solids for Luca Pacioli’s book The Divine Proportion, while and Japanese anime.

The works attempt a larger scope, referring to global concerns is private and obscure.

Serving erarchical tooasserious, it contradictions needs to be mentioned that the form work -are both in terms of medium andand consecutively arranged according toisaangles model, the main installation adapts that the faces, edges and of each congruent; the inherent alinear central theme of the exhibition.

Another isand reading the artistic language ofand signs and materials, isThe aware that the ofvisible hexagonal air-conditioning ducting the flow and passage of time, as well as the depicon this process, again fusing imagery based on Western precedent with local resonance, only after cuts are completed and the redundant material falls away.

The inherent the German astronomer Johannes Kepler used them to propose a model the effects of ideologies on individuals groups in conflict. title of the exhibition, Our impulse to construct specific meaning for this installation is ultimately undermined aperverts common structures Polystyrene avoid very character; itThese isBylightweight, fragile and pristinely pure. imagery -polarity is has not ofspecific humour ordeath. irony. are inofof fact consciously considered this format in three-dimensional space. means afaces, suspended construction name of each figure ischaracter; derived from its number respecPolystyrene has aaintentions very specific it of is lightweight, fragile pristinely pure. the between life and can never bepresent-day fully grasped.

The existence of multiple tions of also time -artist’s often serpent-like -the isimplement represented according toensure various time-line theobut incorporating elements of the meta-reality present in popular science fiction limitations of using straight-line this nature aand level of separation for the movements of known planets in the solar system.

Cold Fusion, refers to the holy grail of electrochemistry, a fiercely debated by the artist’s working process which embraces the possibility of multiple contradictory thread of stateFrom a distance it could resemble freshly carved marble, or snow.

Using heavy gauge adjuncts that4, often immediate access uncovering rich seems of of hexagonal air-conditioning ducting the flow andfor passage of time, as well asheavy themeandepictively 8,provide 12resemble and 20.isfreshly Plato associated them with the four From a distance it6, could carved marble, or snow.

Using gauge inherent contradictions a central theme of the exhibition. is works ries: infintite, circular, spiral etc.ofTurning back onthe itself, this sequence withAnother its various and Japanese anime.

The works attempt a and larger scope, referring to Not global concerns and between the intentional gesture the artist resultant form. and much researched technique of inexhaustible energy creation. unlike arguments.

After Botha conceived the conceptual environment asallows defined by thethet black between hood and power tools, like chainsaws and grinders, this soft material for a very sponing.a` tions of time often serpent-like is represented according to various time-line theoclassical elements, to which Aristotle added a fifth.

Leonardo Da power tools, like chainsaws and grinders, this soft material allows for a very sponThe works include Apocalumbilicus, a life-size linoprint depicting a the polarity between life and death. elements suggests a type of system, a volatile organism with high entropic possibility.

The the effects of ideologies on individuals and groups in conflict.

The title of the exhibiperpetual deliberation over these aesthetically seductive in the to oninfintite, show, itand entails thespiral combination of certain elements resulting in forms aan chain reaction lines, the This figurative forms have gradually evolved initself, his studio, without overarching the many society. taneous gestural way of sculpting, an approach that issequence normally very difficult ries: circular, etc.

Turning back on this with its various Vinci illustrated the solids for Pacioli’s book The Divine taneous and gestural way of sculpting, anLuca approach that is otherworldly normally very difficult to skeleton adult and baby, their pose echoing that of the mythological movement of air along an undulating, spiraling and forking path becomes a metaphor tion, Cold Fusion, refers to the holy grail of present-day electrochemistry, a fiercely The brightness and lightness of materials bring an almost atmosphere assumption that they must offer templates for elements of the universe issomewhere the end is more than the sum of the parts. narrative or singular objective, leaving the space metaphorically open for us to see facets ofachieve By visually in sculpture due to its and technical restraints. elements suggests a typedue of system, a physicality volatilethe organism with high entropic possibility.

The Proportion, while the German astronomer Johannes Kepler used achieve in sculpture to its physicality and technical restraints. figure Silenus tenderly cradling baby Bacchus in a sculpture in the The works Apocalumbilicus, acore life-size linoprint depicting aunlike for the passage of time itself. debated and much researched technique ofat inexhaustible energy creation.

Not tothing the installation, imbuing with a dream-like quality. title, installation.

Solipsis, refers to the the premise ofinclude theitfive sculptures the ofThe Botha’s Wherethat is at once intensely personal and indeterminate. the works, interfering movementcollection ofthem air along an undulating, spiraling andcentral forking pathknown becomes a metaphor to propose a model for the movements ofinstallation, the planthe Vatican Museum.

In the Sublimaskeleton adult and baby, their pose echoing that ofand the mythological thet works on show, it entails the combination of elements resulting in athe chain view thatof existence ofpressed the selfrelated is the only that can be exploding; verified; his imagery often to certain thereality Greek Christian gods, in Key works include asolar simulated lead ceiling, fragmented and a violent itphilosophical implies a as previously with venerfor the passage of time itself. ets in the system. tion, two carved wooden skulls face each other at either end of strips figure Silenus tenderly cradling the baby Bacchus in a sculpture in the In the two-dimensional works, skeletal studies of human and animal figures in animated reaction where the end is more than the sum of the parts. world and all it contains is created by the observer’s mind as s/he passes through life.

Inthis series he abstracts the wrestling between man and gods into a constellasculpture of a young Leda and the Swan made out of bone meal and epoxy resin; small, process offorms ated of parquet flooring which erupt towards the centre, pushed upwards collection offinality the Vatican Museum.

In thelight central installation, Sublimaposes subject the assumed ofsculptures death as end of time to and a longer timeframe.

Howdeed, the ethereality of the materials, the fluorescent thethe constructivist presention of figurative and pure geometric forms.

Entering dynamic between painstakingly detailed bronze ofthese aof satyr annihilating the god Bacchus, and Isaac In the two-dimensional works, skeletal studies human and animal figures inthe animated This perpetual deliberation over aesthetically seductive by, the side, dust and, on the other, maize meal.

In tion, two carved wooden skulls face each other atcarved either strips ever, in suggest ignorance of possible spiritual these works remain in the material Key works include aone simulated pressed lead ceiling, fragmented and exploding; a viotation aon fleeting existence that dimensions, could evaporate or transmutate in aof moment. these elements and amarble sequence of portrait-studies inend paper, viewers turning on Abraham; photographs of clouds made up of a myriad puzzle pieces and poses subject the assumed finality ofchandelier death as end of time totemplates asuggesting longer for timeframe.

How- a forms inburnt the assumption that they must offer elemiddle, a wooden rotates slowly, both the of parquet flooring which erupt towards the centre, pushed upwards realm, hinting at another form of continuity.

Two large lino prints subject the original lent sculpture of a young Leda and the Swan made out of bone meal and epoxy resin; are inevitably drawn to position themselves as yet another component in pastel stained-glass window of a isnuclear mushroom cloud. ever, in ignorance of spiritual dimensions, these works remainatin theof material ments ofpossible the universe the premise of the five sculptures mill that grinds aside, substance into aartworks finer the continuation by, on the one marble dust and, on the other, maize In Bacchus, thean moment depicted in two respective historical the reality of themeal. intervening painstakingly detailed bronze sculptures ofform atosatyr the god In small, the second installation Botha returns to the creation ofand aannihilating ‘room within a room’, this disconcerting spatial universe. realm, hinting atcore another form of continuity.Whereas Two large lino prints subject the original the of Botha’s installation. previously his imagery middle, a burnt wooden chandelier rotates slowly, suggesting both the and Isaacspace turning on the Abraham; photographs clouds made up which of a myriad allegorical within abstracted volume ofofa gallery, a theme he haspuzzle conmoment depicted in two respective historical artworksgods, to theinreality of the intervening oftenthat related to athe Greek and thiscontinuation series mill substance intoChristian a finer form the pieces grinds and a pastel stained-glass window ofand a nuclear mushroom of cloud.

4

Generic Self-Portrait as a Common Ancestor, 2003, Afrikaans-English dictionaries, stainless steel, 67 x 44 x 29cm

Generic Self-Portrait as a Statesman, Magnate, Landowner, Hero, Anti-Hero, 2003, artificial marble, velvet, 74 x 41 x 25cm each

8

Untitled (Body Double), 2005, anthracite, epoxy resin, artificial marble, wood, approx 170 x 40 x 25cm

10

Self-Portrait as a Distinguished Man, Partially Decayed, 2003, jacaranda wood, 74 x 41 x 25cm

12

Generic Self-Portrait as a Charlatan, 2006, artificial marble, rosewood, 70.5 x 45 x 25cm

13

Generic Self-Portrait as an Impersonator, 2006, artificial marble, rosewood, approx 70 x 35 x 25cm

14

commune: onomatopoeia, installation view, Africa Remix, Pompidou Centre, Paris, 2005

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Detail from commune: onomatopoeia, 2005, Afrikaans-English dictionaries, stainless steel, wood, approx 90 x 40 x 35cm

Memento Mori, 2005, artificial marble, imbuia, stainless steel, neon, bust: 95 x 75 x 35cm, installation dimensions variable

18

Five Authentic Discoveries, 2006, artificial marble, anthracite, epoxy resin, webbing, dimensions variable

20

Four Classical Distortions, 2006, artificial marble, epoxy resin, webbing, dimensions variable

22

Generic Self-Portrait as an Inflammatory Word (After Houdon), 2007, Afrikaans-English dictionaries, approx 55 x 38 x 20cm Untitled (Double God Vitrine), 2008, Afrikaans-English dictionaries, stainless steel, installation dimensions variable

24

Generic Self-Portrait as a Heretic (foreground) and Generic Self-Portrait as an Exile, installation view, Disguise: The Art of Attracting and Deflecting Attention, 2008, Stevenson, Cape Town

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Generic Self-Portrait as an Exile, 2008, Learner’s Dictionaries (Afrikaans, English, isiZulu, Sesotho), stainless steel, 46 x 32 x 27cm

27

Generic Self-Portrait as a Heretic, 2008, bibles in South African indigenous languages, stainless steel, 53 x 37 x 23cm

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Detail from Vanitas Toilette, 2008, bibles in South African official languages, wood, stainless steel, 101 x 38 x 30cm

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Detail from Quadrate Choir, 2008, bibles (rejects and misprints) in South African official languages, stainless steel, 120 x 30 x 28cm

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Detail from Time Machine, 2008, bibles in South African official languages, wood, stainless steel, dimensions variable

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Portrait IV, 2009, bibles, wood, stainless steel, 39 x 22 x 30cm

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Portrait III, 2009, bibles, wood, stainless steel, 32 x 15 x 28cm

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Portrait II (Patriot), 2009, Afrikaans dictionaries and vocabulary books, wood, stainless steel, 34 x 15 x 27cm

36

Portrait V, 2009, Rhodesian teak parquet blocks, gold leaf, stainless steel, 90 x 45 x 44cm

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Portrait I (Skull), 2009, crossword dictionaries, wood, stainless steel, 48 x 18 x 24.5cm

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Detail from Mnemonic Reconstruction, 2009, Afrikaans-English dictionaries, wood, stainless steel, 95 x 22 x 30cm

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Portrait VI, 2009, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 125 x 33 x 33cm

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Portrait Bust (Daughter), 2010, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, approx 125 x 38 x 33cm

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Portrait Bust (Mother), 2010, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, approx 118 x 35 x 38cm

All This, 2011, installation view, Stevenson, Cape Town

46

Untitled, 2011, World Books, SA Yearbooks (1983-1991), wood, stainless steel, 98 x 150 x 85cm

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Untitled, 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, fluorescent tubes, approx 255 x 190 x 80cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series I), 2010, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 159 x 36 x 40cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series II), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 56 x 37 x 43cm

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Untitled (Witness series I), 2011, African Encyclopedias, wood, stainless steel, 45 x 21 x 22cm

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Untitled (Witness series II), 2011, encyclopedias, wood, stainless steel, 32.5 x 19 x 21cm

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Untitled (Witness series IV), 2011, World Books, wood, stainless steel, 54 x 119 x 42cm

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Untitled (Witness series V), 2011, dictionaries, wood, stainless steel, 52 x 22.5 x 26cm

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Untitled (Witness series III), 2011, encyclopedias, wood, stainless steel, 44 x 31 x 28cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series III), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 162 x 40 x 65cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series IV), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 48 x 60 x 100cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series V), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 36 x 42 x 102cm

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Untitled (Ecstasy series VI), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, fluorescent tubes, 36 x 46 x 102cm

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Untitled, 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, fluorescent tubes, dimensions variable

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Untitled (Ecstasy series VII), 2011, Afrikaans bibles, wood, stainless steel, 90 x 35 x 50cm

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Untitled (Witness series X), 2012, Michaelis Collection catalogues, wood, stainless steel, 46 x 23 x 28cm Untitled (Witness series V), 2011, Michaelis Collection catalogues, wood, stainless steel, 50 x 30 x 27cm

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Untitled (Witness series IX), 2012, Michaelis Collection catalogues, wood, stainless steel, 54 x 26 x 22cm Untitled (Witness series VI), 2011, Michaelis Collection catalogues, wood, stainless steel, approx 50 x 28 x 25cm

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Untitled (Witness series VII), 2011, Michaelis Collection catalogues, ink, wood, stainless steel, 50 x 24 x 24cm

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Untitled (Witness series VIII), 2012, South African Statutes (2000 edition), ink, wood, stainless steel, 59 x 23 x 25cm

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Composite Self-Portrait I, 2010, dictionaries, ink, wood, 57 x 27 x 27cm

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Composite Self-Portrait II, 2010, dictionaries, ink, wood, 58.5 x 26 x 23cm

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Fuse, 2011, charred fire-resistant pine, wood, lacquer, 204 x 61 x 54cm

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Study for Head of an Outraged Youth I & II, 2011, Rhodesian teak parquet blocks, approx 24 x 25 x 47cm each

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Study for Portrait of a Dispute I & II, 2011, Rhodesian teak parquet blocks, approx 48 x 29cm each

80

Portrait of an Outraged Youth, 2011, encyclopedias, wood, stainless steel, 197 x 98 x 97cm

Prism I and II, 2011, bronze, wood, approx 175 x 70 x 55cm each

Prism III and IV, 2012, bronze, wood, left: 203 x 73 x 71cm, right: 199 x 41 x 48cm

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A Thousand Things Part 8, diptych, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, left: 183 x 49 x 32cm, right: 166 x 65 x 28cm

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A Thousand Things Part 2, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 186 x 62 x 38cm

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A Thousand Things Part 1, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 196 x 47 x 32cm

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A Thousand Things Part 4, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 145 x 39 x 39cm

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A Thousand Things Part 11, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 225 x 80 x 132cm

A Thousand Things, 2012, installation view, Stevenson, Johannesburg

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A Thousand Things Part 14, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 121 x 15 x 42cm

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A Thousand Things Part 3, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 174 x 23 x 31cm

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A Thousand Things Part 5, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 138 x 34 x 27cm

100

A Thousand Things Part 7, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 122 x 26 x 28cm

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A Thousand Things Part 6, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 124 x 33 x 34cm

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A Thousand Things Part 38, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 48 x 28 x 24cm

104

A Thousand Things Part 9, 2012, treated pine, acrylic enamel paint, 176 x 15 x 25cm

WIM BOTHA Botha was born in Pretoria in 1974, graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BA (Visual Art) in 1996, and lives in Cape Town. He has received a number of prestigious awards, including the Standard Bank Young Artist Award in 2005, accompanied by a national touring exhibition, and the first Tollman Award in 2003.

He has held seven solo shows at Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg, between 2003 and 2012, and two at Galerie Jette Rudolph, Berlin (2008 and 2011). His work has featured on international group exhibitions including The Rainbow Nation, Museum Beelden aan Zee, The Hague (2012); the Göteborg Biennial, Sweden (2011); Memories of the Future: The Olbricht Collection, La Maison Rouge, Paris (2011); the 11th Triennale für Kleinplastik, Fellbach, Germany (2010); Peekaboo: Current South Africa, Tennis Palace Art Museum, Helsinki (2010); Olvida Quien Soy – Erase me from who I am, Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (2006); the seventh edition of Dak’Art, the Dakar Biennale (2006); and the touring exhibition Africa Remix (2004-2007). Botha’s busts are in the collections of the South African Reserve Bank, Johannesburg; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth; Sanlam, Cape Town; Gordon Schachat Collection, Johannesburg; Sammlung Stahlberg, Germany; and the Olbricht Collection, Germany; among others.

JOHANNESBURG 62 Juta Street Braamfontein 2001 Postnet Suite 281 Private Bag x9 Melville 2109 T +27 (0)11 326 0034/41 F +27 (0)86 275 1918 CAPE TOWN Buchanan Building 160 Sir Lowry Road Woodstock 7925 PO Box 616 Green Point 8051 T +27 (0)21 462 1500 F +27 (0)21 462 1501 info@stevenson.info www.stevenson.info Catalogue 66 | November 2012 © 2012 for works by Wim Botha: the artist Photographers Mario Todeschini, Anthea Pokroy, Wim Botha, Kathy Skead, Lepkowski Studios, Till Budde, Nick Ash, George Mahashe, Jolanda Meyer Editor Sophie Perryer Design Gabrielle Guy Image repro Mario Todeschini Printing Hansa Print, Cape Town – Published on the occasion of the exhibition A Thousand Things at Stevenson, Johannesburg 27 September – 2 November 2012 –