Kalashnikovv Gallery and Pablo House present intimate Gallery Nights concept

In a move to offer a more intimate and unique engagement with art, Joburg’s Kalashnikovv Gallery and Pablo House boutique hotel are collaborating on their second iteration and winter edition of Gallery Nights with the Boundless exhibition. All the hotel suites, lounge and reception areas are adorned by the art of 10 young and emerging female artists.

They can be taken in if you go to Pablo House for a drink or meal. When you book a room, you can see the artist dedicated to an individual suite, allowing for a relaxed setting in which the works can be viewed and purchased. 

At the core of this collaborative series is a focus to uplift the creative economies sector and re-examine what a holiday memento could be. The motivation to go with an all-female exhibition speaks to the global art market status quo.

“Globally, the most recent Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report confirmed what we all know — that even though there have been some improvements, the persistent underrepresentation of women artists continues,” said Kalashnikovv associate director Zanele Kumalo.

According to the report, the share of female artists represented inched up to 40% across all dealers working in the primary market or the primary and second markets. This is an annual increase of 1%, and a more significant rise from 35% in 2018.

The report adds that though most collectors may not be biased in their choice of artists, and gender may play a minor role in purchasing decisions, the availability of artists’ works through dealers and other channels ultimately influences the composition of collections, and hence the minority of female artists represented at galleries (and appearing in auction sales) has affected the ratios reported by collectors.

Elaborating on the selection process, Kumalo said: “The gallery team wanted to highlight young women artists, either self-taught or having launched careers from artists’ studios or lecture halls. Young women who encapsulate rural and urban environments and backgrounds, while tackling complex social dynamics in nuanced ways. The show features the next generation of the artists with limitless potential to grow in a multitude of directions both material and conceptual.”

Boundless features the works of Buqaqawuli Thamani Nobakada, Mbali Nqobile Mdikane, Amira Shariff, Kay-Leigh Fisher, Lesego Seoketse, Chuma Adam, Sichumile Adam, Naledi Modupi, Viola Greyling and Muofhe Manavhela. They explore themes of gender expression, cultural identity, spirituality, collective memory, representation and challenging stereotypes, with a commitment to develop a new language through the lens of womanhood and a local perspective on global issues.

Primarily through self-portraiture and its subversion, the group of participating artists reimagines new possibilities on historically traditional mediums of art. The Kalashnikovv and Pablo House collaboration is about supporting the voices and holding space for their different forms of expression.

Boundless is on at Pablo House until September 7. For those who can’t head to the hotel, the show is up for sale on Latitudes.

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