A selection of reviews/citations that are available on the web for your perusal. Please check the artist’s Shortened CV for more articles.

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Amy Halliday: Art South Africa V6.4 (Main Feature Article)
‘.ZA Young Art From South Africa’ at Palazzo

Unpredictability, argues Minette Vari, is the primary unifying feature of young South African art today. Speaking alongside Berni Searle and Sue Williamson at the exhibition, .ZA: Giovane Arte dal Sud Africa, held at the Centre for Contemporary Art at Palazzo delle Papesse in Siena, Italy earlier this year, Vari and her colleagues spoke with admiration of the up-and-coming generation’s work, which reflects and refracts this unpredictability. Chief curator Lorenzo Fusi appointed Vari, Searle, Williamson, as well as Kendell Geers and Marlene Dumas, to act as co-curators and cultural interlocutors in selecting a group of young artists still residing or mainly operating in South Africa, and largely unknown to a European public.
By having artists rather that curators overseeing the exhibition, Fusi sought to avoid “a bad reprise of any given recent biennale”, constituting, instead, a symbolic passing on of the torch from internationally accomplished artists to their younger colleagues, many of whom are painfully caught between the implications of remaining in South Africa or pursuing a career in the diaspora. The title of the show laconically captures this generation’s tension between the local and the global as they grapple with the central question, “Should I stay or should I go? Read More

Rat Western: Artthrob, March, 2008
‘.ZA Young Art From South Africa’ at Palazzo delle Papesse, Sienna

Affording internationally recognised, mid-career artists an opportunity to select younger artists for an important exhibition, thereby giving ‘the nod’ to the younger artists as potential ‘successors’ is the refreshing concept behind’.ZA Young Art From South Africa’, currently on show in Sienna. In addition to making a few of his own choices, curator Lorenzo Fusi enlisted the assistance of five South African artists – Marlene Dumas, Kendell Geers, Berni Searle, Minnette Vári and Sue Williamson – inviting each to put forward three names. Read More

Sandra Federici: The Courier, April/ May 2008
.Za: Young Art from South Africa

“It is possible to speak of South Africa without falling into the traps of cliché about race, apartheid, colonialism, class, poverty and AIDS?” asks Kendell Geers in his text for the exhibition catalogue, .ZA – Young art from South Africa.

This is the very challenge underscoring the exhibition produced by the Centre for Contemporary Art Palazzo delle Papesse in Siena. As stated by director Marco Pierini, this initiative started with the purpose of “photographing” the country’s young artistic production in collaboration with more mature artists (Marlene Dumas, Kendell Geers, Bernie Searle, Minnette Vári, Sue Williamson), each of whom has been requested to choose three artists. The exhibition’s creator Lorenzo Fusi has joined them. Read more

Johan Myburg: Beeld, 8 November 2007
Bliss – Mark Cloet, Jacki McInnes en Johan Thom Fried Contemporary, Pretoria

Dat die titel van dié uitstalling  misleidend of ten minste  meerduidig gaan wees, verwag ’n mens wanneer jy by die galery instap. En so gebeur dit ook met Bliss.

Soos op enige goeie kunsuitstalling verken die drie kunstenaars dié konsep, verruim dit en draai dit selfs op sy kop. Maar op minstens een vlak is die betekenis van “bliss” soos in “gelukkig” ononderhandelbaar: Die manier waarop die werke in die Fried Contemporary aangebied word. Die galery is nie oorvol nie, die werke kry kans om asem te haal en, les bes, knoop die werke van die drie kunstenaars ’n sinvolle en stil gesprek met mekaar aan. Read More

A LOOK AWAY ISSUE 5, 2007 – Cover + Inner

You can download the inner by clicking Here

Robyn Sassen: Art South Africa, 2007
Johan Thom ‘The Theory of Flight’, Bag Factory, Johannesburg, 1 – 30 November 2007

On paper, Theory of Flight relates to the Greek legend of Icarus, son of Daedalus, who constructed wings of wax in an attempt to fly. His arrogance took him too close to the sun, which melted his wings, causing him to fall in the sea and drown. In performance, Theory of Flight evokes the surreal play of values surrounding Schulz’s careful crafting of a human attempt to capture what gives birds the power to fly. It is considerably less comforting a series of images than the Greek reference, and also more emotionally unwieldy. Read More

Anthea Buys: mail and Guardian, Pick of the week (9 Aug 2007)
Johan Thom at the Bag Factory

Sean O ‘Toole: Financial Times,  17 August 2007
An evening o f performance art at The Bag Factory, Johannesburg

(The above article appears online @ http://secure.financialmail.co.za/07/0817/life/clife.htm)

Ingrid Stevens: Art South Africa, Vol 2 Issue 3, 2004
Johan Thom at Outlet

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