Puncture Points - Where Energy Meets the Everyday

Cape Town art exhibition explores how energy intersects the everyday lives of communities in the Western Cape.

The Puncture Points project commenced by researching 10 different energy distribution channels (agriculture, aviation, construction, commercial industry, the informal sector, the marine domain, mining, the public sector, retail, and transport). The research was driven by the questions: What is the relationship between energy and the everyday in the Western Cape? What are the patterns of connection and the narratives of energy, people and society? Through a series of workshops with a wide range of cultural organisations and related businesses, a team and ethos was formed to ensure that the project would resonate with local relevance.

This ethos is derived from acupuncture or acu-points, which are the various locations on a human body situated on and energy line (meridian), into which an acupuncture needle can be inserted to extract a benefit. Puncture Points then traces the energy flows while investigating how this nuanced relationship creates synergies between energy and the everyday. This energy is studied as a moment of transformation, mobility, performance, interaction, exchange and choreography. Once this research was completed an open call for artworks, designs and art initiatives went out in November 2016, reaching out to the local and independent creative sector in the Western Cape. A total of 48 entries were received — the final selection of 15 artists was confirmed in January 2017.

The Puncture Points project provides a platform for local, independent artists, designers and art initiatives from various areas in the Western Cape to showcase their work to a broad audience and make a connection with local and international art and civil and business society.

Puncture Points – “Where energy meets the everyday”— an art exhibition showcasing 15 talented local artists, who will exhibit their work from Sunday 12 March to Friday 25 March at in the Cape Town Harbour. The exhibition explores how energy intersects our lives every day. Energy flows through us, it connects us to others, it keeps the lights on, helps us get to work, and transports our food. The artists will create this connection in an interactive way and through a diverse mix of art forms.

What is the relationship between energy and everyday life in the Western Cape? And what are the connective patterns and narratives between energy, people and society?

The primary attraction of this exhibition lies in the concept of exploring how energy, in all its forms, is essential to our lives, even when we may not be aware of it.

Energy flows through us, it connects us to others, keeps the lights on, helps us get to work, and transports our food. The artists will create these connections interactively and through a diverse mix of art forms: photography, sculpture, silk-screening, dance, poetry and many more.

Khanyisile Mbongwa, Curator of the Exhibition says “The Cape Town Harbour is a Puncture Point, a critical distribution centre that impacts daily on all our lives. There is a coming and going, arrivals and departures — a constant flow of energy. Therefore, it only makes sense for society to meet at this critical Puncture Point to interrogate and explore the intersections of energy through the creative interpretation of our artists.”

Mbongwa continues by saying that the objective of this project was three-fold; firstly, it gives talented artists from all areas in the Western Cape an opportunity to explore their own creativity in relation to energy and how it intersects our daily lives; secondly it gives them a platform to showcase their talent. Finally, it brings people and communities together to explore this concept and expose them to our local talent.

The concept behind Puncture Points developed through a series of consultations held with a wide range of cultural and art organisations, individuals and related businesses. A creative team drawn from different fields but united by a common purpose and ethos was formed to ensure that the project would resonate with the local communities with local relevance.

The artists were selected on the bases of how well their proposal met the Puncture Points brief. Aspects such as the strength of the concept, its feasibility in terms of production and budget as well as its ability to stimulate dialogue on the theme “Where energy meets the everyday” were also considered. The selected artists were then given a budget towards producing their artworks.

The artists selected are:

Brett Gendall…

…is a multitalented artist who currently focuses on painting as an art medium to explore seascapes in which he uses the texture of the sea’s surface to explore the relationship between the conscious and the deeper subconscious. For Puncture Points, Brett will use silk screen work to depict a series of abstract processes in which there are intersections — such as the docking of ships in a harbour.

Conor Ralph’s…

…work is multi-disciplinary including painting, photography, digital media, installations and research-based interventions. For Puncture Points, Conor will explore migration – the layers of history and human movement which is often symbiotic.

Faatimah Mohamed-Luke…

…is a designer and founding partner of the successful designer brand, Adam & Ave. For the last 10 years, she has honed her skills by participating in numerous fashion weeks and international exhibitions. For Puncture Points, Fatimah is going to focus on the influx and flow of populations – where they come from – where they are going.

François Knoetze & Lesiba Mabitsela…

…met in 2014 while attending OPENLab, an interdisciplinary artist workshop. This meeting marked the beginning of a string of collaborations along shared aesthetic and conceptual interests. For Puncture Points, Lesiba and Francois would like to create work which explores the current energy crisis in South Africa in relation to the country’s reliance on fossil fuels such as coal.

Jarrad Ricketts…

…is a multidisciplinary artist, he is a singer, actor, comedian, writer and designer. Jarrad has a keen interest in aesthetics and how they influence the way people interact with design. For Puncture Points, Jarrad will create a sculptural installation that explores the socio- economic structures in South Africa.

Joce Engelbrecht…

…is a performing artist who commenced her career in 2001 with a touring production, speaking out about HIV /AIDS. This catapulted into many other theatrical ventures. For Puncture Points, Joce will choreograph stories about energy end-users. Her performance will be informative and based on how dependent we have become on energy without even knowing about it.

Louise Coetzer…

…is a choreographer — founding Darkroom Contemporary in 2010, with co-founder Oscar O’ Ryan. Louise is the artistic director and choreographer for the company, creating works concentrating on innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. For Puncture Points, Louise will explore the theme “Waiting” at terminals or meeting points.

Meghna Singh…

…is a visual artist and researcher from New Delhi, India. Her current focus is on the critical mobility, migration and the invisible class of a mobile population moving around the world due to the capitalist globalised world we live in. For Puncture Points, Meghna will use a multimedia platform to explore when flows are interrupted at puncture points, how they are interrupted, blocked or contained before they can flow once more.

Bongani Njalo

An artist that is very much in demand. Despite being only 28 years old he has already worked on various art projects in several cities. For Puncture Points, Bongani will use performance art to explore spiritual confusion and the energy connections it makes.

Nawaaz Saldulker

An architecture graduate, who owns his own interior and product design company. For Puncture Points, Nawaaz is making a three-meter-high installation to explore how the sum of many parts makes up a whole. With a bit of chaos there is also a bit of or order.

Nomusa Mtshali

A full-time artist based in Cape Town, has spent the last 10 years as a sculptress, achieving much acclaim for her work. For Puncture Points, Nomusa’s sculpture will explore transportation — the connection through mobility and the transfer of energy so that there is a connection that relates with empathy.

Oscar O’Ryan…

…is a South African photographer and videographer who specialises in capturing dance and theatre movement, while pursuing his passion for photo journalism in a variety of photo story projects. For Puncture Points, Oscar will explore and capture public transport and how we all make different uses of it. Mini-bus taxis have an appealing African aesthetic.

Sanele Moya

Known as the Nile River photographer, Moya is a versatile artist who has worked as a photojournalist recording the social conditions people currently face. This became an eye-opening highlight and experience that set him off on a search, seeking a place or space for himself in this Industry. For Puncture Points, Sanele is creating a collage using photography with its ability to freeze a moment in time — to hold you inside a moment, suspending you into the thing it has captured as if nothing else at that moment exists.

Zika Crowned…

…describes herself as an exhibiting artist, a space creator and a creative spirit who is always seeking different forms of individual expression. For Puncture Points, Zika is creating a multi-faceted installation — a collage of three video-scapes, three sculptures and six images. Her concept is to explore the energy created by people who live in a certain geographical location.

“Ultimately the Puncture Points project will provide a platform for local artists, from various areas in the Western Cape, who are at different stages in their careers, to showcase their work and add their voice to the critical conversation around the connection between energy and society,” concludes Mbongwa.

For more information about the exhibition or the artists visit www.puncturepoints.com or contact us on info@puncturepoints.com. Also, visit Facebook and follow on Instagram