Beauchamp describes himself as an artist, multimedia designer, and art director. For the last 12 years he has created artworks by means of painting, spray-paint and stencils to comment on social issues and on the politicians and events that make up the South African social landscape. More recently he has used silk-screening in order to bring the content of the work (that is, critical observation of people and events) closer to a ‘media’ based technique. These works are the artistic version of satirical journalism and social critique, often controversial. Humour is an important ingredient, and in plays, comic book genre, paintings, and prints the artist does not attempt only to lampoon local personages, but seeks simultaneously to depict their stereotyping by the media. This dual vision (of looking at events both from the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’) reflects the way in which perception is shaped by the media and subsequently becomes reality, and affords the viewer a glimpse of contemporary local politics as well as lived experience in the urban jungle.
The exhibition at JAG will focus on these issues in a new body of work. The shifting political atmosphere of the current South African climate will be unpacked through this exhibition. A documentary is also being shot throughout the making of this exhibition.
Vusi Beauchamp (b 1979) studied printmaking and painting at the Tshwane University of Technology and Graphic Design at Damelin.
His solo exhibitions include: “Terrorist”, Kalashnikovv Gallery (2016); Collector’s Room Fried Contemporary Pretoria (2016) – featured artist; Woordfees Stellenbosch (2016); Paradyse of the Damned, Pretoria Art Museum (2015); “Smoking Cheese”, Obert Contemporary, Johannesburg (2009).
Paradyse of the Damned is a continuation of Vusi Beauchamp’s earlier exhibition of the same name held at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2015.
For exhibition information please contact Colin Groenewald at coling@joburg.org.za or 011 725 3184
The gallery is located on King George Street, between Wolmarans and Noord Streets in Joubert Park, Johannesburg.