Art on our Mind interviews, research, links and reference material on South African fine arts curator Nontobeko Ntombela compiled in 2017.
Art on our Mind CREATIVE DIALOGUE with Nontobeko Ntombela
Sharlene Khan in discussion with Nontobeko Ntombela on her career as a fine arts curator in front of an audience at the Rhodes University Fine Arts Department in Grahamstown, South Africa.
Media files:
Art on our Mind PRE-TALK with Nontobeko Ntombela
The Art on our Mind team in discussion with Nontobeko Ntombela on her career as a fine arts curator at the Rhodes University Fine Arts Department in Grahamstown, South Africa.
Media files:
TALKS: Previous talks by Nontobeko Ntombela.
ARCHIVE
CAREER: Documentation of Nontobeko Ntombela’s career from 2010 to 2017 for research purposes. Includes catalogues, articles, book chapters and essays.
Works: created and provided by the artist/creative (digitally or scanned original) or found online (detailed referencing of source and photographer): video / photo / audio / text / etc.
MA Thesis
Ntombela, N.M. (2014) A Fragile Archive: Refiguring | Rethinking Reimagining | Re-presenting Gladys Mgudlandlu. Wits MA Thesis, available at: http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/13730
Exhibition Catalogues
Ntombela, N.M. (2015) Spectaculaire: XXVIIe Ateliers Internationaux du Frac des Pays de la Loire – L’Afrique du Sud. Carquefou: FRAC. Exhibition Catalogue.
Maart,B. and Young, E. (eds.) (2010) MTN New Contemporaries. Exhibition catalogue. Durban: Kwa-Zulu Natal Society of Art.
Journal Articles
Ntombela, N.M. (2013) Silent Toyi-Toyis in the work of Donna Kukama and Reshma Chhiba. n. paradoxa.vol 31. pp. 23- 32.
Book chapters
Ntombela, N.M. (2017) Practitioning. A Few Notes on Curatorial Training in Africa. In: Silva, Bisi and Stephanie Baptist (2017) ÀSÌKÒ: On the future of artistic and curatorial pedagogies in Africa. Lagos: Centre for Contemporary Art, pp. 167-180.
Ntombela, N.M.,Kristina Lee Podesva, Mark Beasley, Mami Kataoka (2016) Louder Than the Frame. In: Markopoulos, Leigh (ed.) Great Expectations: Prospects for the Future of Curatorial Education. London: Koenig Books, California College of the Arts and the Banff International Curatorial Institute. pp. 32-47.
Ntombela, N.M. (2016) Shifting Contexts: Contemporary South African Art in Changing Times. In: Liebhammer N. and Hamilton C. (eds.) Tribing and Untribing the Archive. Scottsville: University of Kwa-Zulu Natal Press. pp. 86 – 115.
Ntombela, N.M. (2016) On Being Taught. In: Whitfield, Ashley (ed.) Winter School: 2015 The Everyday Workbook. Johannesburg: Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA). pp. 41-42.
Ntombela, N.M. (2016) Remastered. Exhibitionist La Critique. Issue 12, June 2016. pp. 56-57.
Ntombela, N.M. (2015) Curatorial as Education. In: Murinik T. (ed)Constructure: 100 Years of the JAG Building and its Evolution of Space and Meaning.Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery. pp.130-143. https://issuu.com/designinformation/docs/constructure_-_100_years_of_the_jag
Ntombela, N.M. (2014) SPECTACULAIRE: A Moment in Time and a Time that Remains. In: Spectaculaire. Carquefou: FRAC. Exhibition Catologue. pp. 12-28.
Ntombela, N.M. (2014) In Dialogue. In: Nkosi and Sunstrum (eds.) Compendium. Johannesburg: iThuba Art Gallery. pp. 40-44.
Ntombela, N.M. (2014) Murray Kruger in Conversation with Nontobeko Ntombela. In: Laurence, M. (ed). [Working Title]. Johannesburg: Goodman Gallery. pp. 50-53.
Ntombela, N.M. (2014) Benezit Dictionary of Artists, A short biography on Gladys Mgudlandlu. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/book/oao_benz
doi: 10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.B2278412
Ntombela, N.M. (2013)Ke Lefa Laka. In: Khan, S (ed). Lebohang Kganye: Ke Lefa Laka. Johannesburg: Market Photo Workshop and Tierney Foundation. pp. 15-16.
Ntombela, N.M.(2012) A Journey Worth Contemplating. In: Mbongeni Buthelezi. Art catalogue, Sibisi Gallery, Johannesburg.
Ntombela, N.M.(2012) Curating Performance. In: Stemberger, C. Alterating Conditions: Performing Performance Art in South Africa. Johannesburg: Bag Factory Art Studios. pp. 78-79.
Ntombela, N.M.(2011) Modern South African Artists. In: Ntombela, N. and Neluheni, M. (eds.) Jagged. Museum education supplement. Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery. pp. 16-18.
Ntombela, N.M. (2011) Contextualising Makamo. In: Malatjie, P. City Scapes. Johannesburg: Museum Africa
Ntombela, N.M. (2011) Inserting the Self: My Heritage – My Identity. In: Xakaza, M. Who Am I? Ngingubani?Durban: Durban Art Gallery. pp. 36-49.
Ntombela, N.M. (2002) A review on Jane Alexander at the Tatham Art Gallery. Natal Witness Weekly, May 2002.
Curated exhibitions
2013-14
Spectaculaire, Frac Des Pays La Loire, Carquefuo, France (MadeYouLook, Donna Kukama, Thenjiwe Nkosi, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum). 16 November 2013 – 19 January 2014.
2013
The Two Talking Yonis, a solo show by Reshma Chhiba, Constituion Hill, Room Gallery & Kalashnikov, Johannesburg, 8 August 2013
2012
Trade Rerouted, a performance intervention by Donna Kukama and Anthea Moys, Joburg Art Fringe and Art Fair.
A Fragile Archive, Johannesburg Art Gallery (featuring works of modern black women South African artists: Gladys Mgudlandlu, Bonnie Ntshalintshali, Allina Khumalo, Eliza Xaba, Noria Mabasa and Helen Sebidi)
Made in Africa: Towards Cultural Liberation, co-curated with Andile Magengelele, Sandton Art Gallery. (featuring works of artists working and living is SADC regions).
2011
MaNyauza(Mbongeni Buthelezi’s Mid career retrospective), JAG Looking as Learning, (selected works from the JAG collection) co-curated with Musha Neluheni, JAG
Ugqozi Lwe’ntambende (a group show of artists from KwaZulu Natal North Coast Region), JAG
2010
MTN New Contemporaries Arts Award, KZNSA Durban, 14 September – October 2010 (Donna Kukama, Kemang waLehulere, Mohau Modisakeng & Stuart Bird)
WITS School of Arts, Martinsen Prize 2010, Museum Africa (co-curated with Khwezi Gule, Gabi Ngcobo), Johannesburg,
Layers, a collaboration between Yvette Dunn and Nothando Mkhize, Goodman project space Arts on Main, Johannesburg
2008
Modern Fabrics, BAG Factory Johannesburg, 22 September 2008. (Mlu Zondi, Mary Sibande, Nothando Mkhize, Dineo Bopape, Thando Mama, Rike Sitas & Zama Dunywa)
2007
Durban Odyssey, a solo show by Alex Flett, at DUT Art Gallery
Toward the Democrasitation of Art. DUT Art Gallery as part of the Beyond Boarders conference hosted by the Durban University of Technology Inqolobane (a collection of the DUT Art Gallery), Durban
From Here to There, AVA (Association of Visual Arts) Cape Town, March 2007, Co- curating with Storm Janse van Rensburg (select works from artists living and working in Durban)
2006-2009
Emma Smith Art Award Scholarship and Exhibition (annual), A Faculty of Arts competition administered by the DUT Art Gallery
2004
Igalelo Lika Trevor Makhoba, BAT Centre, Durban
2003-2004
Women’s Day exhibition BAT Centre, Durban (annual)
Collaborations
The Two Talking Yonis – collaboration with Reshma Chhiba
Chhiba, R. (2017) The two talking yonis : the use of Hindu iconography in conversations of race, identity, politics and womanhood within contemporary South African art. Nidan : International Journal for Indian Studies, Volume 2 Number 2, pp. 44 – 60
This article looks at the use of Hindu iconography within South African visual art practice and its relation to race, identity, politics and womanhood in the work of Reshma Chhiba. It draws primarily on work from the 2013 exhibition entitled The Two Talking Yonis: Reshma Chhiba in conversation with Nontobeko Ntombela, and discusses Chhiba’s use of the image of the goddess Kali, the concept of yoni, the use of Bharatanatyam and understandings of feminine energy in relation to womanhood. It also threads a narrative of Chhiba’s ancestry through a poetic description of her grandmother’s journey from India to South Africa, and the embodiment of Kali as a form of defiance not only in her work, but also in her grandmother.
https://journals.co.za/content/journal/10520/EJC-c195dbc56
BlackMark: Collective Critical Thought (BMCCT)
Black Mark Visual Art Symposium (VAS) eGoli 2017
https://blackmarkcollective.wordpress.com/vas-2017-programme/
Black Mark Visual Art Symposium (VAS) eMonti 2015
https://blackmarkcollective.wordpress.com/vas-emonti-2015/about-2/
https://blackmarkcollective.wordpress.com/vas-emonti-2015/about-2/symposium-programme/
Talks/lectures with photo/text/audio/video documentation – including the slide show/presentation / also for Art on our Mind
2017
Black Artists, White Labels, Continued. Aluta continua, Doing it for Daddy, Department of Fine Arts, Rhodes University, 16-17 September 2017
White Exhibitions, Black Artists: Attitudes of the Timeless Tribal. Gendered Making/Unmanned Modernisms Gender and Genre in Indigenous and Colonial Modernisms, Centre for African Arts, Wits University (13 June 2016) and University of Cape Town (17 June 2017). http://multiplemodernisms.maa.cam.ac.uk/crafting- modernism-june2016-capetown/
2016
Facilitator – Curatorial Programme, Asiko International Art School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. July
Visiting Curator, Stroom den Haag, Nederlands. 28 June – 1 July.
2015
Facilitator – curatorial programme, Asiko Art school, Maputo, Mozambique. July
A Fragile Archive. Lucid Lunchbox talk, 27th August 2015, 13-14h, Seminar Room, Art Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
Convenor: Visual Art Symposium Emonti 2015, Walter Sisulu University, East London South Africa. Non-formal Reading Groups exchange programme between black scholars of Michaelis – School of Arts, Rhodes University – History of Arts, Wits School of Arts and Walter Sisulu. 8 – 11 September 2015.
David Koloane in conversation with Nontobeko Ntombela, Winter School: The Everyday, VANSA, Johannesburg, 10 June 2015
Panel discussion: The Role of Education in Audience Development. Eunice Lab:Convening New Audiences, 27 – 29 May 2015
Curatorial Education, Symposium, California College of the Arts, California, March 2015
Guest Lecture: On Curating, Arts Department, Unisa, 19 February 2015
2014
Trails in the Archive: A feminist reading on the public position of Gladys Mgudlandlu. The Fifth Annual, Feminist Art History Conference. University of America, Washington DC. 30 October – 2 November
African Art, What for? Can’t we just talk about art? Workshop: Blind Spots and Ways of Not Seeing. History of Art Department, Rhodes University, South Africa. 16 – 17 October.
Tracing invisible processes in A Fragile Archive and rethinking exhibition practices, 26 September 2014, Lecture Series #10 Centre for Curating the Archive, UCT
http://www.cca.uct.ac.za/cca/honours-in-curatorship/2014-course/speaker-series
https://www.uct.ac.za/usr/cca/pdf/nontobeko_ntombela.pdf
Panel discussion: Regarding Women. Momo Gallery Park Town, Johannesburg, 20 August 2014
A Fragile Archive: Recollecting History through Exhibition, The Arts of Human Rights: A Workshop Collaboration between Bard College and the University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg), held at WISER, August 5-7
Panel Discussion chair: Positions of Enunciation: presenting, reading and receiving by the Rivers of Birminam exhibition, University of Johannesburg art gallery, 27 July 2014
Off Centre: Beyond the Museum, Contemporary Art in the Public Sphere, Lecture Series, Centre for African Art, University of Witswatersrand, 07 May
Sounds of Change Conference in Addis Ababa, exchange between Wits School of Arts and Alles School of Arts. 27 April – 5 May
Themed Panel Discussion: Hustling scholarship for African urban public cultures. Conference on Cities, Wits Architecture Department, University of Witswatersrand. 27- 29 March 2014
Social Art and the Anti-Social Art Institutions. Conference on “Social Art” KZNSA Durban March 15, 2014
2013
Guest Lecture: Curatorship Explained, Arts Department, Unisa, 19 February 2013
Convenor: Curatorial Talks, Wits School of Arts. Johannesburg South Africa.
http://www.goethe.de/ins/za/joh/kul/mag/frs/en10470224.htm
Curatorial Intensive Johannesburg, Independent Curators International (ICI), 7-12 March
IKT Lab #3 – African Art, What For? IKT Lab, Paris. 10 December 2013
http://www.proximofuturo.gulbenkian.pt/blog/ikt-lab-african-art-what-for
2012
Convenor: Refiguring Women, Goethe Institute Southern Africa.
http://curatorialtalks.wordpress.com
Workshop on the publication UnTribe – to present a paper based on use of traditional material in Contemporary art.
A Fragile Archive (presentation), Parking Gallery
2011
Artist, Citizen and State: A lopsided Triangle? In conversation with Joseph Gaylard, Public Art Conference, Johannesburg Art Gallery
Representing the Republic as a Responded with Rike Sitas. Presenters Faith 47 and Ismail Farouk. Public seminar as part of the 2012 Republic; Art, Authority Nationhood, GPCA, Cape Town City Hall.
2010
Shifting Landscapes in the Work of Helen Sebidi. Helen Sebidi Colloquium
Curators Workshop. Tasks of Curatorship ran by Claudia Stemberger:
2007
Durban Audiences as Curators. Seminar discussion Joburg Art Fair 2008.
Art as Advocacy. The New Kirkcudbright International Arts Festival, Scotland
2006
Curator’s workshop VANSA 2006, Roben Island, Western Cape South Africa
2004
Art Advocacy in Public Spaces as a Tool to Tackling Social Threats, such as HiV/Aids. IMPACT
Secondary sources reviewing/presenting creative and their work (authored by someone else) and participation (talks/conferences/exhibitions)
Book chapters/exhibition catalogue entries, books/catalogues published about the creative’s work (monographs/solo and group exhibitions)
Interviews and feature articles published online or print
Jayawardane, M Neelika (2018) ‘From No Fixed Place’, a space appears. Mail & Guardian16 February 2018
https://mg.co.za/article/2018-02-16-00-from-no-fixed-place-a-space-appears
Bambalele, Patience (2012) A new take on history. Sowetan Live30 January 2012
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/good-life/2012-01-30-a-new-take-on-history/
Sassen, Robyn (2012) The studious observer: Nontobeko Ntombela. Mail & Guardian23 March 2012.
https://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-23-the-studious-observer-nontobeko-ntombela
Warren, Tamara (2012) Nontobeko Ntombela and The Art of Curating. Life and Times
http://lifeandtimes.com/nontobeko-ntombela-and-the-art-of-curating
Reviews, articles/texts written about group/solo exhibitions/performances or events the artist participated in or work was shown, published in print or online (including reviews, etc)
2013
Fragile Archive
May, Jackie (2012) A Fragile Archive. The Times3 February 2012
https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-times-south-africa/20120203/281831460628890
Spectaculaire, Frac Des Pays La Loire, Carquefuo, France
(MadeYouLook, Donna Kukama, Thenjiwe Nkosi, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum). 16 November 2013 – 19 January 2014.
http://fracdespaysdelaloire.com/fr/programme/13/au-frac/spectaculaire
Exposition “Spectaculaire” au Frac des Pays de la Loire (2013). Site du Conseil régional des Pays de la Loire: Exposition “Spectaculaire” au Frac des Pays de la Loire. http://www.paysdelaloire.fr/culture/actualites/detail-de-lactu/n/exposition-spectaculaire-au-frac-des-pays-de-la-loire/
https://www.frac-platform.com/fr/les-frac/frac-des-pays-de-la-loire
http://www.ifalethu.org.za/dmdocuments/20130620_IL_france_dossier_presse.pdf
The Two Talking Yonis, a solo show by Reshma Chhiba, Constituion Hill, Room Gallery & Kalashnikov, Johannesburg, 8 August 2013
2012
Trade Rerouted, a performance intevention by Donna Kukama and Anthea Moys, Joburg Art Fringe and Art Fair.
A Fragile Archive, Johannesburg Art Gallery (featuring works of modern black women South African artists: Gladys Mgudlandlu, Bonnie Ntshalintshali, Allina Khumalo, Eliza Xaba, Noria Mabasa and Helen Sebidi)
Made in Africa: Towards Cultural Liberation, co-curated with Andile Magengelele, Sandton Art Gallery. (featuring works of artists working and living is SADC regions).
2011
MaNyauza(Mbongeni Buthelezi’s Mid career retrospective), JAG
Looking as Learning, (selected works from the JAG collection) co-curated with Musha Neluheni, JAG
Ugqozi Lwe’ntambende (a group show of artists from KwaZulu Natal North Coast Region), JAG
2010
MTN New Contemporaries Arts Award, KZNSA Durban, 14 September – October 2010 (Donna Kukama, Kemang waLehulere, Mohau Modisakeng & Stuart Bird)
WITS School of Arts, Martinsen Prize 2010, Museum Africa (co-curated with Khwezi Gule, Gabi Ngcobo), Johannesburg,
Layers, a collaboration between Yvette Dunn and Nothando Mkhize, Goodman project space Arts on Main, Johannesburg
2008
Modern Fabrics, BAG Factory Johannesburg, 22 September 2008. (Mlu Zondi, Mary Sibande, Nothando Mkhize, Dineo Bopape, Thando Mama, Rike Sitas & Zama Dunywa)
2007
Durban Odyssey, a solo show by Alex Flett, at DUT Art Gallery
Toward the Democrasitation of Art. DUT Art Gallery as part of the Beyond Boarders Conference at hosted by the Durban University of Technology
Inqolobane(a collection of the DUT Art Gallery), Durban
From Here to There, AVA (Association of Visual Arts) Cape Town, March 2007, Co- curating with Storm Janse van Rensburg (select works from artists living and working in Durban)
2006-2009
Emma Smith Art Award Scholarship and Exhibition (annual), A Faculty of Arts competition administered by the DUT Art Gallery
2004
Igalelo Lika Trevor Makhoba, BAT Centre, Durban
2003/2004
Women’s Day exhibition BAT Centre, Durban (annual)
Residencies
2013
XXVII Ataliers Internationaux FRAC Des Pays De La Loire in France as part of the South Africa – France Season 2012-13. 16 September – 17 November 2013.
2008
Drill Hall, Joubert Park Project, Johannesburg, 4 March – 4 April 2008.
2007
German South African Bilateral Curatorial Exchange: Collaboration between the Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism in partnership with the German Foreign Affairs Department. (Oct – Nov 2007), Germany
The New Kirkcudbright International Arts Festival, Scotland (July 2007)
2004
The New Kirkcudbright International Arts Festival, Scotland (23 July – 1 Sept 2004)
2003
Internship/residency: Innovation Centre; USA University of Connecticut & Rutgers University New Jersey, coordinated by Caversham Press, Howick, KZN (October 2003)
2002-2003
Artist’s in Residence: ‘Break the Silence’, at the University of Dundee, Gracefield Art Centre – along with conducting workshops in four local Schools in the Dumfries and Galloway region (Oct 2002 – Feb 2003)