ARTISTLAB | IN AND OF CULMINATION

ArtistLab | in and of culmination

culmination
/kʌlmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

The result or consequence of an action or cause / A crucial or decisive point or situation

This online exhibition is the culmination of Latitudes’ five-week ArtistLab mentorship programme, and presents a selection of artworks from each participating artist, works that were produced during the programme. ArtistLab works with artists at varying levels of their careers, mostly emerging, to equip them with the skills and tools needed to navigate the art world as professional artists.

This exhibition explores different ways in which we can experience art, and looks at new means of exhibiting and sharing content. The show highlights the processes in which the artists interact with digital platforms, as well as how audiences may engage with them. Devoid of physical engagement, what other means can we use? How can we innovate to overcome the challenges of experiencing art online?

The show, in and of culmination, seeks to think about culmination not as an endpoint, but rather as transitory, a threshold, a point that can continuously be revisited. It seeks to think about culmination in the astronomical sense. In observational astronomy, culmination is the instant of time of the transit of a celestial object (the Sun, the Moon, a planet, a star, constellation or a deep-sky object) across the observer's local meridian. An object is said to culminate when it reaches its highest point in the sky. Consequently, an object at culmination may equivalently be described as transiting the meridian, or often simply transiting.

Periods of transition are usually filled with unlearning and learning, shedding, letting go of what no longer works and adopting new methods. Something this group of artists have experienced over the course of the ArtistLab mentorship programme. Each artist is in a process of culmination, transiting through their artistic careers, some as practising artists in their own right and others just beginning this journey. The exhibition showcases the rich support, and multifaceted approach to mentorship in the arts. The artists’ works range from photography, sculpture, installation, painting, demonstrating the wide selection of artists and their many interests.

The artists’ works, depth, scale, shifted over the programme and they were encouraged to think about and challenge themselves to consider not only the bond between artist and materiality, but also conversations in exhibiting their art making in a digital platform.

Curated by Nikita Keogotsitse

Latitudes ArtistLab was presented by established arts professionals along with independent artist and educational facilitator, Mandy Johnston. The project was co-founded and managed by curator Leigh Leyde. This free 5-session intensive seminar programme trained participating artists in some of the key skills needed to build a strong foundation for a career in the arts. In addition, artists developed work, under the supervision of established artists. This programme was made possible by the generous support of the National Arts Council. With thanks to the Norval Foundation, Cape Town for providing the beautiful venue.

With special thanks to artists Willie Bester, Ronald Muchatuta and Bonolo Kavula for their role in mentoring the 10 participating artists. Thank you to Nikita Keogotsitse for her insightful curation of the online exhibition. Thank you to the following arts professionals for facilitating the ArtistLab programme:

Mandy Johnston, ArtistLab founder and independent artist; curator Leigh Leyde; Lucy MacGarry and Roberta Coci, cofounders of Latitudes Online; Nkgopoleng Moloi, curator, writer and photographer; Ashley Walters, visual artist; Pyda Nyariri, visual artist; and Michaela Limberis, curator, founder of Art Meets app.

Lionel Mbayiwa's work in progress during an ArtistLab 
Mentoring Session at The Norval Foundation, 2021