Whatever Works: Do You Love Larry and Woody?

Whatever Works is a Woody Allen film starring creator of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David. Woody Allen’s films are off-beat on their own with genres ranging from bizarre romantic comedies to riveting thrillers. Whatever Works is a bittersweet romantic comedy of sorts… including: Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr. and Michael McKean. Larry David plays Boris Yellnikoff, an aspect of his obsessive and socially awkward Curb Your Enthusiasm character, which is ironically based on himself. He’s an intellectual (a genius if you asked him) and a Professor with delusions of grandeur to those that know him, who was almost nominated for a Nobel Prize for his work in quantum physics.

Boris takes pity on Melodie (Wood), a young runaway from the South, whose gullible innocence and homegrown honesty is a welcome change of pace to his ex-wife’s predatory esteem and academic prowess. She’s 21-years-old, in need of temporary accommodation and willing to learn and earn, despite the elderly professor’s rude and eccentric manner. Over a few days, the two begin to grow fond of each other with Boris’s out-of-ten assessment of character and beauty on the rise and Melodie’s maternal appreciation for the man’s need for TLC and intellectual stimulation kicking in.

Things take a turn for the worse, when Melodie’s mother (Clarkson) arrives after a long search for her missing daughter, followed closely on the heels by Daddy (Begley). Allen’s Harold & Maude odd couple plot is suddenly reinvented as the many incantations of love take the stage, with a host of eccentric characters pushing-and-pulling the narrative along. Whatever Works is based on the principle that any relationship can work without a prescribed formula… as long as it works. Crude examples of man and livestock aside, Whatever Works is a witty, understated romantic comedy that woos the best of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Woody Allen.

Whatever Works starts with Larry David breaking the fourth wall, as he goes on to expound on the story behind his limp and his love life philosophy. An extended medium shot and speech of him addressing the audience lets us know this movie is going to be unconventional. North and South, Jewish and Christian, Man and Woman, Man and Man, Woman and Man and Man, Old and Young… almost every relationship breaks tradition in this “experimental” romantic comedy. He momentarily breaks the fourth wall throughout the film as he makes the odd self-reference and reinforces the story-telling device.

Whatever Works is not for everyone and is best suited to fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm with David’s socially awkward sense of humour shining through, with Woody Allen reining him in behind camera. The two would probably self-combust if they had to share a scene, recalling classic duos like Matthau and Lemmon, and Allen doesn’t even take a cameo role. David begins as a shade of his callous Curb Your Enthusiasm character and slowly evolves into a less acerbic, more likable character… like Woody Allen actually.

This is an art film and strays away from Hollywood predictability, formula and conventional comedy with its cross-section of New York making Love, Actually look like a heart-shaped chocolate box. It’s rarely sentimental and uses its bipolar range of character performances to create dramatic tension with life’s unexpected narrative driving the story home to the tune of “Whatever Works”. Its entertaining, engrossing and laugh-out-loud take on the mysteries of love challenges preconceptions and inherent prejudices. It may offend some viewers, but for maximum enjoyment, it all needs to be taken with a pinch of coarse dry salt. As they say… whatever works.

The bottom line: Bittersweet.

ScreenPlay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za

Two Internationally acclaimed artists to exhibit at Light From Africa Ceramic Art Gallery

The Light from Africa Foundation (LFA), an internationally recognised NGO situated on the awe-inspiring Constantia Nek, are thrilled to introduce and welcome some of South Africa’s leading ceramic artists to showcase their internationally acclaimed products in the gallery space.

Ardmore, one of South Africa’s greatest success stories in the ceramic world, will be showing their Summerhill Stud Equestrian Collection for the first time at the LFA gallery. Inspired by the caregivers of Summerhill Stud; the artists create everyday stud scenes of stallions, mares and foals being born; along with riders on their favourite mounts with hounds at foot. Familiar Ardmore urn and tureen forms are adorned with horses leaping from within and yearlings galloping to victory. Ardmore’s ceramics, which have earned the description of ‘modern collectables’ by Christie’s of London, will be on show from the 31 October – 25 November.

During December and January, art lovers will be treated to an exhibition by award-winning Stellenbosch ceramic artist, Laura du Toit. A common theme throughout her work is bringing her interest in shapes, textures and colours she finds in nature alive; finding inspiration in volcanoes, fossils and geological formations. Du Toit makes use of a variety of materials such as Kalahari sand, oxides and multiple stoneware firings to enable her to capture the essence of weathered surfaces and intriguing patterns of the earth.

The LFA foundation which raises funds, through the sale of unique handcrafted ceramic artwork, continues to support small, community-based homes for children whose lives have been severely affected by poverty. Many of them are affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

LFA is proud and honoured to host these two exceptional exhibitions and going forward the focus of the foundation will be to operate the breathtaking gallery space, purely as an exhibiting gallery for visiting artists.

Light from Africa Ceramic Art Gallery Hours: Mon to Fri 10h00 – 16h00
Also open every last Saturday of the month from 10h00 – 14h00
Tel: +27 21 794 0291 | Cell: 082 372 3135
Fax: +27 21 794 0293
Email: info@lightfromafrica.com |www.lightfromafrica.com

New Boy at the NewSpace

Acclaimed UK play ‘New Boy’ makes its South African premiere at The NewSpace Theatre, with an all South African cast.

The opening minutes of this play have me slinking lower in my seat, rather embarrassed, as I wait to sense the reaction of the friend next to me in response to the very explicit sexual discussion taking place from the stage.

But it doesn’t take long for us to settle and for the references to become really funny.

This is a pertinent look at sex. And high school. And how the experiences of those two are intricately entwined.

Barry is the New Boy – aloof and attractive, who pays very few people any attention. And yet, he establishes a friendship with the ultra-stereotypically-looking-and-behaving nerdy Mark. They are, it emerges, both virgins, although Mark has spent a lot of time thinking about how best to change that, while Barry waits for the one. Mark’s encouragement to change that status quo leads to all sorts of interesting developments, in their lives, and in their friendship.

It’s not hard to imagine why the girls would, and do, fawn after Barry – Stephen Jubber has a beautiful body (a shower scene leaves very little to the imagination). But it is Clive Gilson as Mark who must take the proverbial cake. He really assumes the part – looking and behaving every bit the struggling schoolboy in a perfectly believable performance.

My other favourite thing is the set… colourful and functional, with sliding bits and many things which open and shut. Unassuming lockers yield glasses of wine and changes of clothes. Much credit to the production team, whose design and lighting go a long way towards making this show work.

The supporting roles are not to be underestimated, with the most credible performance by Gahlia Phillips.

It’s funny, contains much truth, and is really well presented – in my opinion easily one of the better offerings from The NewSpace this year.

Directed by Russell Labey, adapted for stage by Labey, from the novel by William Sutcliffe. Lighting is by Jane Gosnell with set designed by Leopold Senekal. Starring Stephen Jubber as the new boy Barry, Nicole Franco as Margaret, Clive Gilson as Mark, Dylan Edy as Dan, and Gahlia Phillips as Louise.

New Boy runs at The NewSpace Theatre (44 Long Street) till 15 November 2009. Performances are from Mondays to Fridays at 8pm with a matinee show at 5pm on Saturdays. Tickets range from R95 to R130 via Computicket and Mondays are ‘buy one get one free’ nights via 021 422 5522. PG 16 (language and nudity).

Fiona Gordon
fiona@artslink.co.za
www.artslink.co.za

END OF CITIES by Stephen Hobbs

Stephen Hobbs. End of Cities Study 1 (2009). Archival print. 650 x 650mm

Stephen Hobbs. End of Cities Study 2 (2008). Archival print. 650 x 650mm.

Stephen Hobbs. End of Cities Conversation Govender_Hobbs October 2009
(2009). Marker on Plastic. 1600 x 2500mm

Stephen Hobbs. Searching for Alephs (2009). Archival print. 320 x 420mm.

End of Cities represents the final exhibition in a three year trajectory of projects centered around
Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town respectively. Hobbs initiated this body of work with a view to reframing his principal preoccupations with photography where consistent documentation of particular subjects, construction sites, buildings, urban debris, contradictory information in the landscape etc serve as the starting point for a series of new sculptural and architectonic expressions.

The collective body of work over this three year period has sought its particular conceptual and formal properties through a particular responsiveness to the architectural and spatial qualities of each of the exhibition venues and to varying degrees particular references to each city.

End of Cities demonstrates the most developed of these objectives through a range of works inspired by the incomplete state of the gallery itself and an even more overt incomplete highway network on the City foreshore.

End of Cities celebrates the area of the ‘unfinished’ highways as a non-place of fantasy and projection. Hobbs’ engagement with Thiresh Govender, architect and fellow city enthusiast has inspired a conversation around this study area influencing both the installation at the new Blank Projects exhibition space and the public domain.

Stephen Hobbs and Thiresh Govender will conduct a walk of the study area which includes an intervention at the unfinished highway site. The walk will commence from the ‘old’ Blank Projects space at 198 Buitengracht street in the Bo-Kaap at 18:00 on Friday 6 November.

RSVP for the walk before the 31st of October by sending a mail to blankprojects@gmail.com

Acknowledgements:
Project supported by The Trinity Session & Thiresh Govender

A Moment in Time: Charity auction for Missing Children SA

Boss Models and Artist Management with Bell-Roberts Gallery invite you to an exhibition of photographic works by some of South Africa’s most talented fashion photographers.

Alexa Singer| Antonia Steyn| Anthony Friend|Bevan Davis| Byron L. Keulemans| Candy Kennedy| Charl Marais| Damon Fourie| Fanie Nel|Gerda Genis| Helena Rautenbach|Inge Prins| Igor Polzenhagen| Justin Polkey| Jacques Weyers| Jonathan Taylor| Johan Wilke| Milan Cronje| Marguerite| Natasha Fourie| Romi Stern| Ross Garrett| Sam Norval

Original images are available for purchase to the highest bidder, with profits going to the Missing Children SA Charity.

The exhibition runs from 23 – 30 October 2009

Fairweather House
176 Sir Lowry Road
Woodstock
Phone: +27 (0)21 465 9108
E-mail: gallery@bell-roberts.com
Hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm
http://bell-roberts.com

Moon: New Moon, No Vampires

Moon is a perfect blend of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris, starring Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell with Kevin Spacey as the voice of GERTY. Duncan Jones, aka Zowie Bowie, writes alongside Nathan Parker and directs what will no doubt become a staple entry in the science fiction genre… and not because Ziggy Stardust is his father. Jones in his debut feature film, demonstrates his directorial ability within the confines of a limited budget as Sam Rockwell delivers a powerhouse performance.

Moon harnesses the same empty, slow-moving, deep space quiet of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, except the scope is narrowed to a moon-base, HAL9000 is GERTY and Dr. Dave Bowman (Dullea) is replaced by Sam Bell (Rockwell). While Solaris’s influence is experienced in the surreal, weightless and emotional circumstances of our astronaut protagonist as he comes to the end of a lonely, three-year stint harvesting and dispatching a resource capable of blunting Earth’s energy crisis (nothing like Dune).

Essentially, Duncan Jones has created a space odyssey of his own by moving the telescope from the stars to focus on the Moon with a stronger lead performance and a more complex computer, while retaining the thought-provoking, timeless and monolithic scope of Kubrick’s classic. While the telescope is focussed on the Moon, looking from the other end will narrow the focus on humanity, which is a primary undercurrent to the story of Moon and Sci-Fi in general.

Moon has also been strongly influenced by Soderbergh’s vision for Solaris, a hauntingly beautiful and surreal Sci-Fi starring George Clooney. Both films have the same feel in terms of size, their understanding of alienation and the characterisation of Sam Bell in Moon and Snow in Solaris, played by Jeremy Davies. The character of Sam Bell shares the same strange love/hate relationship for his occupation as an astronaut.

Essentially, Duncan Jones has learned from other’s triumphs and failures. The difference between him and other directors working within the genre, is that he has taken the best elements of two noteworthy Sci-Fi films and refined them. Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was all director, Soderbergh’s Solaris was too abstract. Jones has harmonised these inadequacies, by bringing in the talent of Sam Rockwell and tying a string back to Earth, instead of letting the balloon float into a black hole as witnessed in Solaris. The result is a contemporary Sci-Fi, which has a pointed message about resources and technology that reverberates realism and a sense of future truth.

Moon could easily be a one-man stage play if audiences were willing to use a little imagination. Sam Rockwell is the central character with Kevin Spacey’s voice as supporting actor from inside GERTY, a mobile computer console with an emoticon display panel to denote its emotional state (a movie on its own). There are televised transmissions of several other characters, but its Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey for about 90% of the screen time.

This ambitious move would certainly destroy a film’s entertainment value if it weren’t for the story’s regenerative ability to build upon itself (and the achievement of its influences). Jones is literally standing on the shoulders of giants, which would put him amongst the stars if it weren’t for Moon’s interdependent relationship with its influences. Whatever its origins, one can’t help but admire the film’s strengths for what they are. Its ambitious accomplishment as a film and haunting, mysterious quality leave other Sci-Fi entries in its moon dust. Moon is an excellent, well-rounded Sci-Fi… from its small budget to its monolithic message for humanity, it’s a film about Earth as much as it is about the Moon.

The bottom line: Haunting.

ScreenPlay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za

New print designs by Jesse Breytenbach

Jesse has been printing up some stunning new designs for Kamersvol Geskenke. These linoleum block prints on cotton and linen (above) will be made up into bags and cushions for the show.

View more work by Jesse.

Visitor

(almost) a solo exhibition by Liza Grobler and NEW guest artists daily ends this saturday (24 October).

Bring your picnic baskets and join us in the museum garden for the closing event: A monumental lace-making performance by Pierre Fouché and Liza Grobler (11am).

Irma Stern Museum Hours:

Tuesday – Saturday 10am -5pm

Cecil Road,  Rosebank

(o21) 685 5686 or 083 256 1170

Moving images – now still

When I was about 15, I read a description of a photograph of a dancer in a book I was reading for a boekverslag. It described a young man, mid-flight – in a jump so high that the floor he had left and would return to was so far away it did not even form part of the captured image. And since then I have had a fascination with the way that the images, particularly of dance, are captured.

So often, photographers miss the nuance of the movement, the lighting obscures, or a fast-moving foot vibrates into a blur. So often dissatisfactory.

I became aware of Garth Stead as photographer when I noticed he had taken the publicity picture of Mamela Nyamza for the Baxter Dance Festival this year. It was a superbly intentional image.

And then in awe, when I received copies of the publicity pics for Jazzart’s ‘partly god’. I even said to my flatmate that I couldn’t believe what an amazing photographer he was. Particularly of movement. How excited I was to see more of his work. That was on Friday night.

Today there is an article in the Cape Times – a tribute to the life of this man who “painted in pictures”.

“No foul play is suspected”, they say.

So tragic, that so often, genius is tortured.

What an incredible loss to the art world.

I cannot begin to imagine, for those who knew him…

www.garthstead.co.za

Fiona Gordon
fiona@artslink.co.za
www.artslink.co.za

New Work by Tessa Wethli

It’s always so exciting when you open a kiln that’s been fired to well over 1000 degrees and see what is inside it for the first time since it has undergone the process of change. But what with clay and glazes being unpredictable (to say the least!) this can sometimes be an unpleasant suprise. Recently I had occasion to be pleased when I opened the door and found these happy products. I’ve been experimenting with some new patterns and I like the effects it has produced.

Blog posted by Tessa Wethli