The cerebral edge of Stephen Hobbs’s art is shown in this wide-ranging and thoughtful exhibition at David Krut Projects, writes Melvyn Minnaar.
Hidden meaning: Camouflage is an apt theme for the Stephen Hobbs exhibition Permanent Culture that requires careful examination to reveal the full story.
‘Camouflage” – a delicious word and an inspiring concept, especially for an artist – is both the visual theme and metaphoric construct of Stephen Hobbs’s latest tight and thoughtful show.
The word seems somewhat prescient, for Hobbs’s art doesn’t normally allow effortless entry. A second and third look, as well as contemplation, are required tickets for Permanent Culture at David Krut in Cape Town.
Yet, for all his rigid conceptual grounding (isn’t his art always mostly about art?), there is surprisingly beautiful stuff to look at, as well as some entertaining, even humorously theatrical, accoutrements.
The range is wide: high-crafted prints in various media, makarapa-styled genuine World War I helmets, a coffee-table vitrine of a mini real garden/topographic layout, papier-mâché mannequin heads (“puppets to confuse the enemy”), mirrors, but not smoke (Pop-up Forest II). And then a kind of ersatz studio/workshop assemblage of work-in-progress, samples and so forth.
Hobbs has set up a very site-specific installation. It has the pleasing sensitivity and precise execution of a devoted hobbyist.
The war room
A cute report penned by Justin Fox, The Hobbsian Line, which accompanies the exhibition, is an ode to playing war games and building balsa-wood model planes.
“Site specific” here means history, fiction, research, inventive thinking and, yes, construction. Overall the installation in the long gallery can even be read as a play-play “war room” without disturbing the serious artistic investigation.
The David Krut gallery – a lovely, unassuming old structure under the tall Newlands trees at Montebello – is, as Hobbs points out, in itself “camouflaged” – both in the literal sense and from the grand, high-profile, high-street, high-art galleries doing business in Cape Town.
Not entirely an “alternative space”, it connects actively with and reflects the process of art-making through its print workshop, publishing and exhibition programme.
For full review by Melvyn Minnaar see Mail & Guardian
WHAT, WHERE & WHEN: Permanent Culture is on at David Krut Projects, Montebello Design Centre, 31 Newlands Ave, Newlands, Cape Town 7700, until April 25.
