Just announced on The Kebble (The Brett Kebble Art Awards) site two days ago, NYC PoMo star, Jeff Koons, is set to be the third judge in the biggest and boldest SA art competition. There’s been rumors around town that the exhibition mightn’t go on, given Brett’s brush with the law as of late (understatement), but it (the show) must (go on), I gather (and, perhaps, he now needs some good news / press more than ever).
The Kebbles are the only SA art competition that offer technical and architectural support for large-scale and multi-media works produced by emerging artists with no budget, and have, over the last two years, made some names out of mostly unknowns (self included).
The Kebble big wins so far, however, have been mostly “contemporary romantic works,” which explored narrative and emotive concepts within the context of new art. None of us saw Koons coming, even tho they’ve been trying to secure an “international judge” for a while (or so I heard). It makes sense re: Kathryn Smith’s (co-curator) taste, and I know Koons is married to a South African (so has a connection), but this is going to COMPLETELY change who wins, and the feel of the competition (once the winners are announced, maybe even before if he influences Kathy, Nandipha, Clive, or any of the selectors). Change is good, but my guess is that some people are thinking what I am: man, I would have entered something different….
Someone like Gordon Froud, Daniel Hirschmann or Brett Murray will likely take the pie now, methinks. Maybe some of Bridget Baker’s newest work? That’d be cool. Certainly, I’d consider none of these to be undeserved, but a big change from what came and won before. And what does this mean for their new category prize, “beauty”? I said it had to be something with pigs, but Colleen Alborough says maybe ass-hole flowers. Cool to introduce a bit more humor this time ’round.
