in two minds, Marcus Neustetter
a chat with the artist on Thursday 17 April 2008 at 18:00 – 20:00
Art on Paper Gallery, 44 Stanley Avenue Braamfontein Werf (Milpark), Johannesburg South Africa
Marcus Neustetter: in two minds, site-specific installation, 2008
Although Marcus Neustetter’s latest exhibition at Art on Paper Gallery invokes processes of mapmaking – representing space by drawing it in two dimensions on a map – it is not about conventional cartography. Rather, he introduces the element of motion into the mapmaking process, intimating the aspect of time in the exploration of geographical space. In fact, Neustetter’s art is about finding a method of referring to our experience of the coalescence of space and time.
On the last evening of Neustetter’s ascent of Kilimanjaro in December 2006 the night was so clear that the lights of the city of Moshi at the foot of the mountain seemed to be reflected in the stars of the sky. The sky above could as well have been a map of the landscape below. Neustetter generated digital maps of these reflections exploring the structural similarities of various spaces at specific times.
Marcus Neustetter considers his solo exhibition as an opportunity to articulate his ideas and concepts about dealing with a profound personal experience, and searching for the relationship between seemingly random occurrences in his life and subsequent visual ‘translations’. The exhibition includes an installation, digital traces, drypoint prints, drawings, photographs and images presented on SANSUI LCD screen.
Marcus Neustetter was born in Johannesburg on 14 November 1976 and attended the Deutsche Schule zu Johannesburg. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, and his Masters Degree in 2001. During this time he launched sanman (Southern African New Media Art Network).
He has been a professional artist since 2001 and, in partnership with Stephen Hobbs, has been developing The Gallery Premises, The Trinity Session and their artistic collaboration, Hobbs/Neustetter, as documented in www.onair.co.za.
Marcus Neustetter lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
www.marcusneustetter.net
The exhibition closes on 26 April 2008
