A R T T H R O B _ N E W S

OK, so artthrob has been slacking a bit lately, I know; they’ve been late on releases, and this time, are even missing a few of their regular features. And web geeks like me have been giving them a hard time (at least in our heads – and a much harder time than they deserve). But we have to remember that it’s free, it’s great, it was started as a one woman show, and it fosters the arts in ways that other SA institutions should (and often do) bow to.

So, as they try to find ways of working without their talented ex-editor, Sean O’Toole, let’s give them some space for the holiday season. Next year is, well, a new year.

In the meanwhile, read about the standard bank young artists of the year, including the very deserving Wim Botha and PJ Sabbagha (not that the others are not deserving, but moreover that I can’t say so, as I do not know their work).

And of course, we hear loads from Carine Zaayman, but the best is this little number: Five steps to holiday bliss. Its premise is the question, “Can you say that being a ‘new media practitioner’ today is analogous to being single? ” OK, so sometimes it (as in, the analogy) works, and sometimes it doesn’t, but at least it’s really funny, and she gives you some places to surf n’ shop (and I mean web not ocean)….