Son Gallery present DAN HALTER Shifting the Goalposts
4 June – 4 July 2010 Dan Halter, from the series Shifting the Goalposts (2010)
Private view 3 June 6.30pm – 9pm
Son Gallery is proud to present an exhibition of new prints by Zimbabwean born artist Dan Halter who now lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa. ‘Shifting the Goalposts’ is a project based around the Beitbridge border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, a location notorious for illegal immigration.
Those coming into South Africa are often met with harsh and xenophobic conditions upon arrival.
In the dozen images that will be displayed, Halter switched a set of goalposts from a football pitch in the deprived Musina South Africa for a set of goalposts from another pitch in Beitbridge Zimbabwe, subtly politicising both pitches which now each have local and foreign goalposts. The photographic series depicts a dirt football pitch in the Musina township similar to those where the majority of South Africans play the game.
SON GALLERY WAREHOUSE 9C 133 COPELAND ROAD LONDON SE15 3SN In the run up to this years World Cup in particular, this dusty reality sits in stark contrast to the current slick and costly mega-stadiums that have recently been built by the government in South Africa’s major cities The phrase ‘Shifting the goalposts’ describes the questionable political manoeuvres carried out by the Zanu-PF in the Zimbabwean government to cling onto power. It also applies to the South African government’s attempts to bring an end to the Zimbabwean crisis. Furthermore, it serves to illustrate the tendency towards corruption, and neglect of promises made by both governments. Will South Africa end up like Zimbabwe? Frequently the Zimbabwean immigrants find on reaching South Africa that the goalposts have shifted, often to their detriment.
The prints will be accompanied by Halter’s video piece ‘Space Invader’. Imitating the 8-bit Space Invader character designed by Tomohiro Nishikado in 1978, Halter uses the Chinese made plastic mesh bags which have become synonymous with refugees across the word as pixels to create Space Invader installations. This particular video piece shows an installation at a Johannesburg taxi rank, a port of entry for many African immigrants.
For more information contact Nicola Jeffs nicola@songallery.co.uk / info@songallery.co.uk / 07794 694 754
Notes to editors
Son Gallery would like to thank the What If The World Gallery in Cape Town and the Goethe Institute for their support in creating this exhibition.
DAN HALTER
Dan Halter was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1977. He relocated to South Africa and graduated in 2001 from the Michaelis School of fine Art at the University of Cape Town with a BA (FA). Previous solo-shows were at the João Ferreira Gallery in Cape Town titled Take Me to Your Leader (2006) and another called never say never that took place at the Derbylius Gallery in Milan (2008). He has been part of numerous group shows including Second to None at the South African National Gallery, Zeitgenössiche Fotokunst aus Sud Afrika at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (NBK) and VideoBrasil in SãoPaulo. In 2008 he was shown at the 3rd Guangzhou Triennial in China, and he was nominated as one of the MTN new contemporaries. That same year he took part in two residencies, one in Zurich and one in Rio de Janeiro. In 2009 he represented Zimbabwe at the 10th Havana Biennale. He teaches part time Videography at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, UCT. He will show work at Dakart 2010. After his exhibition at Son Gallery he has been selected for the Glenfiddich residency programme in Scotland.
SON GALLERY WAREHOUSE 9C 133 COPELAND ROAD LONDON SE15 3SN
SON GALLERY
Son Gallery is a photography-led exhibition space in Peckham, South London, which opened its doors in early 2010. After a flurry of opening exhibitions the gallery has earned an excellent reception and is now settled into a longer series of exhibitions for its summer programme. Directed by curator Guy Robertson and photographer Tom Saunderson, who also codirect New Exposure, the gallery seeks to promote the dissemination and appreciation of photography inspired work – pushing this into ever challenging contexts. Son Gallery has a commitment to integrating innovative social documentary work into a calendar of fine art orientated exhibitions. For more information visit www.songallery.co.uk Dan Halter, from the series Shifting the Goalposts (2010) SON GALLERY WAREHOUSE 9C 133 COPELAND ROAD LONDON SE15 3SN
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