Stable Attraction

Stable Attraction delves into the intricate dynamics of cross-cultural collaboration, bringing together artists from Singapore and South Africa in a residency program designed to foster creative exchange. The program pairs artists with diverse backgrounds and practices, encouraging them to explore new cultural landscapes and artistic environments.

19 October 2024 - 27 October 2024

The Women’s Jail, Constitution Hill

The residency culminated in a showcase of the collaborative artworks, where the synthesis of these cross-cultural exchanges became evident. The pieces created during Stable Attraction embody the push and pull of different artistic voices, mirroring the complexity of the bonds formed between the participants. The exhibition serves as a testament to the power of creative partnerships, revealing the depth and richness that emerge when diverse forces come together in a balanced and dynamic exchange.

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Stable Attraction.jpg
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Stable Attraction.jpg
Stable Attraction.jpg
Stable Attraction.jpg
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Stable Attraction.jpg
Stable Attraction.jpg
Stable Attraction.jpg

Between Lizzie Wee and Mamma Sibiya, there is a common medium of the moving image and an interest in capturing the ties and relationships formed within a specific community in their films. Their shared background of both curatorial practices and working with larger institutions in an operations capacity, which both artists can build upon. Dylan Chan and Sam Ngcobo are both artists who rely on recurring motifs and symbols within their work. While Chan’s work is expressed mainly through image-making and sculptural installation and Sam is a painter, both of them explore the contrast in using sentiment and symbolism with clean aesthetics and forms. Former studiomates, Isa Pengskul with Solomzi Moleketi, delve deeper into their working relationship. Penskul’s conceptual responsive works to nature echo the paintings Moleketi creates of various landscapes in response to the land around him.

Central to this exchange is the notion of balance—both in the physical journey across South African cities and in the creative interactions between the artists. As they navigate new experiences, they encounter the "stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces," a concept inspired by covalent bonds in chemistry. This metaphor reflects the delicate equilibrium needed to merge distinct perspectives, practices, and cultural influences, resulting in works that resonate with both harmony and tension.

Featured artists