What am I doing here? Ke dirang ha?
An exhibition of monoprints will run from July 6 through July 18, 2010
‘What am I Doing Here? Ke Dirang Ha?’ is an exhibition of paintings and monoprints by artist in Botswana, Ann Gollifer exploring the condition of being an exotic in the exotic. Ann’s work is inspired by issues of the human condition, history and identity, both personal and collective.
Several of the pieces include vignetted photographic self portraits of the artist wearing high heels, carefully holding personal objects and memorabilia such as a wine glass, cigarette, her grandmother’s hand mirror or a small ornamental windmill.
This concept of working with the female body was inspired by a second hand book of photographic nudes from the 1950s. These nudes are positioned under studio lights and shot as pin ups in random domestic poses. Thus the mundane is made strange by the photographer’s gaze. The distance from the ordinary or in this case the nudity is reminiscent of early social anthropological documentary photography.
Overprinted are images that represent Botswana for Ann – a line of village dogs, a Brahmin bull, a women collecting firweood or the statues of the three founding chiefs of Botswana; Khama, Sebele and Bathoen.
The resulting work addresses the relationships or lack of relationships we have with the world around us. As Ann puts it, ‘I am seen but not seen. I see but do not see’. Although the references are personal, the sense of wonder and feeling of displacement are universal.
“Ann Gollifer is an artist who, through her personal search, has cut a path
of innovation, technical and aesthetic excellence and ambitiousness which
has made many of us explore our own limitations with more skepticism.
Unsurprisingly, we are again subjected to a sensuous treat of the delicate
and powerful.” – STEVE JOBSON, EXHIBITION JUDGE, 2009 ARTISTS IN BOTSWANA EXHIBITION NATIONAL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, GABORONE
Ann Mary Gollifer is a permanent resident of Botswana since 1985 living and working in Gaborone. She was born in British Guiana, (Guyana), of an English father and an Amerindian mother. A member of the Thapong Visual Art centre, she was part of the executive committee responsible for the building of the centre. She has also helped run design, drawing and painting workshops for artists, fundraised for workshops and residencies and organized exhibitions and juried shows and awards.
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