Identity and Art
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Interview with Monna Mokoena owner and gallerist of MOMO gallery
Kat Pichulik: In what position do you place yourself as a gallery in an African art context? You have chosen to affiliate yourself with The Encounters of Bamako the art initiative of Ministry culture of Mali and Cultures France to represent more photography by artists from the African continent in the international art market. Does that alter or shift your identity as a gallery?
Monna Mokoena: An African context? I think for a long time we have been insular as a country looking mainly within, focusing within what’s happening here. Of course with the demise of Apartheid, ushering in a new country led to the dissolution of boundaries within the African continent. I feel we need to engage more with the rest of the continent. As a gallery [MOMO] I think we have made a statement that there are no more borders: that we as a South African gallery are proud of this continent and therefore we showcase work from this continent.
KP: People like to focus on your identity as very important in regards to the identity of the gallery. Especially, as you are the only African gallery owner in the very white dominated field of South African galleries. How do you respond to this?
MM: There are other people who started opening galleries at the same time as I did that happen to be white. Why is that question not imposed on them? It’s a business like any other, black or white is irrelevant. It’s about how truthful you are in the work that you are doing. That’s more important to me than the labels and the titles. I think it’s unfortunate that people have to focus on an individual, especially in this business called the arts. I believe the works are far bigger than Monna Mokoena.The work should take precedence.
KP: How hard do you feel it is to cut into the South African art world as a relatively young gallery in the context of very established galleries such as Goodman and Stevenson?
MM: I think these galleries are steeped in history whereby individuals such as Linda [Givon] have pioneered these spaces. I think I have positioned myself in a very definite manner. We don’t view ourselves within a hierarchical approach. It’s a partnership, taking a chance with unknown artists, up and coming and putting whatever recourses into those artists .My decisions in regards to choosing artist is very personal ,aesthetically as well as conceptually. I believe they must be dealing with a universal subject matter .That is how I engage with artists.
KP: Where do you see MOMO gallery in the future? Do you see yourself franchise?
MM: No, the South African art market is too small. The country itself is geographically too small. The art world, with regard to business, is changing. Art fairs and the internet allow one to reach larger markets.
KP: What were the curatorial intentions of your stand at the Joburg Art Fair?
MM: There is nothing as beautiful as minimalism. No obstructions, allowing works to live comfortable in that space. Accessibility is also important. I think this is an extension of the values I subscribe to at my gallery, hence the gallery doesn’t have a trelidoor or buzzer. We have an open-door policy and anyone can come in. Our property is not surrounded by a fence. Perhaps I hate being claustrophobic – its in my nature – I need openness.
KP: Art theorist Andrew Lampbrecht made a comment that if the art world was a company it would not be BBE compliant, do you agree with this statement?
MM: It’s the truth. It’s a global issue in regards to the art world. Let’s move away from the gallery and look at the economic mobility of the world: it’s rather the patrons of art, the people who want to spend money on art, that are [racially] skewed. It’s more white and less black. But I must say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are seeing a lot of people starting their own self funded institutions and programmes in the [African] continent. There definitely is somewhat of a paradigm shift in regards to the art world and there a shift within the mix in regards to who is collecting art.
Kat Pichulik: In what position do you place yourself as a gallery in an African art context? You have chosen to affiliate yourself with The Encounters of Bamako the art initiative of Ministry culture of Mali and Cultures France to represent more photography by artists from the African continent in the international art market. Does that alter or shift your identity as a gallery?
Monna Mokoena: An African context? I think for a long time we have been insular as a country looking mainly within, focusing within what’s happening here. Of course with the demise of Apartheid, ushering in a new country led to the dissolution of boundaries within the African continent. I feel we need to engage more with the rest of the continent. As a gallery [MOMO] I think we have made a statement that there are no more borders: that we as a South African gallery are proud of this continent and therefore we showcase work from this continent.
KP: People like to focus on your identity as very important in regards to the identity of the gallery. Especially, as you are the only African gallery owner in the very white dominated field of South African galleries. How do you respond to this?
MM: There are other people who started opening galleries at the same time as I did that happen to be white. Why is that question not imposed on them? It’s a business like any other, black or white is irrelevant. It’s about how truthful you are in the work that you are doing. That’s more important to me than the labels and the titles. I think it’s unfortunate that people have to focus on an individual, especially in this business called the arts. I believe the works are far bigger than Monna Mokoena.The work should take precedence.
KP: How hard do you feel it is to cut into the South African art world as a relatively young gallery in the context of very established galleries such as Goodman and Stevenson?
MM: I think these galleries are steeped in history whereby individuals such as Linda [Givon] have pioneered these spaces. I think I have positioned myself in a very definite manner. We don’t view ourselves within a hierarchical approach. It’s a partnership, taking a chance with unknown artists, up and coming and putting whatever recourses into those artists .My decisions in regards to choosing artist is very personal ,aesthetically as well as conceptually. I believe they must be dealing with a universal subject matter .That is how I engage with artists.
KP: Where do you see MOMO gallery in the future? Do you see yourself franchise?
MM: No, the South African art market is too small. The country itself is geographically too small. The art world, with regard to business, is changing. Art fairs and the internet allow one to reach larger markets.
KP: What were the curatorial intentions of your stand at the Joburg Art Fair?
MM: There is nothing as beautiful as minimalism. No obstructions, allowing works to live comfortable in that space. Accessibility is also important. I think this is an extension of the values I subscribe to at my gallery, hence the gallery doesn’t have a trelidoor or buzzer. We have an open-door policy and anyone can come in. Our property is not surrounded by a fence. Perhaps I hate being claustrophobic – its in my nature – I need openness.
KP: Art theorist Andrew Lampbrecht made a comment that if the art world was a company it would not be BBE compliant, do you agree with this statement?
MM: It’s the truth. It’s a global issue in regards to the art world. Let’s move away from the gallery and look at the economic mobility of the world: it’s rather the patrons of art, the people who want to spend money on art, that are [racially] skewed. It’s more white and less black. But I must say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are seeing a lot of people starting their own self funded institutions and programmes in the [African] continent. There definitely is somewhat of a paradigm shift in regards to the art world and there a shift within the mix in regards to who is collecting art.
posted by Robert Sloon at 1:44 PM
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