Nandipha Mntambo Contributes Short Film to World Wide Peace Initiative

by DKP on Sep 7th, 2012

The Gordon Institute of Performing and Creative Arts (GIPCA) is supporting a World Peace Day initiative by holding a screening of short films.

The 30-90 second movies are commissioned by PUMA.Peace for films4peace from a selection of international artists and compiled by curator Mark Coetzee. One of the contributors to this year’s initiative is Nandipha Mntambo.

One of several artists featured in Pep Subirs’ Apartheid: The South African Mirror, Mntambo is known for her representations of the female body through the mediums of sculpture, photography and video. The movies will be screened at UCT on 20 September, the night before World Peace Day.

Press release:

The Gordon Institute of Performing and Creative Arts (GIPCA) will join hundreds of art institutions worldwide, from Australia to Zimbabwe, supporting films4peace to celebrate World Peace Day — an international UN day of ceasefire, and a day for individuals, organizations and countries to demonstrate acts of peace. The films will be screened at 19:30 in Hiddingh Hall on Thursday 20 September.

films4peace, curated by Mark Coetzee, is an annual short film commission by PUMA.Peace. It features 21 of today’s most innovative artists visually interpreting the subject of peace. Live screenings will accompany the online release at major museums globally, including the Bass Museum of Art (Miami, USA) and the Design Museum (London, UK); in public urban spaces, such as the City of Barcelona (Spain) and the Laumeier Sculpture Park (St. Louis, USA); educational institutions and youth leadership conferences, such as the H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute (USA) and the 2012 One Young World summit (Pittsburgh, USA).

The films include 35 mm live action, experimental animation and fine art. The films are 30- to 90-seconds to facilitate online as well as live screenings. None of the films are language specific. The artists were selected for the quality and scope of their work and their sensitivity in interpreting the theme.

“The fine selection and curation of artists is testament to the seriousness of purpose behind this important global initiative. We feel privileged to join art institutions worldwide to showcase relevant and cutting edge international work to simulataneously mark World Peace Day. Given the upcoming Heritage weekend, it is also a particularly significant time for South Africans” commented Jay Pather, Director of GIPCA.

“Artists confront us with the challenges that face us at this time,” said Mark Coetzee, films4peace curator. “films4peace are both disturbing and inspiring, responsive to the reality of our time but they also ask us to be responsible for our actions. PUMA.Peace wishes to contribute to making the world a better place. A world that is safer, more peaceful and more creative. We are honoured that GIPCA has joined us in this important initiative.”

Curator Mark Coetzee has invited 21 artists to create 17 new works:

Janet Biggs (USA)
Ergin Cavuþoðlu (Bulgaria)
Magali Charrier (France)
Gregory Crewdson and Costanza Theodoli-Braschi (USA and UK)
Yang Fudong (China)
Tom Gran and Kayleigh Gibbons (UK)
Max Hattler (Germany)
Isaac Julien (UK)
Peterson Kamwathi (Kenya)
Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy (Ireland)
Nandipha Mntambo (Swaziland)
Michael Nyman (UK)
Noriko Okaku (Japan)
Jacco Olivier (Netherlands)
Bill Porter (UK)
Levi van Veluw (Netherlands)
Hank Willis Thomas and Terence Nance (USA)

In keeping with the spirit of the commission, these films will be gifted to the world, within public domain and screening cost free, as tools for peace. By releasing these short films as broadly as possible, on mutliple live and virtual platforms, the aim is to effect positive social change and broaden the discussions around peace globally. These art films will be released online on World Peace Day (21 September) on a dedicated films4peace website, through social networking and video sharing sites and blogs amongst others.

The GIPCA screening will take place at Hiddingh Hall, University of Cape Town (UCT) Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town on Thursday 20 September 2012 at 19:30 (note that this screening is on the night before World Peace Day) and is free. No Booking is necessary. For more information on the series, please contact 021 480 7156 or fin-gipca@uct.ac.za.

For more information, please visit www.films4peace.com

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