Karen von Veh
Biographic Data
| ID | 5226898 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Karen von Veh |
| GIVEN NAMES | Karen |
| FAMILY NAME | von Veh |
| SIGNATURE | VON VEH K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Johannesburg |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6125-3771 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 7 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Classical Mythology as Satire: The Realities of a ‘New’ South Africa in Diane Victor’s Birth of a Nation Series
In 2009 South African artist, Diane Victor, travelled to Rome and was struck by the sense of civic pride, history and glory that imbues the remnants of Classical Antiquity. She began to imagine what such a cultural history might express if transposed into a South African context. The result is a set of rather cynical sepia drawings (later developed as drypoint engravings) titled Birth of a Nation (2010). This series demonstrates how Antiquity’s ‘…
The material of mourning: Paul Emmanuel's Lost Men as counter-memorials
Paul Emmanuel's works to be discussed are site-specific, counter-memorial statements called The Lost Men. Each installation consists of semi-transparent cloth banners carrying photographic images of parts of the artist's body, imprinted with the names of men who represent participants from both sides of each conflict memorialised. These are often men who went undocumented in official records and include those who were lost or killed in major conf…
The Politics of Memory in South African Art
There is a saying attributed to Winston Churchill that goes, “History is written by the victors,” indicating that all histories are subjective and biased in some way. This was certainly true for South Africa under the Nationalist regime where the exploits of Afrikaner colonialism were glorified, and the majority of the population were mere “bit players” at best and vilified as savages at worst. Such traumatic histories have been interrogated by P…
Textual Textiles: Gender and Political Parodies in the Work of Lawrence Lemaoana
Lawrence Lemaoana is a male artist working with cloth and embroidery, using feminist tactics to interrogate contemporary masculinities. In his exhibition, Fortune Telling in Black, White and Red (2008), he humorously employs floral printed cloth “cutouts” of a dancing Jacob Zuma in such a way as to subvert what he considers an outdated construct of masculinity personified by Zuma and ratified within a patriarchally inclined South Africa. He also …
Deconstructing Dogma’: Transgressive religious iconography in South African art
In this article I present a brief theoretical overview of the history of religious imagery and iconoclasm as a background for the works that are displayed in the exhibition ‘Deconstructing Dogma’, held at the University of Johannesburg's Art Gallery from 6–28 May 2014. I explain the strength of feeling ascribed to images that are considered sacred, with the result that they comprise a perfect vehicle for parodic quotation in post-modern terms, le…
Diane Victor, Tracey Rose, and the Gender Politics of Christian Imagery
December 01 2012 Diane Victor, Tracey Rose, and the Gender Politics of Christian Imagery Karen von Veh Karen von Veh Karen von Veh is a senior lecturer in art history at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and is the current president of SAVAH (South African Visual Arts Historians Association). Her interests are in contemporary South African art with particular reference to gender issues and religious iconography. She co-authored (with …
The intersection of Christianity and politics in South African art: A comparative analysis of selected images since 1960, with emphasis on the post-apartheid era
This article examines selected examples of art made in South Africa which employ Christian imagery for the purposes of engaging with political and social commentary. Works made during the apartheid era by Azaria Mbatha, Charles Nkosi and Paul Stopforth are discussed briefly and compared to the more critical approach found in post-apartheid works by Diane Victor, Conrad Botes and Wim Botha. Christian iconography is a useful communicative tool beca…
Collecting and Curating: How to make a national resource into a global treasure: Paul Weinberg and the UCT Visual Archives
The MTN Art Collection: Is a ‘working collection’ a good investment
Considerations on the Sasol Wax Art Awards 2006
This is more a discussion of the pros and cons of corporate sponsorship and art awards than an evaluation of an exhibition, although it is based on my experience of the 2006 Sasol Wax Art Awards Exhibition. I will begin with a brief overview of the finalists and how the exhibition was laid out as my negative reaction to the choice of winner was largely influenced by the limitations of the gallery viewing experience
Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art
(2006). Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art? de arte: Vol. 41, No. 73, pp. 28-42
Corpa Delicata and beyond: Leora Farber and the polities of the body
Identity (de)constructed in the work of Leora Farber
Stunt Girl Stills: Fragmentation and the female body in the work of Philippa Hobbs
Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art
(2006). Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art? de arte: Vol. 41, No. 73, pp. 28-42
Classical Mythology as Satire: The Realities of a ‘New’ South Africa in Diane Victor’s Birth of a Nation Series
In 2009 South African artist, Diane Victor, travelled to Rome and was struck by the sense of civic pride, history and glory that imbues the remnants of Classical Antiquity. She began to imagine what such a cultural history might express if transposed into a South African context. The result is a set of rather cynical sepia drawings (later developed as drypoint engravings) titled Birth of a Nation (2010). This series demonstrates how Antiquity’s ‘…
The material of mourning: Paul Emmanuel's Lost Men as counter-memorials
Paul Emmanuel's works to be discussed are site-specific, counter-memorial statements called The Lost Men. Each installation consists of semi-transparent cloth banners carrying photographic images of parts of the artist's body, imprinted with the names of men who represent participants from both sides of each conflict memorialised. These are often men who went undocumented in official records and include those who were lost or killed in major conf…
The Politics of Memory in South African Art
There is a saying attributed to Winston Churchill that goes, “History is written by the victors,” indicating that all histories are subjective and biased in some way. This was certainly true for South Africa under the Nationalist regime where the exploits of Afrikaner colonialism were glorified, and the majority of the population were mere “bit players” at best and vilified as savages at worst. Such traumatic histories have been interrogated by P…
Textual Textiles: Gender and Political Parodies in the Work of Lawrence Lemaoana
Lawrence Lemaoana is a male artist working with cloth and embroidery, using feminist tactics to interrogate contemporary masculinities. In his exhibition, Fortune Telling in Black, White and Red (2008), he humorously employs floral printed cloth “cutouts” of a dancing Jacob Zuma in such a way as to subvert what he considers an outdated construct of masculinity personified by Zuma and ratified within a patriarchally inclined South Africa. He also …
Identity (de)constructed in the work of Leora Farber
Stunt Girl Stills: Fragmentation and the female body in the work of Philippa Hobbs
Identity (de)constructed in the work of Leora Farber
Corpa Delicata and beyond: Leora Farber and the polities of the body
Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art
(2006). Is there a place for feminism in contemporary South African art? de arte: Vol. 41, No. 73, pp. 28-42
Considerations on the Sasol Wax Art Awards 2006
This is more a discussion of the pros and cons of corporate sponsorship and art awards than an evaluation of an exhibition, although it is based on my experience of the 2006 Sasol Wax Art Awards Exhibition. I will begin with a brief overview of the finalists and how the exhibition was laid out as my negative reaction to the choice of winner was largely influenced by the limitations of the gallery viewing experience
The MTN Art Collection: Is a ‘working collection’ a good investment
Diane Victor, Tracey Rose, and the Gender Politics of Christian Imagery
December 01 2012 Diane Victor, Tracey Rose, and the Gender Politics of Christian Imagery Karen von Veh Karen von Veh Karen von Veh is a senior lecturer in art history at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and is the current president of SAVAH (South African Visual Arts Historians Association). Her interests are in contemporary South African art with particular reference to gender issues and religious iconography. She co-authored (with …
The intersection of Christianity and politics in South African art: A comparative analysis of selected images since 1960, with emphasis on the post-apartheid era
This article examines selected examples of art made in South Africa which employ Christian imagery for the purposes of engaging with political and social commentary. Works made during the apartheid era by Azaria Mbatha, Charles Nkosi and Paul Stopforth are discussed briefly and compared to the more critical approach found in post-apartheid works by Diane Victor, Conrad Botes and Wim Botha. Christian iconography is a useful communicative tool beca…
Collecting and Curating: How to make a national resource into a global treasure: Paul Weinberg and the UCT Visual Archives
Deconstructing Dogma’: Transgressive religious iconography in South African art
In this article I present a brief theoretical overview of the history of religious imagery and iconoclasm as a background for the works that are displayed in the exhibition ‘Deconstructing Dogma’, held at the University of Johannesburg's Art Gallery from 6–28 May 2014. I explain the strength of feeling ascribed to images that are considered sacred, with the result that they comprise a perfect vehicle for parodic quotation in post-modern terms, le…
Textual Textiles: Gender and Political Parodies in the Work of Lawrence Lemaoana
Lawrence Lemaoana is a male artist working with cloth and embroidery, using feminist tactics to interrogate contemporary masculinities. In his exhibition, Fortune Telling in Black, White and Red (2008), he humorously employs floral printed cloth “cutouts” of a dancing Jacob Zuma in such a way as to subvert what he considers an outdated construct of masculinity personified by Zuma and ratified within a patriarchally inclined South Africa. He also …
The Politics of Memory in South African Art
There is a saying attributed to Winston Churchill that goes, “History is written by the victors,” indicating that all histories are subjective and biased in some way. This was certainly true for South Africa under the Nationalist regime where the exploits of Afrikaner colonialism were glorified, and the majority of the population were mere “bit players” at best and vilified as savages at worst. Such traumatic histories have been interrogated by P…
Classical Mythology as Satire: The Realities of a ‘New’ South Africa in Diane Victor’s Birth of a Nation Series
In 2009 South African artist, Diane Victor, travelled to Rome and was struck by the sense of civic pride, history and glory that imbues the remnants of Classical Antiquity. She began to imagine what such a cultural history might express if transposed into a South African context. The result is a set of rather cynical sepia drawings (later developed as drypoint engravings) titled Birth of a Nation (2010). This series demonstrates how Antiquity’s ‘…
The material of mourning: Paul Emmanuel's Lost Men as counter-memorials
Paul Emmanuel's works to be discussed are site-specific, counter-memorial statements called The Lost Men. Each installation consists of semi-transparent cloth banners carrying photographic images of parts of the artist's body, imprinted with the names of men who represent participants from both sides of each conflict memorialised. These are often men who went undocumented in official records and include those who were lost or killed in major conf…
Sociology (8 works) · Art (7 works) · Aesthetics (6 works) · History (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Art history (5 works) · Law (5 works) · African history and culture studies (4 works) · Gender Studies (4 works) · Politics (4 works)