hand-woven archival inkjet print on Ivory Enigma paper

Artwork date: 2013
Edition: from an edition of 3 + 3 APs
Exhibited: Joburg Art Fair, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, WHATIFTHEWORLD, (solo booth), 27 to 29 September 2013.
Literature: 'Dan Halter: Selected Works 2005 - 2015'. (2015). [Exhibition catalogue]. WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town illustrated in colour on p. 53.

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87 x 63 cm; framed size: 96 x 72 x 3.5 cm

Provenance:

Private collection, Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Dan Halter is a Zimbabwean-born artist currently living and working in Cape Town. His artistic practice draws on his experience navigating a complicated national identity, informed by his Zimbabwean heritage and South African residence, delving into themes of identity, displacement, and the complexities of post-colonial Africa. Through his innovative use of mixed media, particularly woven paper, he crafts thought-provoking installations and sculptures that spark dialogue on social and political issues.

Woven paper is a hallmark of Halter's art. He repurposes everyday scraps and packaging, transforming them into intricate weavings. This act serves a dual purpose: it references the fragility of human systems while also symbolising the creation of narratives and connections from seemingly insignificant fragments. By utilising materials readily available in South Africa and Zimbabwe, Halter incorporates the language of craft and curio into his fine art. This strategy not only reflects his surroundings but also allows him to address his concerns within a familiar visual framework. Notably, Halter works with Bienco Ikete, a refugee from the DRC, to create his woven artworks.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE

• In 2023, Halter was a finalist and exhibited as a part of the Norval Sovereign Art Prize at the Norval Foundation, Cape Town.

• Halter has had successful solo exhibitions both locally and internationally. Notable local shows include Patience Can Cook a Stone in 2018 at Whatiftheworld in Cape Town, and Take Me to Your Leader in 2006 at João Ferreira Gallery in Cape Town. International solo exhibitions include Mafuta Farm in 2017 at Dillion + Lee in New York, and Zimbabwean Traffic in 2017 at Skövde Konstmuseet in Sweden.

• Institutional group exhibitions include, Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (2013) and Energy Flash — The Rave Movement held at MHKA (Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen) in 2016.

• Biennales include the Johannesburg Pavilion for the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, the São Paulo VideoBrasil in 2007 and 2011, the Havana Biennale in 2009 and Dak’art, the 9th Biennale of Contemporary African Art in Dakar, Senegal in 2010.

• Halter has also been an artist in residence in Zürich in 2008 and 2018, Cologne in 2017, Turin in 2014, Rio de Janeiro in 2008 and Dufftown in Scotland in 2010.

COLLECTIONS:

The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; the University of South Africa, Pretoria, the University of Cape Town; the Rennie Museum, Vancouver and the Albright–Knox Art Gallery, New York.