What am I doing here? Ke dirang ha?

An exhibition of monoprints

by artist in Botswana, Ann Gollifer

6-18 July, 2010

Private View: Wednesday 7 July, 2010 from 6.30 to 8.30pm

‘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

firewood or the statues of

the three founding chiefs

of Botswana; Khama,

Sebele and Bathoen.

Ann Mary Gollifer, Serurubela. Ke dirang ha?, W 565 x H 765 mm,

Photocopy transfer with acrylic wash and embossed lino on BKT Rives paper

Ann Mary Gollifer, Three Chiefs with house, heart and woman and child, W 700 x H 500 mm, Lino on Arches paper

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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Education

1983 Edinburgh University, MA. History of Art

Awards

1996 Award for Painting from the Artists in Botswana Exhibition

National Museum and Art gallery, Gaborone, Botswana

1997 Award for Sculpture from the Artists in Botswana Exhibition

National Museum and Art gallery, Gaborone, Botswana

2003 Award for Painting from the Artists in Botswana Exhibition

National Museum and Art gallery, Gaborone, Botswana

One Person Exhibitions

2004 ‘Natural Mystic’: One Woman Show at the Frame Gallery

Gaborone, Botswana

2004 ‘Old Symbols New Signs’: One Woman Show at the Bamboo Space

Johannesburg, South Africa

2006 ‘Territories Of The Heart’: a solo exhibition

at the Museu Nacional de Arte, Maputo, Mozambique

2009 Goddesses and Superheroes. Everard Reed Johannesburg.

Opening with Diana Hyslop and Paula Louw

Selected Group Shows

1993 Work selected for ‘Botswana Live’ exhibition

Commonwealth institute, London

1995 The exhibition travelled to Chicago and Washington

1997 The exhibition travelled to Stockholm

Work selected for the 4th , 5th , 8th and 9th Women Artists’ Biennale, Ferrara, Italy.

1999 ‘Three Women Three Perspectives’ an exhibition of work by Ann Gollifer,

Coex ae Qgam (Dada) and Neo Matome that travelled to all the Regional Museums

in Botswana.

2000 Work selected for the SADC exhibition of International Art held

at the National Art Gallery of Namibia, in Windhoek

2000 ‘Three Women Three Perspectives’ an exhibition of new work by Ann Gollifer,

Coex ae Qgam (Dada) and Neo Matome that travelled to Cape Town, Durban,

Johannesburg, Windhoek and Gaborone; funded and hosted by the Alliance

Francaise, Botswana

2001 Work selected for an exhibition of Art from Botswana; Beijing, China

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2001 Shepherd Ndudzo and Ann Gollifer showing Canvas and Wood

at the National Museum and Art Gallery, Gaborone, Botswana.

2002 Monomotapa, residency exhibition at the Fordsburg Artists’ studios,

Johannesburg

2003 Participated in a collective installation in Berlin: Transportale

2003 Participated in an on-line collaborative exhibition originated in Thailand

‘Procreation-Postcreation’ International Art Exchange

2004 Work selected for ‘Abale’ a juried international, contemporary art exhibition,

Lusaka, Zambia organized by The Rockston Studio and Norsad.

2005 Work selected for the TDM Biennale in Maputo, Mozambique.

2005 Invitation to Finland with work selected for ‘Cross Roads in the Kgalagadi’

an exhibition of Art from Botswana, Helsinki.

2008 Lefoko, Dibi, Igama, Word. Group Exhibition. Atherstone Room, Monument.

Grahamstown Festival, Main Programme.

2009 Goddesses and Superheroes. Everard Reed Johannesburg.

Opening with Diana Hyslop and Paula Louw.

Residencies

Fordsburg Art Studios, the Bag factory, Johannesburg 2002

Workshops

1991 Thapong International Artists Workshop, Botswana

1992 Thapong International Artists Workshop, Botswana

1998 Mbile International Artists Workshop, Zambia

2000 Thupelo International Artists Workshop, South Africa

2001 Thapong International Artists Workshop, Botswana

2008 Triangle Workshop, New York

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For further information, text or images, please contact António Capelão.

Bicha Gallery, 7 Gabriel’s Wharf, South Bank, London SE1 9PP

Gallery +44 (0)20 7928 0083 | E antonio@bicha.co.uk | www.bicha.co.uk

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am till 7pm

Bicha Gallery | What am I doing here? Ke dirang ha? | 6-18 July, 2010

An exhibition of monoprints by artist in Botswana Ann Mary Gollifer

020 7928 0083, 7 Gabriel’s Wharf, South Bank, London SE1 9PP | 11 am - 7pm Tues-Sun

Tube: Waterloo, Embankment, Covent Garden, Southwark.

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