Educational Media Reviews Online

Part of a BBC documentary film series on contemporary art, Destination Art: Cape Town focuses on the work of four artists who live and work in this vibrant, multicultural city in recently democratic South Africa. Willie Bester is a painter and sculptor of found objects whose works stand as reminders of the harsh political, economic and social realities of the Apartheid era. Nandipha Mntambo explores the nature of beauty and identity, working with casts of her own form, animal skins and Masai beads. James Webb creates intriguing sound montages from audio recordings collected in the urban and natural environments. Mustafa Maluka explores racial consciousness and the urban experience through large-scale portraiture. While bringing very different sensibilities to their work, all of these artists revel in the freedom of expression they have enjoyed since the lifting of Apartheid in 1994. Balanced by insightful commentaries from the art historical and art market perspectives, Destination Art: Cape Town provides an excellent introduction to a colorful contemporary art scene. It is recommended for libraries and programs with collections in art.