May 12, 2004
By Chandrea Gerber
GALLERY owner Monna Mokoena firmly believes in the concept "art-for-art's sake" and spends his days trying to expand horizons both in the mind and in the art.
Gallery Momo is on 7th avenue in Parktown North
His business is the Gallery Momo in Parktown North, a gallery that leans towards local contemporary work that goes beyond the label "modern" and deals with more than one type of media. Currently on at the gallery is Thea Soggot's exhibition of drawings entitled "Earth and Water", which uses soil collected in the Magaliesberg as a medium to enhance the drawings.
The gallery is a response to the "lack of alternative venues" in Joburg - Mokoena decided to open his own gallery when he realised people wanted to see fresh stuff.
After four months spent looking for the perfect location, and another year spent renovating, Gallery Momo finally opened its doors in mid-2003 to a sell out first show by Democratic Republic of Congo artist, Roger Botembe.
Originally a family house built in 1912, Mokoena transformed the building into an open, airy gallery, which lends a modern exhibition space to "art beyond contemporary". Gallery Momo has a minimalist façade with full-size wall-windows that bring the outside in, allowing a spacious atmosphere for the works on display.
Mokoena sees the gallery as adding a unique vision to the artistic milieu of Joburg. "I'm not poaching from other galleries," Mokoena says, explaining that Gallery Momo is not just an outlet to flog art pieces, but rather an institution aiming to bring a fresh perspective to its patrons.
Gallery Momo has seen artists from all over the world on display, as well as hosting South African artists. By his own definition, Mokoena is constantly extending the concept of "art", ensuring that the gallery becomes "a global platform for our continent's extraordinary creative impetus". "I'm a proud African," Mokoena adds.
And he's proud of Joburg, with its vibrant art scene - made more so by his dealings with young, ambitious and exciting artists who have the same goals as the gallery. Mokoena emphasises the need to build mutual respect between artists and curators.
Through his dedication and hard-work, Gallery Momo's boundaries are expanding, with a growing number of clients, many of them first time collectors who are looking for something new. "We represent what we stand for, and people will be patrons to a good thing."
Mokoena intends to see to it that Gallery Momo develops into a leading exhibition space - testimony to the idea of constantly striving to broaden horizons.
Gallery Momo is situated at 52 Seventh Avenue, Parktown North, and is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 5pm. For more information, contact Monna Mokoena or Nikki McMillan on 011 327 3247, or go to www.gallerymomo.com
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
