Standard Bank Gallery renovates by Kresta Tyler Johnson
After five months of intensive reconstruction, a transformed Standard Bank Gallery was reopened in March. A preview was held for the press, where brief speeches were given before a tour of the new space and a light lunch. What the architects Grosskopff Lombart Huyberects and Associates (GLH) have managed to do with the space is quite impressive.
A short introduction was given in the new audio/visual room. Images of the old space, the Gallery under construction and results of the renovation were juxtaposed. This was followed by architect Briget Grosskopff discussing their visions for the gallery. She said what they created is a 'space at once flexible and fixed, dramatic and quiet, intimate and vast'.
Grosskopff described the need for the Gallery to speak for itself, and the employment of various architectural tools to create 'a sense of space and light'. The central drum is now flooded with natural light from the skylights, and the white walls are accompanied by a gleaming teak floor, which drew numerous comments. Stainless steel accents provide a sleek, contemporary feel to the space.
Alan Crump spoke next, fleshing out a background of the gallery and the idea of corporate collections, before discussing the decision to open the new space with the aptly titled exhibition 'New Beginnings'. Along with work from the Standard Bank's permanent collection, three new works were commissioned for the show. Crump lauded the commitment of Standard Bank to the extensive renovations and felt that it bore testament to their commitment not only to the arts, but to their role in revitalising downtown Johannesburg.
Crump then led a brief walkabout of the exhibition. The show was marked by pointed juxtapositions. A work by Penny Siopis, for example, was paired with one by Fritz Krampe. Along with curator Barbara Freemantle, Crump worked to 'make it (the exhibition) meditative but also reflective of different sensibilities'.
The upper drum, the showcase of the new venue, was appropriately described by Crump as a 'theatrical space'. Here large scale works by Brett Murray, Karel Nel, Walter Oltmann and Clive van den Berg were hung keeping the central atrium free from clutter and allowing the art to function as the focus without being overshadowed by the architecture.
The entry way is marked with two glass cabinets that divide smaller exhibition spaces but also guide one towards the spiral staircases that lead upstairs. A sense of drama is created by the manipulation of light and space coupled with details like the aforementioned floor. It is a spectacular place to visit and a welcome update of the old gallery.
The gallery has become a true bastion of South African art and, with many prominent exhibitions scheduled for the next year, a brilliant venue to experience.
