Proposal for NIROX, 2016
NIROX Foundation, South Africa
Letter to Companies in the South African Mining Industry
I am an artist based in the UK currently working on a public artwork for NIROX located in the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO site outside of Johannesburg. My work has been selected for inclusion in the exhibition ‘A Place in Time' that will run from April until July 2016. The exhibition is supported by the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a partnership between the Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa and the British Council. The exhibition is curated by Helen Pheby, senior curator of Yorkshire Sculpture Park in co-operation with the NIROX Sculpture Park. It is expected to attract extensive local and international interest.
The piece I have proposed addresses mineral extraction in South Africa, emphasising the important role these raw materials play in our daily lives and how they physically relate to the environment. I am looking to borrow a series of different mineral ores in a near-to-raw state for this artwork and I was hoping that (fill in company name here) would be interested in contributing. My wish includes iron, coal, manganese, lead, vermiculite, tin, and copper though I would be very happy to work with any mineral ore a company would be willing to lend. I would like to wok with a aluminium of five different types in a quantity of two tons per mineral ore. The minerals will be returned after the exhibition closes.
I have attached an image of the proposal I have made for NIROX so you can get an idea of what I am hoping to make. The minerals sit in a concrete clad cavity surrounded by plants. These plants are used for a process called phytoremediation where specific plants which accumulate metals extract pollutant concentrations from the ground.
Special thanks to Jonty Levin