On 24 June 2017 Hannelie Coetzee presents the second Art/Science #FireGrazer performance at the NIROX Sculpture Park, in partnership with University of the Witwatersrand Principal Investigating Scientists Sally Archibald (Ecologist) and James Harrison (Entomologist), Working on Fire, NIROX Sculpture Park, Lizamore & Associates and Kirchhoff Surveyors. This performance entails the live burning of imagery created by Coetzee onto the grasslands. This powerful performative art process builds on the artistic practice of Coetzee which uses art as a tool to communicate complex systems science and build awareness of pressing ecological issues.
The #FireGrazer artwork, titled Locust & Grasshopper, is a follow-up and re-burn of the 2015 artwork Eland & Benko. The new image will overlay the 2015 image much like re-imprinting something so that the landscape ‘remembers’ the previous burn. Members of the public are invited to join Coetzee and partners as they live burn a new image into the grasslands. (Should weather not permit for the performance to take place on 24 June, it will be moved to 25 June).
Coetzee’ s art practice explores humans’ relationships with nature and how it evolves. She works closely with various scientists to learn and understand their inquiries, whilst looking for leverage points to communicate important findings in the science through her artworks. As the parallel inquiry of Art and Science develop a robust relationship they learn each other’s language with the aim to apply a more sustainable harmonious life with nature.
Projects like Locust & Grasshopper (2017) and Eland & Benko (2015) makes scientific research accessible to the wider public in a user friendly way. It improves partnerships between sectors that usually don’t overlap. This overlap sparks new ways to address problems. For the 2017 re-burn, government funded Working on Fire will perform the prescribed savannah burn of Locust & Grasshopper as a performance at sunset.
Eland & Benko, 2015
The audience will join the artist on a 6-km hike to view the #Firegrazer performance followed by an exclusive small solo exhibition at the Nirox Sculpture park pavilion, curated by Lizamore & Associates. The hike will pass some world-famous artworks, and allow the audience to experience the beauty of the Highveld grassland. This performance also grants the audience access to the beautiful Nirox Reserve.
Food and drinks will be served.
Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.hanneliecoetzee.com/tickets/ or email suen@lizamore.co.za
