Michael MacGarry, 2010 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Visual Art, is proof that creativity cannot be confined.

This 31 year old Johannesburg-based visual artist, graphic designer and author draws from various creative wells to unpack and critically analyze contemporary socio-political and economic narratives on the African continent through his visual creations.

“From a young age I have always wanted to work across a number of creative fields, from visual art, to design and writing,” said MacGarry. “Now as an adult I do work across these fields, but the visual art component allows me to integrate all these elements in producing dense, theatrical and fictional hybrids.”

“Michael’s genius is the particular way he transforms an object we know into something completely different, another reality that is still recognisable,” said acclaimed artist Andrew Verster, National Arts Festival committee member for Visual Art. “At times subtle, at others radical, the new objects are so hypnotic, so plausible, so clever, so tantalising that we can never look at any of his sources in the same way again. We are torn between what we know to be fact and what he offers as an alternative.”

MacGarry holds a Masters Degree in Fine Art from the University of the Witwatersrand, and began his graphic design career in 2000 with Sexton Design & Media in Dublin, Ireland before moving to London in 2002 to join Brockway Associates as a graphic designer. In 2003 he returned to South Africa, and joined The Trinity Session as manager of The Premises Gallery. In 2006 he joined Fever Identity Design in Johannesburg as a graphic designer, where he is currently based.

“This unique award represents a substantial vote of confidence and a show of institutional support in my career. As a young artist one cannot ask for better,” said MacGarry.

MacGarry is a member of the Johannesburg-based visual art collective AVANT CAR GUARD, who have shown at a national and international level for several years. In partnership with Zander Blom, Michael is also a member of visual arts collaborative Blom & MacGarry Presents.

No stranger to the national and international exhibition scene, MacGarry’s art has travelled to Germany, the UK and the USA. His work is housed in numerous private and corporate collections both locally and abroad, including the Seattle Art Museum and the Johannesburg Art Gallery. Brodie/Stevenson in Johannesburg represents his visual art career.

MacGarry is looking forward to producing a comprehensive body of new work at a substantial scale in the year to come. “The award is a unique opportunity to realize a series of large-scale works I have been developing for a number of years, but was previously unable to produce due to budget and contextual constraints,” said MacGarry. “The award affords me a well-funded, institutional context to both produce and exhibit these works at a national level.” As part of his Standard Bank Young Artist Award prize, MacGarry will be funded to exhibit at the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, in 2010.

MacGarry’s work has been acknowledged and awarded in a range of arts circles. In 2009, he was a finalist for a Loerie Award (Publication Design) and for the SOUTH Design Awards. In 2008 he was a finalist for the MTN New Contemporaries Award. He was awarded a Full Merit Scholarship from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2005, and a National Arts Council Individual Artist Grant in 2004.

As a writer, MacGarry recently wrote, designed and illustrated a 180-page monograph and reference book on South African graphic design, titled Skill Set One – A Primer in South African Graphic Design, published by David Krut Publishing. He is regularly published in several magazines including: Art South Africa, Design Indaba, One Small Seed, Stage and House & Leisure. Michael is also co-publisher, with Lloyd Gedye, of The Pavement Special, a tri-annual magazine dedicated to independent South African music.

“The Standard Bank Young Artist Award is unique for a number of reasons,” said MacGarry. “It is multi-disciplinary, recognising cultural and creative production across a number of platforms and media. It is also an unsolicited award rather than an open entry competition, which seems to be the norm for South African corporate patronage of the arts. All of these aspects differentiate the award from any other in the country.”

“Most importantly, as a recipient, this award allows me a space to produce unique works independent of the hegemony of the gallery system, coupled with a real budget and a national platform. Sincere thanks to the National Arts Festival and Standard Bank for this opportunity,” said MacGarry.

Click here to listen to the podcast interview

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1. This is your world in which we grow, and we will grow to hate you (Solo exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson, Johannesburg, March 2010)
2. When enough people start saying the same thing (Solo exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson, Johannesburg, August 2008)
3. True/Story (Solo exhibition at KZNSA Gallery, Durban, March 2008)
4. Or Until the World Improves (Solo exhibition at The Premises Gallery, Johannesburg, July 2004)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1. A Life Less Ordinary (Touring group exhibition at National Photography Gallery of Wales, U.K. April – June 2010)
2. A Life Less Ordinary (Group exhibition at Djangoly Gallery, Nottingham, U.K. September - November 2009)
3. Brodie/Stevenson at the Joburg Art Fair (Booth 13, Sandton Convention Centre, April 2009)
4. Not-Self (Group exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson, March 2009)
5. Why Not? (Group exhibition curated by Christian Ganzenberg, at Kuckei + Kuckei – Berlin, Germany, March 2009)
6. Artist's Books (Group exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson, Johannesburg, December 2008)
7. Book launch for Skill Set ONE – A Primer in South African Graphic Design by Michael MacGarry (180 page monograph on South African graphic design written, designed and illustrated by Michael MacGarry – published by David Krut Publishing, October 2008)
8. Drawing Show (A group exhibition curated by Michael MacGarry of commissioned artworks by eleven leading South African graphic designers and illustrators, at DK Projects, Johannesburg, October 2008)
9. Performing South Africa (A festival of South African video art and performance at the Hebbel am Ufer Theatre Complex – Berlin, Germany, September 2008)
10. MTN New Contemporaries Awards (Bi-annual group exhibition and juried award curated by Melissa Mboweni at University of Johannesburg Arts Centre, August 2008)
11. The New Spell (Group exhibition curated by Lucy Rayner at DK Projects – New York, USA, July 2008)
12. Brodie/Stevenson at the Joburg Art Fair (Booth No. 1 – Sandton Convention Centre, March 2008)
13. 6x6 (Group exhibition of the Society of Photographers at Rooke Gallery, Johannesburg, February 2008)
14. The Trickster (Group exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson curated by David Brodie, February 2008)
15. Impossible Monsters (Group exhibition at Brodie/Stevenson curated by David Brodie, January 2008)

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Masters Degree in Fine Art (First Class Pass with Distinction), University of the Witwatersrand
2. Honours Degree in Fine Art (Cum Laude), Technikon Natal

PUBLIC & CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

1. University of the Witwatersrand Art Collection
2. Seattle Art Museum
3. Johannesburg Art Gallery
4. The Marvellous Collection

AWARDS

1. Standard Bank Young Artists Award winner: Visual Art (2010)
2. Finalist The Loerie Awards, DE3A: Publication Design (2009)
3. Finalist SOUTH Design Awards (2009)
4. Finalist MTN New Contemporaries Award (2008)
5. Full Merit Scholarship, University of the Witwatersrand (2005)
6. National Arts Council Individual Artist Grant (2004)
7. Cum Laude, Dean’s Commendation (2000)

About the Standard bank Young Artist Awards

Standard Bank Gallery:
Corner Simmonds and Frederick Street, Johannesburg
Tel: 011 631–1889
Gallery hours: Mon - Fri 08:00 to 16:30, Saturdays 09:00 to 13:00
The gallery is closed on Sundays and public holidays
Admission free
Free parking is available - entrance in Harrison Street, Johannesburg.