Sandile Zulu
INTEGRATION · 2010 · painted metal · 161cm x 150cm x 110cm
photo Marcel Greyling
Black box to white cube by Miranthe Garbett
Map is a unique, homegrown endeavour that has supported
the development and dissemination of local art since
2005. The project has always sought alternative avenues
to the traditional, institutional spheres of academia and
commercial galleries. Map is the brainchild of Harrie
Siertsema, restaurant owner, art lover and patron, who
decided to combine his passions for food and art, and use
the means at his disposal to initiate a project that would
not stand on protocol, transcend the constraints of ivory
tower and red tape, and proceed directly to the heart
of the matter – namely to help enrich an arts community
starved of sustenance. The initiative, both pragmatic and
idealistic, is rooted in a belief in the value of art and
a recognition of the need to nurture it at a grass-roots
level. Using Siertsema’s restaurant space as a platform,
Map began presenting local art to a hungry public.
From the beginning Map has been driven and administered
by a small group of passionate and dedicated individuals
who have often encountered significant logistical
challenges. Each exhibition is arranged, administered
and promoted solely by Map. Over the past six years,