Presence of the world at the 12th Havana´s Biennial: James Webb

By: Clotilde Serrano

South African James Webb is one of the most representative figures of conceptual art in his country. Mostly, his installations use the sound as a crucial element and play with spaces (physical and imaginative) in which are located. But what really distinguishes Webb is that it is a collector of the everyday life echoes. Two of his most significant works: La escucha del mundo de hoy (2004), which are sounds taken from 12 different locations of Cape Town city at noon, and Pasaje Negro (2010), which captures the resonance of the ascent and descent whirring of an empty elevator towards the South Africa's deepest gold mine, are an example of how Webb faces his creative processes and dedication to express his ideas.

All his work is based on a deep investigation in which the artist becomes protagonist, as a listener and player of different sounds he combines with elements of the reality to express certain messages. Concerning this issue Webb said: "There are definitive sensory elements in all my projects although some of them are simply suggested and they are there for the public to interpret". One of the distinctive aspects of this artist is that he likes that the viewer interacts with his works and analyze the subtleties he incorporate as a creator.

James Webb will participate in the 12th Havana Biennial. His work has toured major exhibition places and he the sound the audiences are his central themes, but the link of these aspects into the public space is a vital element for the artist. About one of his projects "There is no place called home" (2005) in which he installed South African birds in trees and presented it during a residency he made in Japan, he said on one of his projects: "I might say that there are four types of public: birds who have a new and strange claim for their territory, the people who hear the birds in the public space, but are unaware that you it is just an intervention", the people who know the work but not its results, and I, as an artist who carry out the project, which has also an experience purely visual."

Another distinctive work in the Webb professional carrier is Autohagiografia (2007), in which the creator was subjected to hypnosis and recounts his recent life experiences. The installation consists of a recliner armchair next to speakers installation reproducing his experience. With this piece he tries to encourage the viewer to experience his action. For the critics, this is one of his most creative work since he mixes sound, text and the temporality of the action.

What surprises will Webb bring? That is something that we will find out on May 24 at the Trillo Park, locate in Havana city. Following his background, we should prepare ourselves for a fascinating creation. Of his work in general he has said: "the visual arts traditionally have moved in usual media. Artistic activities related to the sound are very different, but you have to understand the nature, history, language of sounds and this goes beyond scientific and demonstration elements of the environment, and their reduced role as music or entertainment. It is very important to appreciate the emotional associations, cultural and political applications." Let´s wait then, for his proposal.

Source: Cubarte