The locally produced documentary feature film, Sculpting This Earth is set to have its world premiere screening on Friday 26 August 2022, the opening day of Riebeek-Kasteel’s art-focused Solo Studios weekend.
The 95-minute film will show internationally acclaimed Stellenbosch-based artist Strijdom van der Merwe at work in the landscape, making artworks using mostly natural materials found on the site.
The film follows the artist as he travels to make artworks in distant locations within south Africa- like the beautiful Church haven on the pristine and peaceful Langebaan lagoon in the West Coast National Park, and in the harsh, unforgiving landscape of the semi-arid Tankwa Karoo.
It is also the first feature documentary globally about land art from the southern hemisphere. Land art has been around since the 1960s. It gained popularism in North America and Britain, but it is today practiced around the world.
Mostly fragile and ephemeral, far removed from population centres and the commercial art market, making it the works of art that rely on photography or cinematography to connect with an audience.
Victor van Aswegen, CineSouth Studios CEO and director of Sculpting This Earth sketches the background:
“We are therefore excited to be able to present this film as not only the latest contribution to a sparsely populated genre but also the first feature-length film about land art from the southern hemisphere. The medium of film enables us to put images of artworks that existed only fleetingly in uninhabited spaces in southern Africa in front of a global audience.”
You can listen to the film’s a powerful soundtrack as it includes 11 tracks of original music composed for the film by accomplished classically-trained composer Kristi Boonzaaier.
Catch the Screenings:
Friday 26 August: 10h30 – world premiere ● 15h00
Saturday 27 August: 09h00 ● 13h00
Friday 26 August: 09h00 ● 13h00
Kelderteater at Die Kunshuis, Main Road, Riebeek-Kasteel Tickets available on www.webtickets.co.za
Sculpting This Earth official site and trailer:
Picture: Supplied