Regarding Time
MOMO Outskirts
Johannesburg
Regarding Time, Visual Contemplations on Indexicals
The more objects we accumulate and preserve—contributing to the recordings of art history—the more we are compelled to ask: what defines a 'Master' or 'Genius' in contemporary art?Historically, the term Master has been attributed primarily to European men—figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, or Diego Velázquez, celebrated as the ubiquitous “master painters” of past centuries. Likewise, Genius has traditionally described an artist whose work profoundly alters artistic perception, often recognized only in retrospect.
The concept of the Master/Genius persists in art discourse, shaping how artworks are enshrined, collected, and preserved. These works are imbued with material and social value, becoming traces that influence future understandings and representations of art and culture.
Regarding Time considers both contemporary and historical artists, offering visual contemplations on materiality and the human experience—an ever-shifting reference, much like the evolving meaning of Master. When detached from institutional and historical constraints, the term can instead function as an index: the Master as an artist whose work disrupts dominant perceptions, compelling us to think, feel, and locate ourselves within the society from which it emerges.
This exhibition does not claim to provide definitive answers. Rather, it seeks to foreground artists whose work resonates with mastery in various forms, inviting debate on what constitutes artistic brilliance today.
artists
Gerard Sekoto
George Pemba
Malangatana Ngwenya
Helen Sebidi
Johannes Phokela
Vivien Kohler
Sarah Tabane
Roger Botembe
Mary Sibande
Yinka Shonibare
Santu Mofokeng
Andrew Tshabangu
Charles Nkosi
Kenrick McFarlane
Ben Arnold
Durant Sihlali
Dumile Feni
Percy Konqobe
Curated by Nisha Merit & produced by Gallery MOMO, Johannesburg.