The Bridge Gallery is pleased to participate to Unseen Amsterdam 2024 with a group presentation of the South African visual artists Jodi Bieber (b. 1966), Vincent Bezuidehnout (b. 1978), Johno Melish (b. 1991), Lee-Ann Olwage (b. 1986), and Francois Visser (b. 1979).
This would be the first time these five artists are exhibited together, following The Bridge Gallery’s group show RESILIENCE in January 2024 where works from Bezuidenhout, Olwage and Visser were presented at the gallery. For Unseen Amsterdam 2024, The Bridge Gallery wishes to further the group show RESILIENCE by presenting works from Bieber and Melish.
Jodi Bieber focuses on social and political issues, including gender and identity, but she does not describe herself as a photojournalist; rather than aiming for objectivity, her photographs represent her personal perspective. In her own words: “Through my projects I faced the harshness that so many people encounter, and the resilience of the human spirit. I’ve learnt that we all have two sides and, depending on the changing circumstances of our lives, one side might overshadow the other.”
Vincent Bezuidenhout’s work encompasses image-making and investigative documentary practices. He explores landscapes shaped by apartheid's legacy and conveys a quiet strength, a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome the scars of the past.
Lee-Ann Olwage’s “The Right to Play” series creates a playful world where girls are shown in an empowered and affirming way. By capturing the disparity of girls' education in Kenya, Olwage creates empowering images that offer a glimpse into a world where dreams flourish, quietly challenging societal norms and barriers to education.
Francois Visser crystallizes the everyday poetry of resilience in eastern and southern Africa. Acrobats defy gravity and travel pursuing their dreams. Motorcyclists navigate rugged terrains to move around isolated villages. Roads being largely inaccessible, motorcycles are the primary connectors in these agricultural communities. Through Visser’s lens, photography acts as a visual celebration of the extraordinary dignity found in ordinary existence.
Johno Mellish creates a universe of pastel images in a way that refer to universal ideas and the power and beauty behind everyday things. His photographs are “experiments in finding means and modes for the translation of values, ideas, stories, histories and narratives across time”.
