Welcome to the Galley Premises and the trinity session review exhibition

The Gallery Premises is not only a platform for artistic commercial and experimental exhibitions and events, but also a case study and success story of the trinity session’s operations and processes.

The Gallery Premises was custom built by the City of Johannesburg, The Johannesburg Civic Theatre and Sappi for the curatorial purposes of the trinity session. This achievement illustrates the modus operandi of the trinity session in its engagement with partners and networks.

The trinity session’s key research project was the research into the visual arts and crafts industries in the SADC region. Addressing the different countries within SADC, the trinity session used Charles Landrie’s version of the value chain (illustrated here) to analyze the visual arts and crafts industries. Looking at gaps and opportunities in response to the analysis, this foundation has informed the trinity session not only with a sense of its position within Southern Africa, but has also informed its understanding of positioning itself in relation to the existing industry and the value chain. The trinity session sees itself building various projects in relation to this system.

Image: Research -The Visual Arts and Crafts Industry in the SADC Region, contracted by the ILO, Geneva

Responding to the threat of closure of The Johannesburg Civic Theatre Gallery in 2000, the trinity session’s plan and proposal to the CEO, Bernard Jay, resulted in a project room and small exhibition space on the parking level of the theatre, which was operating as The Premises for approximately one year. In that year negotiations between Sappi, the Civic theatre and the City of Johannesburg resulted in the transformation of the Civic Theatre Precinct and the creation of The Gallery Premises in which you now stand…

The Trinity Session’s mode of operation has always focused on the notion of mobility and adaptability. This has become most evident in the approach to setting up a temporary office or studio in various galleries and conferences around the world, titled: Mobile Office. Negotiating with host and audience as well as producing and mapping – live are the key characteristics of the Mobile Office, a strategy which has enhanced relations with the viewer, would-be partner and network.

Image: mo = mobile office = modus operandi

The Network Neighbourhood has been the trinity session’s most important asset. The self-conscious act of developing networks, mapping them and allowing them to manifest in projects, has afforded the projects and the partners collaborative success. The often virtual, but far-reaching international network today puts the trinity session in a position of opportunity and continuous dialogue with like-minded individuals and organisations in different industries and contexts.

Sculpture: Network Neighbourhood credit for the project SAFEFOOD MR. DELIVERY at the Johannesburg Art Gallery for the World Summit of Sustainable Development, 2002

ONAIR. While the trinity session’s approach to publicizing its activities has been mainly by word of mouth and it has strategically limited its marketing approach, in every session (discussion, workshop, mobile office, event and exchange, public or private) the trinity session members are broadcasting their experience and research. This attitude has informed the ‘open-source’, educational and developmental approach of the trinity session.

www.onair.co.za is the trinity session’s domain name

The fragmentary nature of Johannesburg’s urban spaces requires that one take an investigative approach to interacting with any partner or community, the myriad frameworks required to present one’s findings parallels the transformative nature of these spaces. These investigations have given rise to community engagement projects, public artworks and education and exchange in Johannesburg.

Image: Visual research for SAFEFOOD with the SAPS for the Turin Biennale 2002, Soweto (left) and Hillbrow (right)

In analyzing the landscape, the trinity session composes and illustrates its interactions and findings. This not only attempts to summarize an experience, but assists in making lateral connections in order to find solutions and strategies within particular socio-economic and cultural contexts.

Image: SAFEFOOD landscape for the project SAFEFOOD MR. DELIVERY at the Johannesburg Art Gallery for the World Summit of Sustainable Development, 2002

Even though conscious of the systems and strategies for survival in their cultural entrepreneurial engagement with the value chain on a local level, the trinity session is engaging with the international art circuit. In this process however, it is evident that the local context informs the project and interaction on the international platforms.

Image: SAFEFOOD in Turin for the Turin Biennale 2002

The interest in Art-Business, Art-Technology, Art-Public, Art-Retail has pushed boundaries in the experimental projects of the trinity session. Reaching and educating new audiences and artists in this regard has given rise to projects such as curating art into the Big Brother house (see catalogue), the Redbull Creativity Contest, Music Academy (see catalogue) and the Woolworths Art-in-Store project.

Canvas: Information board from the Woolworths Artist-in-Store project 2004-2005

Mapping and illustrating – the act of presenting the abstract activities, interactions, exchanges and ideas, has created clarity and re-assessment of the interaction with projects, partners and networks.

Images: (left)The Pinball MO – Mapping the relationships between projects in 2003

(center) Mapping the Diaspora Network – working drawing for the artwork Detours R Us

(right) The Diaspora Network reflecting on Johannesburg – component of the artwork Detours R Us for the exhibition Learning from* NGBK (Berlin) and Kunsthalle Exnergasse (Vienna)

Mapping the trinity session: 2000 – 2006

	Sessions scheduled from Wednesday 1^st to Friday 3^rd February saw discussions and exchanges in The Premises with collaborators, partners, consultants and clients.