Professor Jane Alexander

Professor - Sculpture

Jane Alexander completed her BAFA and her MAFA at the University of the Witwatersrand and teaches in the sculpture section of the school.  As an artist, she has produced mainly figurative sculpture, installation and tableau, as well as photomontage. Her research interests include contemporary art produced by artists from Africa in relation to political and social life, and its circulation, marketing and collection within an international context.

Solo Exhibitions

  • Infirmary. Cape Town: site-specific installation in an ammunition depot, Erf 81, Tamboerskloof. 21-23 January 2020.
  • Stable.  Festival artist for the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Consortium for Humanities Centers and Institutes.  Cape Town: site-specific installation in stable, Castle of Good Hope. 10-13 August 2017.
  • Survey: Cape of Good Hope (2005-9), Infantry with beast (2008-10). Johannesburg: Stevenson Gallery. 18 November 2013 – 7 February 2014.
  • Jane Alexander. Surveys (From the Cape of Good Hope).  Exhibition organised by the Museum for African Art.  Toured:
    • New York: Cathedral Church of St John the Divine, 18 April–29 July 2013.
    • Houston: Contemporary Art Museum, 11 August–4 November 2012.
    • Savannah: Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art. February–May 2012. Jane Alexander. Security: Surveys from the Cape of Good Hope. Brussels: La Centrale Électrique. March 25–August 21 2011.
  • On Being Human. Durham, UK: Galilee Chapel, Durham Cathedral. For the Institute for Advanced Studies, Durham University. March 3–22 2009.
  • Survey. New York: Jack Shainman Gallery. March 19–April 18 2009.
  • Survey: Cape of Good Hope. Vienna: Kunsthalle Wien. August 2005.
  • Jane Alexander: African Adventure and other works. DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Sculpture.  Stuttgart: DaimlerChrysler Konzernzentrale, Forum Stuttgart-Möringen. May 17–June 16 2002. Toured:
    • Berlin, DaimlerChrysler Contemporary;
    • Pretoria, South Africa, Pretoria Art Museum;
    • Bloemfontein, South Africa, Oliewenhuis Art Museum;
    • Cape Town, South African National Gallery. July 2002–July 2003.
  • Jane Alexander. London: Gasworks. February 25–March 26 2000.
  • “Bom Boys” and “Lucky Girls”. Cape Town: UCT Irma Stern Museum. July 6–31 1999.
  • Jane Alexander: Sculptures and Photomontages. Standard Bank Young Artist Award exhibition. Grahamstown (Makhanda): Monument Gallery. Toured South Africa:
    • Port Elizabeth, King George VI Art Gallery;
    • Johannesburg, Standard Bank Gallery;
    • Bloemfontein, Oliewenhuis Art Museum;
    • Pietermaritzburg, Tatham Art Gallery;
    • Durban, Durban Art Gallery; Cape Town;
    • South African National Gallery. July 1995–April 1996.
  • Sculpture and Photomontage. Johannesburg: Market Gallery, Newtown. October 1986.

Selected Group Exhibitions

  • Risk. A4 Foundation, Cape Town.  November 28, 2019 – January 6, 2020.
  • Prete Moi Ton Reve. Fondation Pour Le Developpement de la Culture Contemporaine Africaine. Casablanca: June.  Touring exhibition:  Dakar, Cape Town, Lagos, Marrakesh. 2019, 2020. 
  • Both, And. Cape Town: Stevenson Gallery. July - 24 August 2018.
  • My Monster. Melbourne: RMIT Gallery. 14 June – 18 August 2018.
  • Not a Single Story. Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site: Nirox. 12  May - July 31 2018.
  • The New Parthenon. Cape Town: Stevenson Gallery. 6 July-11 August 2017.
  • Being There.  Paris: Fondation Louis Vuitton.  16 April – 28 August 2017.
  • Beauty and its Beasts.  Durban Art Gallery. 31 March to 28 May 2017.
  • Lifescapes: Six object biographies. Johannesburg: Wits Art Museum. 31 January - 9 July 2016.
  • The Quiet Violence of Dreams.  Cape Town: Stevenson Gallery. 21 July – 27 August 2016.
  • Permanent Collection exhibition - Artist and Society.  London: Tate Modern. June 2016.
  • When Tomorrow Comes. Johannesburg: Wits Art Museum. 16 March – 29 May 2016.
  • Lucy’s Iris. León (Spain): Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla León. January 2016. Toured:
    • Rochechouart: Musée Départmental d’Art Contemporain, 2016.
    • Las Palmas: Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno, 2017.
  • Burning Down the House. Gwangju Biennale. 5 September – 9 November 2014.
  • A Menagerie of Metaphors. Randolph College Museum, Lynchburg, Virginia: August.
  • The Divine Comedy: Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell Revisited by Contemporary African Artists. Frankfurt: Museum für Modern Kunst. 21 March – 27 July 2014. Toured:
    • Savannah: Savannah College of Art and Design Museum. 16 October 2014 – 25 January 2015.
    • Washington: Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 2015.
  • A Sculptural Premise. Cape Town: Stevenson Gallery. 28 November 2013 – 11 January 2014.
  • My Joburg. Paris: Maison Rouge. 21 June – 22 September 2013. Toured:
    • Dresden: Statatliche Kunstsammlungen, Kunsthalle im Lipsiusbau. 26 October 2013 – 5 January 2014.
  • Rise and Fall of Apartheid: Photography and the Bureaucracy of Everyday Life. New York: International Center of Photography. September 14, 2012 – January 6 2013. Toured:
    • Johannesburg: Museum Africa.13 February – 29 June 2014.
    • Milan: Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea. July 9–September 15, 2013
    • Munich: Haus der Kunst. February 15–May 26, 2013.
  • The Rainbow Nation: Contemporary Sculpture from South Africa. Den Haag: Museum Beelden aan Zee. 10 May–30 September 2012.
  • Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Women and Art. Denver: Redline Art Center. 1 June–28 July 2012.
  • Contemporary African Photography from The Walther Collection: Appropriated Landscapes. Neu-Ulm: The Walther Collection. 16 June 2011 –13 May 2012.
  • The Narcissism of Minor Differences. Baltimore: Maryland Institute College of Art. December 9, 2010–March 11, 2011.
  • Peekaboo: New South Africa. Helsinki: Tennis Palace Art Museum. August 20, 2010–January 16, 2011.
  • Twenty. Gauteng, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa: NIROX Sculpture Park. June 6–August 15 2011.
  • This Is our Time. Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Gallery. June 3–July 22 2011.
  • From Pierneef to the Gugulective. Cape Town: South African National Gallery. April 15–October 3 2011.
  • Counter-Currents: Experiments in Sustainability in the Cape Region. Cape Town: Cape Institute for Architecture. April 7–May 6 2010.
  • Dada South? Exploring Dada Legacies in South African Art 1960–the Present. Cape Town: South African National Gallery. December 12, 2009–February 28, 2010.
  • The Symbolic Efficiency of the Frame. Tirana, Albania: Hotel Dajti. Tirana International Contemporary Art Biennial. September 18–October 22 2009.
  • Reflection. Osaka, Japan: Dojima River Forum. Dojima River Biennial. August 8–September 6 2009.
  • Umahluko. Khayelitsha, South Africa: Lookout Hill. May 2–June 21 2009.
  • Kréyol Factory. Paris: Grande Halle de La Villette. April 7–July 5 2009.
  • Joburg Art Fair. Johannesburg: Sandton Convention Centre. Gordon Schachat Collection (featured artist). April 3–5 2009.
  • Meeting Point. Havana: Saint Francis of Assisi Convent. 10th Havana Biennial. March 27–April 30 2009.
  • Modern and Contemporary Art: Then, Now and Beyond. Polokwane, South Africa: Polokwane Art Museum. August–September 2008.
  • Cities in Crisis: Photographs of the South African Urban Landscape. Johannesburg: FADA Gallery, University of Johannesburg. April 10–May 9 2008.
  • Apartheid: The South African Mirror. Barcelona: Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. September 26, 2007–February 3, 2008.
  • Re-Thinking Dissent. Göteborg, Sweden: Röda Sten. Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art. August 25–November 25, 2007.
  • How to Live Together. São Paulo: Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo. Bienal de São Paulo. October 7–December 17 2006.
  • Belief. Singapore: City Hall. Singapore Biennale. September 4–November 12 2006.
  • 2nd Triennial for Contemporary Art by the Sea. Ostend: PMMK Museum of Modern Art and the North Sea Coast of Belgium. April 1–October 1 2006.
  • Zoo. Brussels: La Centrale électrique. June 22-October 8 2006.
  • Another World. Bamako, Mali: Musée National du Mali. Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie. November 10–December 10 2005.
  • Becoming Animal: Art in the Animal Kingdom. North Adams, MA: MASS MoCA. May 29, 2005–February 2006.
  • Il Bello e le bestie. Rovereto, Italy: MART- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. December 11 – May 8 2005.
  • Personal Affects: Power and Poetics in Contemporary South African Art. New York: Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and the Museum for African Art. September 23, 2004–January 3, 2005. Traveled: Contemporary Museum, Honolulu. February 24–May 7, 2006.
  • Disorientation by Beauty. Tilburg, The Netherlands: Oude Warande. Lustwarande 04. August 15–October 17 2004.
  • Africa Remix: The Contemporary Art of a Continent. Düsseldorf: Museum Kunst Palast. July 24–November 7 2004. Toured:
    • Hayward Gallery, London;
    • Centre Pompidou, Paris;
    • Mori Art Museum, Tokyo;
    • Moderna Museet, Stockholm;
    • Johannesburg Art Gallery. February 2005–September 2007.
  • Tremor. Charleroi, Belgium: Palais des Beaux-Arts. April 22-June 20 2004
  • Democracy X. Cape Town: Castle of Good HopeApril. 22, 2004–January15, 2005.
  • Retreks: unSUNG City. Stockholm: NK Car Park. October 10-16 2003.
  • Coexistence: Contemporary Cultural Production in South Africa. Waltham, MA: Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University. January 22–June 29. Traveled: South African National Gallery. September 24, 2003-February 16, 2004.
  • Surviving Apartheid: from Drum Magazine to Today. Paris: Maison Européenne de la Photographie. October 29-November 16 2002.
  • Africa Apart: Afrikanische Künstlerinnen und Künstler Konfrontieren AIDS. Berlin: Neue Gesellschaft Für Bildende Kunst. December 13, 2002-February 9, 2003.
  • Africas: The Artist and the City. Barcelona: Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. May 29–September 11 2001.
  • The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa 1945–1994. Munich: Museum Villa Stuck. February 15–April 22. Toured:
    • Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin;
    • Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago;
    • P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, New York. May 2001–May 2002.
  • Dis/locación: Imagen & Identidad. Sudáfrica. Madrid: Circulo de Bellas Artes. June 13-July 15. Traveled: Bilbao: Sala Rekalde, March-May, 2002.
  • One closer to the other. Havana: Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wilfredo Lam. 7th Havana Biennial. November 2000–January, 2001.
  • A.R.E.A.: Art Region End of Africa. Reykjavik: Reykjavik Art Museum. November–January, 2001.
  • Sharing Exoticisms. Lyon, France: Halle Tony Garnier. Biennale de Lyon. June 27–September 24 2000.
  • RETREKS: unSUNg CITY, How the other half… Johannesburg: Kings Parkade, Eloff Street Johannesburg. September 2000.
  • Voices of Southern Africa. London: British Museum. November 14, 2000–January 28, 2001.
  • Staking Claims. Cape Town: The Granary. September 23–October 16.
  • South Meets West. Accra, Ghana: National Museum Accra. November 10–December 5 1999. Toured: Kunsthalle Bern and Historisches Museum Bern. April 6–June 25, 2000.
  • Triennale der Kleinplastik: Europa, Afrika. Stuttgart: SudwestLB forum. October-January 1998.
  • Africa Africa. Tokyo: Tobu Museum of Art. September 11–November 24 1998.
  • Dak’Art: Biennale de l’Art Africain Contemporain. Dakar, Senegal: Galerie Nationale. April 24–30 1998.
  • Lifetimes: An Exhibition of Southern African Art. Munich: Art Bureau. Out of Africa cultural festival. November–December 1997.
  • Fault Lines: Inquiries around Truth and Reconciliation. Cape Town: Castle of Good Hope. June 16-July 31 1996.
  • Colours: Contemporary Art from South Africa. Berlin: Haus der Kulturen der Welt. May 24 August 18 1996.
  • Identità e alterità. Venice: Palazzo Grassi. Venice Biennale. June 11–October 15 1995.
  • Art, Society, Reflexion. Havana: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. 5th Havana Biennial. May 6–June 30 1994.
  • un art d’Afrique du Sud. Paris: Gallerie de L’Esplanade, La Defence. May 18-July 31 1994.

Artworks in collections

  • ART in Embassies, US Department of State, US Consulate, Johannesburg
  • Berardo Collection, Madeira
  • Bhp Billiton Art Collection, Johannesburg (formerly Gencor)
  • Daimler Contemporary Collection Germany, Berlin
  • Daimler Collection South Africa, Pretoria
  • Durban Art Gallery
  • Fellbach Public collection, Germany
  • Gauteng Legislature art collection, Johannesburg
  • Gertrude Posel Gallery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
  • Gordon Schachat Collection, South Africa
  • Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town
  • Jochen Zeitz Collection, Kenya, Spain, Switzerland and South Africa.
  • Johannesburg Art Gallery
  • Johannes Stegman Art Gallery, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Maison Européenne de la Photo, Paris
  • Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth
  • Sandton Civic Art Gallery, Johannesburg
  • Sindika Dokolo Collection, Luanda
  • South African Broadcasting Corporation Collection, Johannesburg
  • Spier Collection, Stellenbosch
  • Standard Bank Corporate Collection, Johannesburg
  • Tate Modern, London
  • Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg
  • University of Cape Town Works of Art Collection
  • Walther Collection, Ulm

Monographs and catalogues

  • 2020.  Butcher Boys.  Cape Town:  Iziko South African National Gallery (in production).
  • 2016.  Jane Alexander: Photo-Book, republished with essay by Anna Tietze. Cape Town:  Stevenson.
  • 2015.  Jane Alexander:  Survey: Cape of Good Hope 2005-9. Cape Town:  Stevenson.
  • 2011.  Jane Alexander: Surveys (From the Cape of Good Hope), edited by Pep Subirós. New York, Barcelona. Museum for African Art and ACTAR.
  • 2009.  Jane Alexander: On Being Human, edited by Pep Subirós. Durham, UK: Institute of Advanced Study, University of Durham.
  • 2002.  Jane Alexander. For the DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Sculpture. Stuttgart: Hatje Cantz Verlag.
  • 1995.  Sculpture and Photomontage: Jane Alexander. For Standard Bank Young Artist Award. Johannesburg: Standard Bank National Arts Festival.

Awards

  • 2016 NRF B2 rated researcher
  • 2014 Mbokodo Award for Sculpture
  • 2004 University of Cape Town fellowship
  • 2002 DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Sculpture
  • 1996 FNB Vita Art Now Award
  • 1995 Standard Bank Young Artist Award
  • 1982 National Fine Arts Student Competition Award
  • 1982 Martienssen Prize, University of the Witwatersrand