Land art rising at Plett ARTS Festival
“I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want to own.”
Andy Warhol.
Plett ARTS Festival 1- 10 October 2021.
The Plett ARTS Festival will return to the streets and venues of Plettenberg Bay this week for an outdoors-inspired ten days of music, film, poetry and art in many forms. Visitors are invited to expect the unexpected!
Perfectly positioned for the art-in-nature theme of the Plett ARTS Festival, Land Art returns to Plettenberg Bay after an eight-year sabbatical. This year’s activation is themed RISE – the spirit of upliftment. Artists have been invited to create an expression that has an inspiring and uplifting message. The Tate Museum in London defines Land Art art that is made directly in the landscape, sculpting the land itself into earthworks or making structures in the landscape using natural materials.
And where more perfect a place than Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route to be inspired and inspire others with art created using materials from the natural environment? These artworks will be on display for only as long as nature (the tide, the wind, the waves) allows – a transient beauty as perfectly fleeting as a spring breeze. There will be six sites for pop-up Land Artworks: Piesang River Mouth, Central Beach, Hobie Beach, Wedge Beach, the Lookout Peninsula, and Lookout Beach. Artworks can be viewed while in creation or upon completion.
Land Art – Photo: Jade Holing 
Whale sculpture central beach – Photo: Brendon Morris
“In an effort to support independent artists and cultural organisations we are working with the arts community across the town,” says Patty Butterworth, CEO of Plett Tourism.
Following two successful Site_Specific Land Art installations in 2012 and 2013, which attracted artists from across the globe, Land Art is returning to Plettenberg Bay amidst much anticipation.
“Land Art has been a part of the Plett landscape for a number of years with permanent works like Aartmoeders in Kranshoek and Calling the Herd at Crossroads,” says festival director, Cindy Wilson-Trollip. “And there are plans to add to this outdoor exhibition and art route in the near future in intriguing ways.”
The previous Land Art installations in Plettenberg Bay entranced visitors with their unique perspectives, unusual, ephemeral artworks, and the gift of two permanent Land Art pieces, inspired by our indigenous elephant population. “Aartmoeders”, by Simon Max Bannister can be found at Kranshoek and is a series of life-size boulders arranged to look like elephants moving along the coastal cliffs. The second piece is “Calling the Herd” which is located at Crossroads on the R340. This piece was created by Strijdom van der Merwe and visitors can actually blow the horn to “summon” the herd.
Land Art is evident throughout Plett, from the famous bronze “Dolphin Circle”, by Robert Leggat, to the moulded Whale Tale bench overlooking Lookout Beach and, most recently, a recycled whale sculpture which is a receptacle for plastic waste, is made from recycled material, and makes a beautiful photo opportunity. The recycled whale, created by Plett artist Derek Saul, has been named “Sindi”, derived from the isiXhosa word sindisa, meaning to save, and sindisa iminenga: save the whales.
This year, in addition to a number of transient pieces, beach calligrapher, Andrew van der Merwe will be conducting two beach calligraphy workshops entitled, Mindful Marks and Beach Calligraphy for aspiring beach and land artists on 8th and 9th October.
For peace of mind and respect for our visitors and artists, all current COVID19 safety protocols will be monitored and adhered to. Visitors are encouraged to #PlettArtsSafely by maintaining social distancing, wearing masks at both indoor and outdoor venues, and sanitizing hands frequently. Organizers will be doing their part by offering bubble seating and hand sanitizing, limiting capacity at well-ventilated venues, screening on entry and online ticketing.
PLETT ARTS FESTIVAL ACCOMMODATION
Please visit the Special Offers page on the Plett Tourism website for accommodation, restaurant, and activity specials during the Plett ARTS Festival.
The 2021 Plett ARTS festival is scheduled for 1 – 10 October, and tickets are available through Plett Tourism’s website www.pletttourism.com and Quicket. For more information about the line-up of events, visit www.pletttourism.com.
