One of 10 artists with a solo exhibition at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Joburg-based Frances Goodman is an internationally acclaimed, multidisciplinary artist.
HOW DID YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGIN?
It began when I was a young girl. My parents appreciated art, loved attending exhibitions and museums, and had friends who were artists. I remember playing on the sculptures in artist Edoardo Villa’s garden in Johannesburg while my parents ate lunch with him, his wife, and their glamorous friends. The huge sculptures and their world intrigued and fascinated me.
YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS?
Getting into Goldsmiths College after finishing at WITS, my first solo exhibition in New York, being invited to a group exhibition by Marie-Ann Yemsi at Palais des Tokyo, Through The Glass Sparkling – the book I published with SMAC Gallery last year, and exhibiting my new ceramic sculptures on Frieze Sculpture in Regents Park are a few.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO USE SEQUINS IN YOUR WORK?
Apart from the fact that I’m a bit like a magpie – I’m always attracted to sparkly things; I’ve always borrowed from the craft of dressmaking for my making process and the materials I use. One of the reasons I use sequins is that I am fascinated by their refractory nature and how their colour and shine change depending on one’s viewpoint. This constantly shifting perspective reminds me of the complexity of life – things change according to how you look at them.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CERAMICS
Since most materials I’ve used during my career are man-made, synthetic, and mass-produced, moving to clay was an unexpected choice for many, me included. However, during the lockdown, I realised I needed something to jolt me out of my comfort zone, and ceramics were a challenging and intriguing option. After playing around with clay at home for a few months, I did a residency in the Netherlands focusing solely on ceramics. It’s an unpredictable, humbling, frustrating, and immensely satisfying medium, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
YOUR THREE FAVOURITE ARTISTIC DESTINATIONS?
This is a tough one to answer as there are so many places I haven’t been to yet. I’d love to visit Los Angeles, as well as China, Taiwan, and Japan, as I imagine the art and history must be fascinating and so different from South Africa. However, I always enjoy visiting Venice for the Biennale, and New York and Paris for all their excellent museums.
FAVOURITE ARTISTS OR ARTWORKS OF ALL TIME?
As a teenager, I loved the painting Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by the German Romanticist artist Caspar David Friedrich. It made me think of the future, the vastness of the world, and its potential. Since then, there have been many artists and artworks that have moved me. The crazy, unsettling installations by Tony Oursler inspired me to become an artist, and artists such as Marylin Minter and Tracy Emin inspired me to embrace my femininity and use my voice as a woman.
WHAT IS LUXURY TO YOU?
I used to think that luxury was beautiful clothes, objects, and people, but I increasingly realise that luxury is time. Time to think, to slow down and enjoy a moment, and time spent with people you care about.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOU AT INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR?
As the fair’s theme is ‘Play’, you can expect some whimsy in both the artwork and the installation. Think mirrors, bright colours, and ceramic pills you could pop for pain or pleasure.
YOUR TOP RESTAURANTS IN CAPE TOWN?
For brunch, Loading Bay in De Waterkant for the mushroom ragu. For lunch, I like Maria’s Greek Café in Gardens for the outdoor setting and Obi on Long Street for the Agedashi Tofu. And dinner at Bodega Ramen in Wale Street for the Sichuan Hot Pot.
WHAT’S IN STORE FOR YOU IN 2025?
There are a lot of exciting projects in the pipeline, but I’m most excited about having the time and space to work on and develop new ceramic and sequin pieces.
