Natalie Knight

Knight, Natalie, B.A. (Wits), Dipl. Law (Wits); Attorney, Art Gallery Owner, Art Consultant, Researcher(specializing in Ndebele and other beadwork), Playwright, Freelance Feature Writer and promoter of Special Events.

WITS WEST CAMPUS ART NEWS MAY 2011-WALE 4.0

TOURS of Heritage Buildings and FCLM Art Collection
Sat May 14 13:00-14:00 Thurs May 12 12:30 – 13:30
With Prof.Katherine Munro With Natalie Knight
Acting Dean of FCLM Art Curator Wits West Campus.

NATALIE KNIGHT is a Wits Alumna, attorney, playwright ,researcher and art curator.
1981 -1996:established The Natalie Knight Gallery (Hyde Park) exhibiting works of avant garde international artists and of then little known African artists.
Researched , exhibited art and published books on Ndebele culture Ndebele Images (1979) and Art of the Ndebele/Evolution of a Cultural Identity (2001) with Suzanne Priebatsch.
2007 :with Nessa Leibhammer, co-curated Dungamanzi/Stirring Waters, the art and culture of the Tsonga-Shangaan, at the Johannnesburg Art Gallery (JAG)
2008 curated Mandela @ 90 at the Constitutional Court,Johannesburg.
2009 with Leibhammer co-curated l’Afrique:ATribute to Maria Stein-Lessing and Leopold Spiegel at Museum Africa and edited the eponymous publication.

2010 curated Ephraim Ngatane: Symphony of Soweto for the Standard Bank Gallery,Jhb and contributed to Ephraim Ngatane :A Setting Apart with Rory Bester and David Koloane.

Since 2009 Knight has served as art curator for the Wits West Campus and has placed art in the FNB, CLM, NCB, Wits Plus, School of Law Mandela Institute and the Commerce Library.
Further information www.wale.co.za.and www. knightgalleries.net

October 2002: Media and Communications – Freedom to Freedom. An international exhibition of art, artifacts and history of South Africa covering over 30,000 years from prehistoric times to the present day

May 2000: Organised the exhibition Art, Beads and Culture with Knight Galleries, Toronto (opened by Mr Andre Jaquet, South African High Commissioner to Canada)

April 1999: Organised Visions of a Nation with Knight Galleries, Toronto (opened by Mr. William Modise, South African High Commissioner to Canada) – organised for artist Peter Mthombeni to attend the exhibition as guest artist.

1998-1999 Curator of exhibition Art of the Ndebele - Evolution of a Cultural Identity at the Atlanta International Museum of Art, and co-authored catalogue on the topic with Suzanne Priebatsch. Organised for artist Thomas Kgope to attend the opening and to spend two weeks in Atlanta at the Art School.

1997 Promotion of the film Basquiat for Ster-Kinekor with launch of monograph and Johannesburg exhibition The Writing on the Wall featuring Thomas Kgope; Ndebele Images - Then and Now at the National Arts Club, New York; Images of Freedom SA Art 1997 in Toronto and Vancouver.

1996/7 Curated Telkom Art and the Internet exhibition - A National Tour. Also accessible on http://telkom.co.za/art/.

1995/6 Exhibited the work of John Muafangejo in New York; Tommy Motswai and Thomas Kgope in San Francisco at the Center for the Arts and the Bomani Gallery: Alfred Thoba and Thomas Kgope in Frankfurt at Gallerie Hanel; delivered lecture Black Art Becomes a Rainbow for education programme of INDABA International Conference of the Chief Executives Organisation; curated Afrocentric Ad Rave for McCann-Erickson; exhibition of South African Art Tomorrow is Now in Toronto, (May) and in Vancouver (October) in association with Knight Galleries International.

1995 Opened Natalie Knight - The Art Source, Consultant to corporations on art collections, promoter and organiser of exhibitions and lecturer on South African art, both locally and abroad.

1994/95 Member of National Executive Council of NAWBO (Marketing Portfolio); exhibited works by contemporary Black artists in Toronto, Miami, Washington, Chicago and Cape Town.

1989 Founder member of the National Association of Women Business Owners; Cultural Diversity Exhibition for NAWBO International Conference, in Johannesburg; Major photographic exhibitions include international photographers such as Brandt and Brassai; brought avant garde work to South Africa including Bonechi and Chia from Italy, Hodicke from Germany, Haring, Fischl and Christo from U.S.A; twelve S.A. Artists African Encounters, Dome Gallery New York, this travelled to Alex Gallery Washington D.C. and Toronto.

1987 Opened Natalie Knight Gallery, Hyde Park, numerous exhibitions of works of international artists include Miro, Piper, Calder, Paladino, Moore and South African artists such as Keith Alexander and Tommy Motswai.

1981 Opened Natalie Knight Gallery, Bedfordview, with exhibition of Jim Dine, David Hockney, Richard Hamilton, Andy Warhol.

1980 Wrote and produced a play There's No Sugar Left Upstairs at the Market Theatre.

1979 - 1981 Research projects with Suzanne Priebatsch on Ndebele; Published Ndebele Images; commissioned to prepare audio-visual programme for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, entitled Designs of the Ndebele.

1976 - 1980 Freelance writer on Art, Theatre and Law: The Star, Habitat, Sunday Express, Artlook, Financial Mail, etc.

1970 Wrote a psychodrama The Falling Apple produced at Gallery Elysia.

1966 Wrote and produced: Barmy Days, Jewish Guild Theatre, Johannesburg; Labia Theatre, Cape Town. Starring Sarah Sylvia and Cedric Samson (nominated as one of top ten plays of the year).

1960 Admitted Attorney Johannesburg Side Bar.

1957 Married S. Liknaitzky. They have three children