THE TRINITY SESSION – COMPANY PROFILE
Since 2001 The Trinity Session has been concerned with the logics of art-making in complex, social-public situations; where the dynamics of context, site, available resources, and creative solutions converge to create unique artistic conditions and opportunities. As global practicing artists, born and bred in Johannesburg, the politics of change in South Africa have motivated and inspired Stephen Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter to create partnerships and unique moments of collective practice in order to respond to and create positive change. Having worked in many countries abroad, Johannesburg has always served as a catalytic reference point for how to think beyond the often-elitist structures of the art world, with a view to cultural production found in the public domain. To this extent The Trinity Session has co-produced numerous multi-media projects and events around the country and on the continent, with the objective of bringing knowledge back home.
PUBLIC ART STRATEGY, COMMISSIONING & IMPLEMENTATION
Since 2002 The Trinity Session has tendered on numerous urban upgrade projects which include an artworks component. Typically The Trinity Session functions as a liaison between the artistic community and local residents engaged to participate in these artworks programmes and The City of Johannesburg, the client. Given the site specific nature of many of the commissions, The Trinity Session employs various workshop methods aimed at extracting relevant local meaning and narrative which in turn influences the mechanisms of fabrication, and implementation of the artwork. The Trinity Session often works in close collaboration with the appointed professional team of development managers, urban designers, engineers and building contractors responsible for the design and implementation of the upgrade area.
City of Johannesburg Public Art Commissions (2002-2019)
for the Johannesburg Development Agency.
- New Council Chambers Totems Artworks Programme – Johannesburg Property Company
- Doornfontein Public Environment Upgrade, Johannesburg Central
- Braamfontein Alleyways Upgrade Artworks Programme, Johannesburg Central
- Westgate Public Art & Heritage Programme, Johannesburg Central
- Vilakazi Street Precinct Public Artworks Programme, Orlando West, Soweto
- Pageview Vrededorp Fordsburg Public Art Project, Johannesburg Central
- Rea Vaya, Bus Rapid Transit Public Art Programme, Johannesburg and Soweto
- Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville Public Artworks Programme, Johannesburg Central
- Baragwanath Taxi Rank Public Art, Diepkloof, Soweto
- Juta Street and Braamfontein Gateway Public Artworks, Johannesburg Central
- Faraday Station Transport Hub and Traditional Healers Market Public Artworks Program, Johannesburg Central
Curator/Co-ordinator Contracts:
#ArtMyJozi -Transit Oriented Development Corridors Placemaking Through Art – City of Johannesburg / Johannesburg Development Agency (2017-2020)
Inner City and Soweto Urban Upgrades – City of Johannesburg / Johannesburg Development Agency (2011-2013)
Nelson Mandela Bay Public Art Strategy and Commissions, includingRoute 67, Inner City, Baakens River, Singapi Public Art Programme – Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency / Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth (2010-2017)
Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Square Artworks Programme, City of Tshwane, Gauteng (2014-2016)
Kareedouw Library Public Artwork Program commissioned by Public Works and SVA, design and facilitation, Kareedouw, Eastern Cape (2017)
Ekurhuleni Rapid Transit Bus System Artworks Programme workshops and design development (2015-2016)
Savanna City Public Park Project and community neighbourhood development. Mid Vaal, Gauteng (2014-2016)
PUBLIC ART RESEARCH AND STRATEGY PROPOSALS (2006-2012)
- City of Tshwane Strategy for Art in Public Spaces, Tshwane, Gauteng
- Evaton Urban Upgrade Public Art Strategy, Sebokeng, Gauteng
- Solomon Mahlangu Memorial Square Public Art Strategy, Mamelodi, Tshwane
- Sandton Central Public Art Programme, Sandton
- Cultural Arc Public Art Strategy, Johannesburg
- June 16 Heritage Park & Trail Public Art Strategy
- Fashion District Public Art Strategy
ART INDUSTRY & CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Visualisation Studios (2020), commissioned by the South African Cities Network in partnership with Ilifindo across South Africa, eThekwini, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, Mangaung, Msunduzi, Buffalo City, Cape Town
The Leonardo Art Programme (2018-2020), commissioned by Legacy, Sandton
PPC Imaginarium South Africa National Travelling Competition (2015-2019)
ISEA2018 Durban (2016-2018), International Symposium on Electronic Art – co-curator and director in partnership with the Convention Bureau, Ethekwini Municipality and Durban University of Technology, Durban
AMAPHIKO (2014-2019), Redbull Academy for Social Entrepreneurs, art and design program development. Soweto, Johannesburg (2015), Langa CapeTown (2016), Mamelodi, City of Tshwane (2017), City of Ethekwini, Durban (2019)
ACSA Legacy project arts program OR Tambo International Airport. Airports Company South Africa (2013-2014)
The Business Day and Jaguar Art Tour, Johannesburg(2008)
VISA Olympics of the Imagination school workshops, competition and exhibition. Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town (2008)
Africa Remix/Johannesburg Art Gallery CD-ROM website & Digital Africa panel discussion, development and production (2007)
City Varsity Newtown Johannesburg educational programme support and development (2006-2007)
Legacy and Southern Sun hotels, South Africa Hotels Artworks program (2003-2007)
Spier Estate Public Realm Consultant Stellenbosch, Cape Town (2003-2004)
Moyo Creative Consultation creative development of new projects, Johannesburg, Cape Town (2006)
UNESCO Digi-Arts Africa programme and network development (2005-2006)
Woolworths Art in Stores management and curation of contemporary art exhibits in Woolworths stores – national (2005-2006)
The Creative Inner City Initiative commercial training program in the arts including Regeneration: inner city artists magazine (developmental project in journalism, design and reportage training) (2003-2005)
Africa Network Meeting ISEA2004 (Inter-Society of Electronic Arts) coordinators and facilitators of digital network meeting by participants from different regions in Africa and Helsinki (2004)
Broadcast Quality Curators of Art of Big Brother II, Johannesburg (2002)
SME Development and Employment in the Cultural Sector in the SADC Region: The Visual Art and Craft Industries research report prepared for the International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva (2002-2003)
Red Bull Music Academy full spatial design and placement of artworks. Production of catalogue titled ‘Space Repurposed’, Cape Town (2003)
Convergence & Co-operative Work workshops and with MA (Science of New Media) students, International School of New Media, Lübeck, Germany (2003)
Cell C for The City Artists Billboard Project consultation, Johannesburg (2003)
Search project at Ars Electronica Festival 2002, Linz, Austria (2002)
IBM Johannesburg consulting on and building new corporate art collection (2002)
Innovation and Creating, Diamond Conference, Aarhus, Denmark (2002)
Choose Positive Energy (2001), The Body Shop and Greenpeace mural campaign for the World Summit on Sustainable development. Consultancy and management. Newtown, Johannesburg
Apartheid Museum research and installation solutions (2001), Gold Reef City, Johannesburg
Reuters SA 125th birthday (2001), exhibition solutions, Johannesburg
Red Bull Creativity Contest (2001), in conjunction with JMC Melnicks for Spark Gallery, Johannesburg
Digerati digital creativity contest (2001), with the digital creative team of Hunt Lascaris/TBWA), Johannesburg
Arts & Culture Trust Awards of the President-Event (2001), live art and installation environment, Johannesburg
COMMISSIONS, INTERVENTIONS & EXHIBITIONS
Dream Pressure Tester, public intervention in Douala with Doual’Arts for the SUD Triennial, Cameroon (2017)
The Tramways, Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency Artworks Commission, Port Elizabeth (2016)
Temporary But Permanent Projects, Trinity Session Survey exhibition. Museum of African Design, Johannesburg (2015)
Renaming the City, commissioned artwork for the Ars Electronica Festival, Linz Austria (2015)
Temporary But Permanent, Trinity Session Survey exhibition, The Athenaeum, Port Elizabeth (2014)
Imaginary Corpse,Subtle Technologies Festival, participating artists, Toronto (2014)
Superdream, Jeppestown, Temporary Art Intervention commissioned by British Council for the Connect ZA programme (2014)
UrbaNet, participating artists in Native Nostalgia at MOAD (Museum of African Design), Johannesburg (2013)
Streaming Museum,public screening interventions in Maboneng, featuring Bjork and Nordic Outbreak video art, Johannesburg (2013)
Platform 1 – Public intervention with the Swallows Foundation, GIFT Festival,Gateshead,UK (2013)
Across the board: Public Space/ Public Sphere curated by Elvira Dyangani Ose, public intervention in Douala with Doual’Arts, Cameroon (2013)
Entracte, Rencontres Picha, Biennale de Lubumbashi, DRC (2013)
ATAYA, public performance France/South Africa Cultural Seasons in St Ouen and Paris, France (2013)
Fluid Stop, site-specific installation and public projection at Greenhouse, St Etienne, France (2013)
Entracte, screening at Digitale Afrique, Marseille, France (2013)
Planet Emergence, building projection, Marseille, France (2013)
Context South Africa, Presentations and lectures: Creative Summit by Creative Time, New York and Arts Culture and the Quality of Life, Ford Foundation, New York (2013)
ATAYA, public performance France/South Africa Cultural Seasonsin Berea, Johannesburg (2012)
10 Year Review Exhibition, MOAD, Johannesburg (2012)Temporary Museum of Art, video installation,Havana Bienniel, Cuba (2012)
Hand/Machine, Bamako-Djenne, Mali (2011)
Living as Form, group exhibition by Creative Time, New York (2011)
St Pierre,Smoke and Building Projections: St Pierre and Fort de France,Martinique (2011)
Borderless, Alex-Zimbabwe-Mozambique, interventions in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Alexandra Township, supported by SDC programme of Pro Helvetia Cape Town (2011)
UrbaNet: Dakar II, Building Projection, Afropixel Festival, Dakar, Senegal (2010)
Customer Care, public artwork commission, Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (2010)
Stadium-Scape / Ocean-Scape, commissioned public artwork in perspex and adhesive vinyl for the Durban Soccer Stadium, Durban (2009)
Rapid Thought Transport, Architect re-imagining Johannesburg Master class sseries devised by Sarah Calburn and the Gauteng Institute for Architects (2009)
80+1 JHB Session, live broadcast session to Linz as part of the Ars Electronica’s 80+1 – a journey around the world, Linz, Austria (2009)
Documentation of Parade, a Project for Linz 2009, Kulturhauptstadt Europa by Peter Kuthan, Austria (2009)
Black Out, public intervention project for Travesia at the CAAM, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas, Canary Islands (2008)
A Rough-Cut through Alex, experimental documentary and screening event commissioned by the Austrian Embassy in South Africa, Alexandra (2008)
The Art Fair Party, at the former Johannesburg Stock Exchange for the Joburg ArtFair.(2008)
Metro Centre Public Artwork, site-specific installation for the new Metro Centre Visitors Building, Braamfontein (2008)
UrbaNET Hillbrow-Dakar-Hillborw, art exhibition at the University of Johannesburg Art Gallery (2007)
UrbaNET Hillbrow-Dakar-Hillborw,featured on THE COLOUR LINE curated by Odili Donald Odita, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York (2007)
Joeys, artistic collaboration with Machfeld at the Kunstmedianlabor, Graz, Austria (2007)
Plausible Artworlds, exhibition and conference planning weekend with Basekamp Artists Group, Philladelphia (2006)
UrbaNET Hillbrow-Dakar-Hillborw, art project at Kër Thiossane, Dakar and in Hillbrow (2006)
Directions on Digital Art, presentations and lectures at Arco06 – International art Experts Forum, Madrid, Spain and Dakart Conference The Trinity Session presentation Network Meeting, Dakar, Senegal (2006)
Lobby, large-scale artworks in the reception of the Raphael Penthouse Suites. Sandton (2005)
Lighting – Hammer – Figleaf – Darkness, sculpture for the David Exhibition. Sandton (2005)
Tango City, locative media artwork. Johannesburg (2004)
Awaken The Dead, dead media installation and launch of the Enjin Museum of Dead Media (2005)
EMODM, Design Indaba installation, Cape Town (2005)
Tester, participants on ‘international artists-actions forum’ and resulting publications: Book and DVD, San Sebastian, Spain (2004)
Station Mir residency, Second stage of artist exchange hosting Station Mir at The Premises, with collaborative project for Playtime video festival, Johannesburg (2004)
Detours R Us, installation artwork for Learning From* Neue Geselshaft der Bildenden Kunst, Berlin and Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna (2003)
Station Mir Residency, Hérouville St-Clair, Normandy, France (2003)
M.O.: Trinity Session Artministration, solo exhibition, Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg (2003)
Play Global!, Transmediale.03, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany (2003)
SafeFood II: Mr Delivery, installation for “New Strategies”, World Summit on Sustainable Development exhibition programme, Johannesburg Art Gallery (2002)
SafeFood, at BIG Torino, Biennale for Young Art, Turin, Italy (2002)
Tricrotic, video installation for the 16th Rencontres Video et Art Plastique, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Basse-Normandie, Normandy, France (2002)
The Pseudo-Bureaucracy of the Network Neighbourhood, residency and exhibition, Kunstraum, Linz, Austria (2002)
To Have and To Hold, Station Propeller experimental art space curated by Paula Paul, Linz, Austria (2002)