Project Space The Point of Order
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The Point of Order

The Point of Order (TPO) is an on-going exhibition project space implemented by the Department of Fine Arts, and is a dynamic and vital point of visibility for the Department’s public programme.

The core of the Fine Arts exhibitions programme is managed and run from TPO, which is facilitated by the Exhibitions Coordinator and supported by student led initiatives/exhibitions/projects which run concurrent to the Fine Art Department’s academic project.

Located outside of University grounds, TPO allows for engagement with initiatives/exhibitions/projects produced within the department in a publicly accessible exhibition space. The programme covers student and/or staff led initiatives, and hosts programmes/projects such as exhibitions, events, screenings, book launches and project exchanges with local and international individuals and institutions, with a focus on developing artists from the undergraduate and postgraduate programme as well as alumni.

The Point of Order is a pivotal space in the gallery/project space ecosystem of Johannesburg, which allows for experimental and non-commercial work. It thus offers itself as a playground/laboratory of sorts, in which students are free to work through and develop their understanding of professional practice.

Objectives of TPO:

  • Provide an exhibition project space conducive to practice-led research, experimentation and the testing of creative ideas and concepts.
  • Enable undergraduate and postgraduate students to present ideas and work within an experimental lab/studio context, geared towards peer group discussion and critical engagement with the Fine Arts staff body, through self-led discussions, crits and examinations.
  • Allow students to use the space as an open or closed studio/gallery, or testing ground, without the obligation to exhibit outcomes for the public.
  • Maintain a dynamic exhibition project space for the public viewing of student work through exhibitions, openings, events, talks, screenings and other activations.
  • Maintain a vital online platform and archive for the documentation of exhibitions and events hosted by TPO.
  • Engage with and develop various curatorial strategies and critical thinking around artistic praxis. This may take the form of student-led conferences, panel discussions, talks and hybrid webinars.
  • Collaborate with the Department of History of Art, WSOA, the Humanities and other appropriate teaching and learning programmes within the university.
  • Support non-commercial exhibition-making methodologies, with a practice-centred rather than commercially orientated focus.
  • Support viable proposals from local and international artists and curators. While TPO is primarily aligned with departmental programming, the space is made available to at least one external exhibitor per year. This allows TPO to maintain a dynamic presence within the broader gallery/project space ecosystem of Johannesburg. The Point of Order (TPO) is an on-going exhibition project space implemented by the Department of Fine Arts, and is a dynamic and vital point of visibility for the Department’s public programme. The core of the Fine Arts exhibitions programme is managed and run from TPO, which is facilitated by the Exhibitions Coordinator and supported by student led initiatives/exhibitions/projects which run concurrent to the Fine Art Department’s academic project.

Website: https://www.thepointoforder.org/

Newwork Graduate website: https://newworkwits.co.za/

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