OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Artist Cameron Platter is the undisputed king of Afro-bling. At one point in his career, however, it wasn't very clear that he would be king of anything. 'As a student at the Michaelis School of Fine Art he confounded his lecturers by presenting works which, in essence, were exact facsimiles of pieces Yinka Shonibare and Marlene Dumas,' recalls Andrew Lamprecht, a former lecturer and friend. 'This soon developed into more subtle forms of appropriation, culminating in the masterful turn of self-appropriation to be seen in his latest works.'
Based in Durban, Platter's naïve graphic style has many precedents. His mock-ethnic universe, populated by talking animals and mendacious playboys, shares many affinities with the work of another South African, Norman Catherine, but is far less stern in its execution and intent. His graphic works also display a narrative simplicity reminiscent of Namibian printmaker John Muafangejo, though, like Mufangejo, Platter is an original, an artist committed to perfecting his own dilettante vision. If his work, which encompasses animation, sculpture and print, at times confuses, it is probably worthwhile remembering a line from a song by Beck: 'In the time of chimpanzees, I was a monkey.'
Sean O’Toole
Extract from: O’Toole, Sean. “Out of the Shadows.” DAMn° - Design, Architecture & Art Magazine, March/April, 2007, page 47 (cover feature)
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