Full Biography
BEEZY BAILEY
(b. 1962 Johannesburg, South Africa)
WORK AND BIOGRAPHY:
I am often asked what does that ship, or car, or high heel shoe mean. I am not an illustrator; I release the images that appear before me. Like Picasso, I say that it is not for me to explain the contents of my work; this is for the viewer to do. Each of my works is a frozen dream. Images and legends enter from my subconscious, the world of my imagination. I am a conduit of visual messages greater than me, at best a messenger from God, at worst a Fallen Angel.
Beezy Bailey
Born of the frustration of “increasingly prevalent affirmative action” in the art world, Bailey submitted two artworks for a triennial exhibition in 1991. One was with the traditional Beezy Bailey signature (rejected), and the other signed Joyce Ntobe, a female alter-ego Bailey had created for himself. The latter now enjoys an honoured place in the South African National Gallery as part of its permanent collection. When the curator of the Gallery wanted to work on a paper about three black women artists, Joyce Ntobe being one, Bailey let the cat out the bag, which caused a huge media scandal.
Bailey has been the driving force behind several art auctions benefitting various charitable institutions. In 2004, he organized ART 4 AIDS, an auction which raised over R1 million. In 2009, Bailey, along with Tara and Jessica Getty, organised the Art for Africa auction, held Sotheby’s in London. The auction presented for the first time a major offering of works by some of South Africa’s leading artists, alongside pieces by some of the foremost contemporary artists from the UK. The auction was held in support of two charities which fund and facilitate the care and support of orphaned and vulnerable children, the Africa Foundation and Ikamva Labantu. Beezy has exhibited in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and England, and has collaborated with a variety of artists from Zwelethu Mthethwa to David Bowie. His work is represented in several art collections, including the David Bowie Art Collection, the Getty Family Collection as well as the Oppenheimer Art Collection.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2018
Solo Exhibition
‘Light Beyond the Dark’
Everard Read London
2016
Opening Gallery Exhibition, CIRCA Gallery London, UK
1000 Year Dance Cure, Everard Read, Cape Town
Winter Collection, Group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town
2015
The Sound of Creation: Sound Paintings by Beezy Bailey and Brian Eno, 56th International Art
Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezi, Venice, Italy
2014
Landscapes with a Twist, Solo Exhibition, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Itica Pritica, Beezy Bailey and Dave Mathews, Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2013
As it is in Heaven, solo exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa Itica Pritica, two man show with Dave Matthews, Robert Miller Gallery, New York, USA
2012
As It Is in Heaven, solo exhibition, Circa on Jellicoe, Johannesburg, South Africa
Winter Show, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
10,000 Trees Landscape, greening project for the Cape Flats, South Africa
2011
Icon-Iconoclast, solo exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
15th Anniversary, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2009
Dancing Christ, solo exhibition, Spring Art Tour, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Sex Power Money, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2008
Being blown backward into the future, Solo exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2007
Fallen Angels & Other Dreams, solo exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2006
Zwelethu Mthethwa / Beezy Bailey collaboration work acquired by the Kunsthal, Vienna
A collection of 45 retrospective paintings were acquired by the Ojai Valley Museum in California, USA
2005
Private viewing, studio, Cape Town, South Africa
One Man Exhibition, Everard Read Johannesburg, South Africa
2005/4
Collaboration with Zwelethu Mthethwa, Prague Biennale, Czech Republic
2004
One Man Exhibition, Everard Read Johannesburg, South Africa
One Man Exhibition, Knysna Fine Art, South Africa
2002
Brian Eno and Joyce Ntobe project (collaboration Beezy Bailey & Zwelethu Mthethwa).
Work in progress on large canvases
Curated the “Art for Aids orphans” auction for November 2002
Photographic collaboration with Zwelethu Mthethwa
Vanessa Branston commission – statues and mural in the UK
Ongoing exhibition of graphic works and water colours at the Art Factory and Shop
2000
Back to the Drawing Board, Pa Kua Gallery, Cape Town. One-person exhibition of ink-on-paper life drawings with live drawing performance on opening night
1999
Abakwetha – Farmer, Warrior, Statesman, Intervention, Parliament, Cape Town Part of a public sculpture festival to commemorate Heritage Day. The bronze statue of Boer War General Louis Botha outside Parliament was converted into a Xhosa initiate -wearing a traditional blanket and hat, face painted with white clay. The statue’s transformation received extensive international press and TV coverage.
Learning to Fly Again, Beezy Bailey Art Factory, Cape Town, South Africa
Lee Ping Zing, Performance at Womad music festival, Benoni, South Africa
1998
Solo exhibition, Beezy Bailey Art Factory, Cape Town
Fabric of the People, street fashion show, Beezy Bailey Art Factory, Cape Town, South Africa
Beezy Bailey Art Factory and Shop, Opening in Cape Town, South Africa
Group exhibition, Augsberg, Germany
Driftscapes, Hänel Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
1997
District Six Sculpture Festival, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa
1996
Through the Looking Glass, Jibby Beane Gallery, London, UK
1995
Beezy Bailey and Joyce Ntobe, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Collaboration with David Bowie, London and New York
Exquisite Corpses, Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
1994
Vote for South Africa, South African Association of Arts Performance work to mark the first democratic elections in South Africa.
A solo show of etchings produced in collaboration with various South African artists including Barend de Wet, Billy Mandindi and Norman Catherine.
Vote for South Africa : South African Association of Arts Performance work to mark the first democratic elections in South Africa.
Touring print exhibition: Florida State University. Prints by Beezy and his creation, the black domestic worker Joyce Ntobe, were included on a group exhibition of prints that toured to three American states.
1993
Two Collaborations: South African Association of Arts, Cape Town. Beezy exhibited concrete sculptures made collaboration with Koos Malgas (assistant to Helen Martins at the world-renowned Owl House sculpture garden in the Karoo) and painted photographs in collaboration with Adam Letch.
The Incisive Eye, Group show, Arts Association of Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
The Cape of Great Hope, Group show, Visual Arts Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa
Made in Wood, Group show, South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
1992
Landscapes, Exhibition with two artists at The Art Scene, Cape Town, South Africa
Joyce Ntobe/Beezy Bailey, Market Galleries, Johannesburg, South Africa
“Group exhibition” in which Beezy exhibits linocuts and sculptures by Joyce Ntobe, and works based on material from the Drum/Bailey African Photo Archives.
Joyce Ntobe/Beezy Bailey: South African Association of Arts, Cape Town, South Africa
1991
New Directions, Group exhibition of sculpture, Center for African Studies and Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town, South Africa
1989
Artist in residence, South African National Gallery, Cape Town¸ South Africa
1988
Harbour Paintings, One-person show, The Art Scene, Cape Town, South Africa
Introducing Beezy Bailey, One-man show, Vanessa Devereux Gallery, London, UK
1987
Landscapes from France and Namibia, Exhibition with two other artists, Karen McKerron Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Standard Bank Drawing Exhibition : Group show, South Africa
1986
First one-man exhibition, Art Show Gallery, London, UK
International Contemporary Art Fair Olympia, London, UK
COLLECTIONS:
Beezy’s work is represented in the South African National Gallery and numerous private collections in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States including:
Absa, South Africa
Bidvest, South Africa
Bzw Bank London, London, England
David Bowie Art Collection, London, England
Durban Art Gallery, South Africa
Getty Family Collection, USA
Investec, South Africa
Iziko South African National Gallery
Oppenheimer Art Collection, California, USA
Sasol, South Africa
Standard Bank Collection, South Africa