The Tropics. View from the middle of the globe

An ongoing photographic project that explores the global spread of consumerism and the aesthetic regime that accompanies it, Jandrell’s subject matter includes wildlife parks, zoos, botanical gardens, historical recreations and theme parks around the world. Her photographs bring into focus the mutually dependent nature of ideologies and cultural practices, where leisure environments are constructed to appeal to the aspirations of the economic and ideological systems with which they are intertwined. The photograph titled “Bridge of Time, Palace of the Lost City, Sun City, South Africa” from her series ‘Take Photo Here” was selected by the curators for this exhibition.

The research led to the production of an internationally acclaimed body of unique photographic work that has been exhibited internationally. It has been subject to review in art journals and national and international press reviews. The development of this body of work has been recognised in its inclusion in this exhibition alongside contemporary artists of international standing.

The Exhibition took place at the South African National Gallery and was curated by Prof Dr Viola König, Dr Peter Junge and Alfons Hug, and brought to the Iziko South African National Gallery by the Goethe-Institute, this exhibition, for the first time, showed rare pre-modern art from the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Ethnologisches Museum, in South Africa. The contemporary component of the exhibition included photography, video-works and paintings from Germany, Spain, Brazil, Great Britain, Vietnam, Indonesia, Peru and South Africa. This exhibition was open to the public and reviewed in South African press.

The photographic work is now housed in the permanent collection of the South African National Gallery, and will be exhibited in future. It is available to researchers, curators and visitors on request.