Since 1994, Johannesburg has served as a reference point for Hobbs’ artistic and curatorial insights into the apartheid city turned African city – with a particular interest in the impact of defensive urban planning and architecture on the behavioral aspects of city and society. The resultant urban decay that develops in such conditions evolved Hobbs practice into consultative processes on the role of art in public space relative to urban design frameworks commissioned by the city. More recently through his exhibition work with David Krut Projects, Hobbs’ urban defensive knowledge has broadened to research and production inspired by the spatial planning of WWI and WWII military installations on the continent of Africa and abroad.
Stephen Hobbs graduated from Wits University with a BAFA (Hons.) in 1994. He was the curator of the Market Theatre Galleries (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000, Co-Director of the purpose built Gallery Premises (2004-2008) at the Joburg Theatre. Since 2001 he has co-directed the artist collaborative and public art consultancy – The Trinity Session. And since 2004 has co-produced a range of multi-medium urban and network-focused projects, with Marcus Neustetter, under the collaborative name Hobbs/Neustetter.
BORN:
May 1, 1972, Johannesburg, South Africa
ACADEMIC:
1990-93 B.A. (Hons.) Fine Art, Univ. of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2015
Ghost Ships. Special Project, FNB Joburg Art Fair, Johannesburg
Permanent Culture at 1800 metres. David Krut Projects, Johannesburg
Permanent Culture. David Krut Projects, Cape Town
SAS Somerset and other war stories. 2050, Cape Town
2014
JAG/SNAG. The Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg
2013
Very Special Places. Krings-Ernst Gallery, Cologne.
Be Careful in the Working Radius. David Krut Projects, Johannesburg
Activities on the Grid, US Gallery, Stellenbosch.
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS /
HOBBS/NEUSTETTER EXHIBITIONS:
2015
Hobbs/Neustetter, Renaming the City, Ars Electronica “Post City” Festival, Linz.
Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design. Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany
Hobbs/Neustetter.Temporary But Permanent: Projects. MOAD, Johannesburg
2014
Johannesburg in Print: Ubuntu Festival. Carnegie Hall, New York City
Temporary but Permanent. Hobbs/Neustetter. The Athenaeum, Port Elizabeth
The Imaginary Corpse. Hobbs/Neustetter. Subtle Tech Festival, Toronto
2013
Platform 1. Hobbs/Neustetter. Gift Festival, Gateshead
My Joburg. La Maison Rouge, Paris.
Bessengue B’etoukoa. Hobbs/Neustetter. SUD Trienniel, Douala
ATAYA. Hobbs/Neustetter. French South Africa Seasons, Johannesburg/Paris.
2012
10 Years Onair: Review. Hobbs/Neustetter. MOAD, Johannesburg
Temporary Museum of Art. Hobbs/Neustetter. Havanna Bienniel, Havanna
Intangibles. Afropixel Festival, Dakar
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
2015
Building treatment, landscaping and pool design for the residential development: The Craftsman’s Ship, in the Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg.
USA lecture tour developed by David Krut Projects, New York, in collaboration with institutions in Detroit, Cleveland, Connecticut, St Louis and New York.
SELECT REFERENCES / BOOKS:
Justin Fox. The Hobbsian Line – Permanent Culture, David Krut Publishing, 2015
Keith Baine. Destination Africa Profile. Britisih Airways – High Life Magazine, February 2015
Melvin Minnaar. Meditation on War and Subterfuge, Mail and Guardian. 13 March 2015
Toni Muir. Celebrating Urban Decay, Slow Mag, Ed 5. Pp 16-18. 2014
Hobbs/Neustetter. Temporary But Permanent. Published by The Trinity Session. 2014
Loren Kruger, Imagining The Edgy City, Oxford University Press. Pp 205-234. 2013
Jacqueline Nurse, Be Careful in the Working Radius. David Krut Publishing, 2013
Stephen Hobbs: Be Careful in the Working Radius: POP-UP book. David Krut Publishing, 2013
Mary Corrigall. Feature. Sunday Independent, Sunday Life, Nov 11. 2012
Sean O’Toole. Feature. Art South Africa, Bell Roberts Publishing. Winter Issue, pp 84-89. 2010
Onair. Published by The Trinity Session and The Joburg Theatre. 2009
COLLECTIONS:
New York Public Library. Smithsonian Library. SASOL Collection, SA. South African Broadcasting Corporation. BHP Billiton, SA The Johannesburg Art Gallery. Merrill Lynch Europe, UK. Private collections, South Africa, Europe, USA