Gerhard Marx is known for the development of drawing and sculptural techniques in which he engages with pre-existing conventions, practices and found objects. Careful acts of dissection and rearrangement affects and transforms his chosen materials in order to access and engage their inherent poetic potential and philosophical assumptions. With a Masters of Fine Arts (cum laude) from the University of Witwatersrand, his work has been shown at the Venice Biennale, and is represented internationally by the Goodman Gallery.

 He has produced a number of large scale public sculptures, including Vertical Aerial: Jhb (Old Ford, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg), The Fire Walker, a collaboration with William Kentridge (Queen Elizabeth Bridge, Johannesburg) and Paper Pigeon, collaboration with Maja Marx (Pigeon Square, Johannesburg). Marx is not new to theatre, as has collaborated widely as scenographer, director, and filmmaker. Notable projects includes his direction and design of Philip Miller’s Rewind; a Cantata for Voice and Testimony and the award winning design for Lara Foot Newton’s Tshepang.  

Season 4 of The Centre for the Less Good Idea sees Marx once again working with pre-existing objects and materials, this time pursuing his interest in the relationship between sound and object by immersing himself in the dissonant worlds of instrument-making and automotive repair. Through embracing the discomfort of the unknown, and in collaboration with the exceptional talents of  improvisational-jazz musicians Shane Cooper and Kyle Shepherd, as well as prose and vocals by poet Toast Coetzer, Marx will be merging these two specialisations in creating a sonic and performative piece entitled Vehicle. The work is a site specific installation that will be available for viewing throughout the Season, but the performances of the sound-installation are scheduled and need to be booked.

CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EDITING | Noah Cohen
WRITING | Dave Mann