Young minds inspired by visual art at Springs Gallery walkabout

A walkabout hosted by uMsizi noPende immersed learners in the world of visual art at the Springs Arts Gallery on May 22.

The atmosphere buzzed with curiosity and excitement when the learners from Asser Maloka Secondary School and Kwathema Skills School engaged with this year’s uMsizi noPende Visual Arts Project winners, whose work is on exhibition.

They learnt about the arts industry as a career, what it means to be a curator and ways of making art.

While addressing the learners, uMsizi noPende’s Arnold Mabuya said, “The main reason we started uMsizi noPende and hosting these events is because we noticed most creatives do not have a platform where they can express their talents. We wanted young creatives to have an outlet and know they can make a career out of this.”

The competition’s silver prize winner, Ngoma Ka Mphahlele, displayed his photographs and explained that photography isn’t about owning a camera only, but about storytelling.

“These photos represent the aftereffects of the apartheid system. In one, a black woman wears a dress from the Victorian era. It is an illustration of the lasting effects or the remainders of colonialism,” he said.

He played a video he called Visions of the Future Past. Its message was that people of colour had moved on from the past, and a rebirth had happened.

The public voters’ choice winner, James Ndlovu, shared his insights on printing. He used charcoal, acrylic paint and oil to create his piece.

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Ndlovu told the learners that art left him with a sense of belonging and self-identity. After the walkabout, he showed the learners how he made his artwork.

Bronze prize-winner Vanessa Thembane’s art is a mixed media collage titled A dança da água. She called it a love letter to her mother.

“I have done art for eight years. The piece is inspired by stories my mother told me about her place of origin, Mozambique. The creation of this piece came from me trying to envision myself as a little girl in Mozambique,” she explained.

The event had two sessions to accommodate the number of learners. Gallery curator Happy Xaba concluded the first session by taking the learners through the exhibition.

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