Art is dancing from the ceiling
THE 2m-long, multi-coloured and faceted chandelier hanging from the ceiling right at the entrance of the African Art Centre may well change the mindset and perception which some art lovers have about crafters.
“It’s widely known that crafters only make earrings and other small jewellery, and I am not knocking this idea, but the possibilities of creating other things using these smaller creations are endless,” said Robin Opperman, owner of Umcebo Design.
Art from the ceiling is the first thought that comes to mind when you walk into the African Art Centre where The Naked Heart Chandelier hangs.
The chandelier, the main exhibition which is on for the rest of this month, is a collaborative effort between crafters from the centre and Umcebo Design.
Opperman said the collaboration, funded by the National Lotteries Commission and the National Arts Council, resulted in the chandelier and its elements being made using quality products.
“Often the misconception is that crafters use cheaper material – this sort of collaboration has given them the chance to work with quality material. It took about six weeks to make the chandelier structure.”
He said the funds raised from the sale of the chandelier would go to more collaborative initiatives in the craft sector.
Magdalene Reddy, director at the African Art Centre, said the chandelier was made from glass beads as well as copper wire features and would be up for sale during the month-long exhibition.
She added that the glass bead, copper wire and crystal chandelier structure was the work of Umcebo Design.
“The decorative elements include beaded hearts, wire flowers and birds made by crafters at the art centre. It’s a three-layer chandelier with a light element and can be hung as a centrepiece. It is 2m long and very heavy,” she said.
Reddy described the exhibition as “a melting pot of all things art under one space at the same time”, which also features an open mic session for poets and musicians, as well as food stalls.
“The collaboration for the chandelier came about after seeing that crafters use their materials to make more or less the usual things. And we thought of a way of giving crafters a platform to work across the board when it comes to creating art,” said Reddy, adding crafters said the process had been exciting and inspiring and had sparked a new energy in them.