MEMORIES OF CURRY’S POST
Maritzburg College, in collaboration with renowned artist Brent Dodd, is hosting an auction of a painting called "Cinderella" in order to raise funds for the family of Bongani Khumalo, a teacher at Maritzburg College who died in a car accident in November.
The painting was painted by Brent Dodd in collaboration with esteemed actress, storyteller, antiapartheid activist, playwright, director and author, Gcina Mhlope in 2017. The painting is oil on canvas and has dimensions of 1010mm x 710mm.
This painting was part of an exhibition of paintings that told the story of the Nguni people, showing the importance of family. This painting in particular, represented taking ownership of uniqueness and shining against all odds.
Dodd, who is an educator at Maritzburg College and who has been painting for the last 40 years, said, "Cinderella" was the last painting from the 2017 exhibition that I kept and have had in my home as I just love the message of defying the odds. I think his two children and their mother are going to have to survive some difficult odds."
Dodd went on to describe how he became friends with Khumalo, "Bongani and I were colleagues at school, but also friends. It was really by chance that we became friends as he was often asked to look after my classes when I was away. He found the work I set interesting and would often complete some of the drawing exercises. He genuinely loved art but what struck me most was when he told me one day that I taught with kindness. He said he liked kindness. If you knew him, his face was basically a face that just shone kindness. I don't think he knew how to frown. When he journey from Johannesburg we all learned of his tragic passing, to Durban would normally it was devastating to say the least." take a couple of days.
Dodd also described Khumalo Bad roads turned into muddy as being soft spoken but with tracks in the rainy season and dust a great passion for what he did. traps in the summer.
"He was a determined young man What appears in the foreground whom everyone loved," he concluded. of the image is the railway line, however, my research - con
The auction runs until the January firmed by Bruno Martin - reveals 31, 2023, with all the proceeds that the nearest stations on the going to the family of Khumalo. NML (Natal Main Line) would have
Those who would like to participate been Lidgetton, Caversham or Balgowan. in the auction can use the following link. https://maritzburgcollege.co.za/brent-dodd-paintingbongani-khumalo/ The artist, Dean Simon, applied some artistic licence in putting a railway line alongside the road
A 1930 Ford Model A stops outside a stall on the road to Durban. Offering full weather protection, the 1930 closedcab pick-up was gaining popularity over the roadster pick-up.
Tthrough Curry’s Post! It is an interesting drawing though, especially the 1930 Model A Ford.
Curry’s Post is in the heart of the Midlands, between Mooi River and Howick, and it has a quaint history that involves the Curry family, after whom Curry’s Post is named, who settled here, establishing an overnight wagon and cart stop - in essence a staging post.
The Coach House, still in existence today, is where George Curry and his rather large extended family lived. He went on to have as many as 20 grandchildren.
During the early years Curry’s Post was to play an important role as a ‘watering hole’ during the gold and diamond rushes as the hustle of traffic - in the form of wagons, carts and weary travellers - made this their stop en route to the old ‘Transvaal’ reef.
The Curry’s Post of today is considered one of the hidden treasures of the Midlands, for its sheer beauty. It is now a combination of farms - mostly cattle, dairy and vegetable - and natural forests, which appear to extend for miles.