A unique gathering of young artists

LED by the centre’s CEO and artistic director, Lara Foot, the Baxter Theatre will play host to “an artistic exchange” between leading artists from nine countries in an event called A Unique Gathering: Rolex Mentors and Protégés, this weekend (April 5-7).

A Unique Gathering involves three mentors and eight protégés from the Rolex Arts Initiative, a philanthropic programme established in Geneva by the Swiss watch company in 2002. The initiative identifies talented young artists from all over the world, invites them to apply to become protégés and then brings successful applicants together with artistic masters for a year of creative collaboration in a mentoring relationship.

Each protégé receives a grant of 25,000 Swiss francs during the mentoring year, in addition to funds to cover travel and other major expenses. A further Sf25,000 is available to each after the year is over. This is offered specifically towards the creation of a new piece of work, a publication, performance or public event.

To compensate them for the time, energy and other resources they provide, each of the mentors is awarded an honorarium of Sf50,000.

Foot was a theatre protégée of the Rolex Arts Initiative in 2004-05, when US opera and theatre director Peter Sellars — who is among the mentors to participate in A Unique Gathering — mentored her. He will lead a workshop called Artists On The Front Line and, together with Rolex Arts protégés, Togolese creator of dance Anani Sanouvi and Lebanese theatre artist Maya Zbib, will explore how art and culture contribute to a healthy society. In addition to Sellars, two other renowned artists and Rolex mentors will share their skills and experiences at the event, which is open to the public. South African William Kentridge — who is currently mentoring Colombian artist Mateo Lopez — will lead a workshop that explores the origin of ideas and impulses, and examines how they become artistic material. Lopez will also be in Cape Town for the event.

Nigerian author Wole Soyinka, who was the Rolex Arts Initiative’s mentor in literature in 2008-09, when he guided Australian novelist Tara June Winch, will participate in public discussion with Sellars and Kentridge. They will look at “impulses behind the idea and the materialisation of an impulse, and how the world comes into your work”.

Foot, Lopez, Zbib and Sanouvi will be joined at A Unique Gathering by four fellow Rolex Arts protégés — Edem Awumey (literature, Togo), Antonio Garcia Angel (literature, Colombia), Aurelio Martinez (music, Honduras) and Josue Mendez (film, Peru).

Martinez will perform with South African composer Neo Muyanga and a band of South African musicians.

“We are seeing the fruits of the programme as the mentors refresh their own outlook on their discipline by viewing their art through younger eyes and, significantly, as protégés around the world have begun working together on projects,” says Rebecca Irvin, head of philanthropy at Rolex. “A Unique Gathering is the best example we have to date of this cross-pollination of disciplines.”

Baxter Theatre, Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, (021) 685-7880 www.baxter.co.za.