Artists unite for first show
Group showcasing work while informing public
Ukwanda Collective will hold their first public art exhibition at The Mall foyer in King William’s Town on Saturday, showcasing various photographic works.
Exhibition convenor Yanga Mgabadeli said Ukwanda was a collective of art practitioners from the Eastern Cape who shared a desire to develop audience appreciation for contemporary arts in their communities.
“Ukwanda loosely translates to “expand” or “develop”. This defines the intent of the collective to advance art in
we want to revive the information about our history and heritage
the province as a tool for economically active change in our communities through engaging and feasible art projects,” he said.
Their objective is to foster collaborations between artists in different disciplines, within a provincial and national network, commercially nurture the art market locally, create a skills-sharing and assistant programme for aspiring artists, and to incorporate creative arts in rural and township communities.
“We are a collaborative project that seeks to create a series of public artworks distinguishing the significance of heritage spaces in relation to social, ethnic, traditional and cultural dynamics in between urban and rural settings.
“The project uses the photography and textile design disciplines as a vehicle for public intervention.
“This will be displayed with visual projections, photographic exhibitions and a fashion show at the local taxi rank, engaging directly with the various communities that commute through this space.
“The collective’s visual artworks and clothing designs will be informed by the art direction plan created from researching the locals’ narratives on heritage,” Mgabadeli said.
The main purpose was to raise awareness about the history of Xhosa heritage.
“We as the youth have the tendency to neglect our roots, as history is not taught well. There is no entry fee because we do not want to generate any income but rather we want to revive the information about our history and heritage,” Mgabadeli said.