UKZN student gets scholarship
BHAVNA Pather, a Master’s student in Digital Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), was recently awarded a research scholarship by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium.
Pather, 25, from Queensburgh, Durban, graduated with her Digital Art Undergraduate and Honours degree summa cum laude and is now registered for a Master’s degree.
Her mother, Dr Roshini Pather, is a portfolio manager at UKZN library services and her late father, Rajan Pather, was a detective at the Point detective unit, Durban.
She said her research project had earned her the scholarship.
“My project was about digitally interactive installations that are responsive to the audience members present in the installation, ultimately changing their roles from simply viewers to creators. I was interested in how humans interacted with technology and how this impacted their desire to interact with a piece of artwork.”
Pather said her passion for art fuelled her success.
“I’m passionate about interactive art, seeing it as a way to involve society more in the creation of art. I want people to know art is for everyone who is willing and passionate, not just artists.
“That’s why I felt the discipline of Digital Arts was somewhere I could grow and better myself. There was a lot to learn within this discipline that I was never exposed to before, and I felt this area of study had a lot to offer in terms of growth and opportunities.”
Pather became interested in arts at an early age.
“Fine art was a hobby when I was in school, I loved to paint and draw. As I grew older it was difficult for me to find something I enjoyed doing and also did well in.
“I registered for my arts degree and one of the modules was digital art. After being exposed to this new discipline I realised the myriad of possibilities and all there was to learn when it comes to creating art digitally.
“After I graduated with my first degree, studying towards this degree was something I really enjoyed, although at times it was stressful, but compared to the things I was doing before, I never felt insecure about who I was.”
Pather has a twin sister, Kirthi, who shares similar interests.
“My sister is working towards her PhD at UKZN. She enjoys photography and painting. She believed in me as an artist even before I did and she enrolled me for this degree at UKZN.”
Elaborating on her scholarship, Pather said: “The scholarship is part of a two-year collaborative project
between Digital Arts in the school of Arts, the Centre for Creative Arts, UKZN and the Artesis Plantijn University of Applied Sciences in Antwerp. The project is funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council.
“I’ll be involved in researching ways of developing and improving open-source software to be introduced into our curriculum in South Africa.
“The project theme is ‘Collaborative drawing technology: A Step Towards Digitisation for Development in Urban Communities through the Creative Arts’.”
Pather said she was shocked at having been chosen.
“My supervising lecturer at the time (Dr Michelle Stewart) called during the evening to offer me this scholarship. At first I was nervous and anxious, I wasn’t sure how my family would feel about me leaving or even how I felt about leaving home for so long and being so far away.
“But they reminded me that travelling the world was always something I had wanted to do from a young age and that the opportunity doesn’t come around often.
“Their unwavering support will always get me through any hardship or challenge I come to face. My accomplishments are a true reflection of the strong and proud family I have standing behind me.”
The scholarship is over two years. Pather left for Antwerp in February and will return in June, before going back to Antwerp again in November, until April next year.
“I am very excited at the opportunity to travel and to know I am doing this while working towards my Master’s degree; I feel blessed.
“After I graduate I hope to study further and work towards my PhD.
“I want to show other students and people that being an artist or choosing to pursue a career in arts is worthwhile and that if you work hard and are passionate, there are many opportunities for you within this field.”