This Emerging Artists’ Showcase brings together various artistic personalities at particular stages in their careers. They share at least two essential characteristics: they have not yet been introduced to the world of art galleries and their works evoke the question of identity.
This exhibition examines who we are in a modern and ambiguous Africa. The question we are exploring is one of cultural diversity and that of origin, place of memories and heritage.
There is a need to build capacity amongst under-resourced emerging artists in South Africa. For many of these artists, access to formal visual art training, opportunities to showcase and generate an income from their work remains a challenge. This is in part because they are unversed in the process of producing and preparing work for exhibition at both a logistical and a conceptual level.
The Emerging Artists Capacity Building Programme addressed these needs.
This four-week pilot programme was structured around a series of workshops, excursions and finally, an exhibition of the artists work at Zeitz MOCAA.
This is Me: A Right of Passage forms an extension of the learning opportunity for participants. The exhibition has given participants an opportunity to become part of a community of like-minded people who speak the same language, often not understood by friends, family and community. The workshops provided a safe place, and an opportunity for the artists to really push their thoughts about why and how they work.
Writing artists statements and the walkabouts with curators, at the museums and galleries we visited, unlocked the artists’ understanding of their own work at a conceptual level.
The exhibition is the culmination and showcase of the Emerging Artist Capacity Building Programme. The exhibition is supported by the City of Cape Town and Creating Learning.
Participating artists:
Aiden van Eeden
Angelo Pearce
Asipe Sibango
Ayabonga Makhador Ntshongwana
Charity Wewe Ngidi
Gulwa Lindisipho
Louise Bowley
Naeemah Petersen
Ncumisa Mcitwa
Nkanyiso Radebe
Nusenu Prince Mawuli
Ongama Manyase
Jaco Beukman
Joël Mamboka Nkuma
Johnny Alvaro
Kanyisa Mdonga
Laa’iqah Safodien
Lonwabo Vimbi
Patrick Tankama
Sibulelo Dimanda
Thobela Solwandle
