Young artists exhibit at Zeitz MOCAA

Karen Watkins|Published 1 year ago

Art by five high schools who are part of an arts project that began in Hout Bay has been on exhibition at Africa’s foremost contemporary art museum for the past ten months.

The paintings and montages by a number of Grade 8 to 12 pupils under the Lalela Arts Project have formed part of A Gaze from Within, an exhibition, at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA).

A closing ceremony was held at the museum on Wednesday August 23 for both that exhibition and another one, When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting, which included 200 works by 154 artists from 28 countries.

Both exhibitions have been running since November last year and will close on Sunday September 3. The work submitted by the pupils for A Gaze from Within had to respond to the six themes of When We See Us: The Everyday, Joy and Revelry, Repose, Sensuality, Spirituality, and Triumph and Emancipation.

Lalela executive director Firdous Hendricks said the non-profit organisation had started in Imizamo Yethu in 2011 and had since spread to include 11 other communities.

Lalela, which takes it name from the Zulu word “to listen”, provides educational arts for youth from poor communities to spark creative thinking and awaken an entrepreneurial spirit.

South African pianist and composer Dr Nduduzo Makhathini and singer-songwriter Baba Mbuzo Khoza performed for guests during the ceremony.

In 2024, When We See Us will travel to the Kunstmuseum Basel in Switzerland.

Ancestral by Silikamva High School pupil Nanyasho Mukahadzi, left, and What do you see when you see us by Hout Bay High School pupil Ashwin Swart, right.

When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting and A Gaze from Within end their runs on Sunday September 3.

Anthony Hartman, left, with Zeitz MOCAA director of education Liesl Hartman and Lalela executive director Firdous Hendricks.

Lalela project manager Siyolisi Bani, of Wynberg, with Lalela facilitator, Simamkele Sitwebile, of Blue Downs. Picture: Karen Watkins

Lalela founder Firdous Hendricks speaks about educational arts for at-risk youth in townships.

Lalela Project staff, from left, Linda Daniels of Stellenbosch, Nwabisa Ndongeni of the CBD and Amy Cornfield of Rondebosch.

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa executive curatorial coordinator Siseko Maweyi, of Woodstock, left, with Wellington Muromba, of Pinelands.

A Gaze from Within is the pupils’ response to the six themes of When We See Us.

Mother Nature by Maitland High School Grade 9 pupil Loveline Angwani.