Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Protest Art-80cmx50cm(silk ribbons,steel pins)
The subject matter is a Protea. This particular symbol is used as a National road sign in the Western Cape. A flower is the feminine symbol in nature and is used in this work as a Tribute to the social tragedy affecting millions of woman and children in South Africa.
The red ribbon creates awareness for HIV/aids. The white ribbon symbolizes unity against abuse on woman and children. The pink ribbon creates awareness for breast cancer amongst woman.
Detail-Painting using aids awareness ribbons150cmx180cm(sil ribbons,steel pins)
I am a Cape Town based artist. I was awarded an art scholarship in 2005 from UNESCO Auschberg to complete an artist residency with the Centro Colombo Americano in Medellin, Colombia South America. lI participated in social projects in Medellin, called Desearte Paz where I worked in the communas, which is the same as the townships in South Africa. Medellin is a city surrounded by poor refugees forced to flee their homelands because of civil war. Colombia is governed by communistic groups such as the Para-militars and Gorillas. In these neighborhoods, violence is part of life and the youth don’t know any better! We worked in two neighborhoods called Altos de la Torro and Pacifico. We had to be invited to these hoods by the head of each community and the youth painted the main stairway of each. Specific symbols associated with social issues of the community were painted such as need for water and peace in the neighborhoods.
as well as in Cape Town.
In December 2005, I conducted art workshops with the Department for Poverty Alleviation in the Western Cape to children from Kensington, Du Noon and Joe Slovo to create art for Aids Awareness and was displayed in these neighborhoods on Youth Day (16/12). I have participated in all the major Art Competitions in South Africa: namely Volkskas Atelier 1994-1996, Absa Atelier and New Signatures where I won the best painting category and both two Brett Kebble Competitions (2003, 2004). I have also participated in the Spier Outdoor Sculpture Biennale 2004.I have had three solo art exhibitions (AVA, Cape Town and Blank Projects, Cape Town and Gessau Art,Jhb).I have also participated in many group exhibitions also.
I am a versatile artist and have created sculptural, new-media and street related projects. I am currently working with Urban symbols which promote awareness on social injustices affecting primarily woman and children. Namelyaids,abuse,crime and breast cancer. Please refer to folder (Sasol Art 2007). These visual symbols are folded and pinned (as we would wear it) to a surface in a repetitive manner reminiscent of African tapestries and bead-making which is a by-product of feminine socialization. This unique textured surface with its rich glow of silk ribbons creates a visual tribute to mortality in a sacred and majestic way. The application of thousands of ribbons takes on a form of life-an existential life and pays tribute to all the woman and children who have lost their lives to these epidemics.
Protest Painting-150cmx180cm
Title: Day of the Epidemic
Medium: Silk ribbons, steel pins and Acrylic.
The subject matter is urban symbols. The medium is silk ribbons which are associated with the generation of awareness on social issues affecting primarily the vulnerable sectors of society: woman and children. .
These symbols are used as visual messages of protest on the turbulence and crisis which has affected South Africa’s social structure and remains one of the greatest challenges of our times. These visual symbols are folded and pinned (as we would wear it) to a surface in a repetitive manner reminiscent of African tapestries and bead-making which is a by-product of feminine socialization. This unique textured surface with its rich glow of silk ribbons creates a visual tribute to mortality in a sacred and majestic way. The application of hundreds of ribbons takes on a form of life-an existential life and pays tribute to all the woman and children who have lost their lives to these epidemics.
Day of the Epidemic is an interpretation of my UNESCO residency experience from Colombia, South America in 2005. The canvas is divided into two halves: one side, a decorated skull (sugar skulls) which celebrates the Day of the Dead in November each year in the Mexican/Colombian culture. The wearing/promotion of the red, black and white silk symbols are in turn also celebrated in November and December each year to raise awareness on aids, abuse and crime in South Africa. As mentioned, these three social issues affect woman and children primarily. Both halves are not anatomically connected and serve as a metaphorical symbol for mortality caused by these three epidemics.
Protest for social injustices using popular symbols-20cmx20cm(silk ribbons,steel pins)-20cmx20cm(silk ribbons,steel pins)
Silk ribbons are used as awareness symbols on social issues in South Africa
The black ribbon is used to create awareness for crime prevention in South Africa.
Red-used universally for aids awareness
Pink-used universally for breast cancer awareness
White-used in South Africa to promote protestation on physical abuse on woman and children
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