Arts in Health South Africa

Monday, 7 May 2018

'Re-Stitching Culture' exhibitions are held in South Africa in 2018

‘Re-Stitching Culture’ - reclaiming traditional practice, health and well-being, through storytelling with threads, textiles and glass beads.

Doll-making plays an intrinsic role in many indigenous cultures across the world including communities in Australia, Canada and South Africa. In all three of these cultures doll-making represents a transfer of indigenous knowledge and culture, the building of capacity, and the proud reclaiming of identity, on both a local and a collective level. The benefits of these outcomes are important in safe guarding health and well being in indigenous communities.

Through the revitalisation of such culturally generated behaviours and activities, the three projects represented in this exhibition showcase effective ways to move forward from the pain, uncertainly, and taboos experienced by indigenous communities. Together, the three projects transmit clear messages of encouragement, to continue to work collaboratively, in order to build a healthier future for subsequent generations.

The three doll genres being exhibited in South Africa are the South African Siyazama dolls, Australian Aboriginal dolls, together with First Nation Canadian dolls. In South Africa, the two exhibition are being held, funded through the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC). The first is at the Stellenbosch University Museum (SUM) from 22 June - 13 July 2018. The official opening is on the 27th June at 6:30pm, and this will be led by Prof. Marsha MacDowel of Michigan State University Museum, USA. The second exhibition coincides with Women's Month, and will be held at the KZNSA Gallery, in Durban. The dates are from 23 July - 12 August 2018. The official opening is on the 24th July at 6:30pm, and this will be led by Emeritus Prof. Ian Sutherland.

'Re-Stitching Culture' - Australia 2017/18

Siyazama dolls join their sister dolls in Australia and Canada 2017-2019

The poster above is quick sneak preview of the 'work in progress' poster, for the SA 2018 exhibitions, designed by Graham Ray Wiles. He is a very talented graduate DUT Graphic Design BTech student, who also designed the front page of this BLOG. Look at all those logo's!

Monday, 27 June 2016

Living Legend Award

Prof. Kate Wells recently received the great news that she has been selected to be a recipient of Durban CIty's 'Living Legend Award' for her work in Siyazama. This award recognises people, of KwaZulu-Natal, who continue to make a difference in the lives of citizens, of the province. The ceremony took place in Durban, in September 2016. Below are two very fun videos produced by RAW Media in Durban, which show snippits of the event, the build up, and the interviews which were undertaken in the beautiful Botanical Gardens in Durban, South Africa. Meeting all the other recipients was especially exciting, as each of them was friendly, caring and very, very interesting!

Swedish Designers and Siyazama craftswomen team up to create 'Story Vases'

These amazing Story Vases were the vision of Renee Padt and Ikko Yokoyama, the creators of 'Editions in Craft', who worked with FRONT - a four girl design team from Sweden, and of course, the Siyazama craftswomen in Durban, South Africa. Prior to this, the BCXSY team from the Netherlands, had also worked with Siyazama to create the extraordinary COILED beaded forms.

The Siyazama women enjoyed both of these creative, unusual, processes a lot, which eventually placed their work in some of the most prestigious design platforms in Europe, in Japan, and in the USA. In New York City, I was thrilled to view both of these forms at the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in Columbus Circle! The press cover was massive with coverage in numerous publications, such as Ethnic, De Zeen, Svenska Dagbladt, WE Magazine, L Officiel, Madame Figaro (Japan), TimeOut Moscow, LA Times, LA at Home, South African Home & Garden, New York Times, AXIS Japan, and Form in Worldly Things.

I was also lucky to be invited to watch the glass blowing practice at Konstfact Art and Design School in Stockholm, Sweden, in the making of the Story Vases. The process began in Durban, South Africa, with the Siyazama women being interviewed by FRONT. They were asked questions about what they most desire in their lives. The women responded most enthusiastically, to this enquiry, and their verbal responses were printed, and eventually beaded onto a fine wire grid. This 3D grid was posted to Sweden, where the molten glass was dropped into it and the beautiful Story Vases were created.

Ikko and Renee checking the form

Swirling the molten glass

Molten glass is blown into beaded shape

Molten glass dropped into beaded form

STORY VASES on exhibition in Sweden

Fully beaded COILED SHAPE

Fully beaded COILED shapes

Ikko and Renee making the beaded shapes ready to be filled with molten glass.

Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Collaborative art and health workshop at The Eerde School in Deventer, Holland in 2015.

Elmarie Buys, art teacher extraordinaire for over ten years, at the International Eerde School, in Ommen, outside of Deventer in Holland, invited Peter Durieux, Frank Jooste, Neville Poulter and me, Kate Wells, to stage a one-day multidisciplinary workshop with her art students. The venue was the art room, a beautiful glass construction, called the orangery. Of interest, is that all five of us met at art school back in 1970-1973, in East London, South Africa, and have been friends ever since. Three live in Europe (Ireland, Holland and France) and two live in Cape Town, South Africa. The name 'Tonkers' was coined, I believe by Neville, a long way back, and this name has stuck! The Tonkers continue to meet, to practice their art forms, as well as to share experiences, and to support each other, mostly through creative art.