Bespoke fabric range on exhibit

DESIGNS to give a voice to the voiceless with a beautiful range of fabrics inspired by the Ufafa Valley crafters near Ixopo, will be on exhibition at the KZNSA Gallery in Glenwood on 17 October.

Proactive and inventive community development project, Woza Moya, situated adjacent to the Buddhist Retreat Centre in the Ixopo area, has birthed an innovative fabric range which has taken years to envision.

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Woza Moya Ixopo was established in 2000 by providing home-based health care in response to the devastating impact of HIV/Aids in the region. Woza Moya developed an holistic and integrated approach which includes child care and protection, sustainable livelihoods, early childhood development, and youth development, which directly impacts on 2000 people and benefits closer to 8000.

The craft enterprise as part of the sustainable livelihoods programme is a cornerstone of the organisation. The culmination of a thorough and carefully-managed multi-pronged process was a range of hand-embroidered images, originally designed by Leonie Malherbe, which have now been digitally printed onto fabric to be made into a contemporary product range.

With funding from Rotary Global Grant, a year-long project was undertaken to develop the crafting team at Woza Moya. Angela Shaw of the KZNSA was commissioned to advise on range planning, product design and market presentation.

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“It is the KZNSA’s mandate to grow the creative economy in KZN, and to bring the wealth of talent we have in the province to market. We jumped at the opportunity to share design and market insights, and to directly contribute to high-end handmade product that could be exhibited in the KZNSA gallery and retailed in our shop,” she said.

The exhibition, in the KZNSA’s mezzanine gallery, is the launch of the textile range and Ufafa Valley, the new brand name of Woza Moya Ixopo’s crafting division. It will feature enormous dramatic fabric drapes fronted by beautiful portrait photographs of the embroiderers, knitters and crafters, taken by Angie Buckland.

Visit www.kznsagallery.co.za or call 031 277 1705.