SIX local artists are developing and strengthening their talent at the Thupelo International Workshop, currently being held at the Kings School, in Nottingham Road.
Ncumisa Mcitwa, Nomusa Mtshali, Selloane Moeti, Thalente Khomo, Clive Sithole and Thami Jali are participating in the two-week workshop, which includes 18 artists from five different countries, aimed at providing them with the opportunity to work together in various disciplines. An initiative of the Cape Town-based Greatmore Studios, the workshop ran until Friday, 12 April, culminating in a public open day on Saturday, 13 April during which the work was on display for public viewing and audience engagement.
Witty Nyide, co-ordinator for both regional and international KZN-based Thupelo workshops said: “The idea behind the workshop’s ethos is about creating space for making art without the pressures of structured conventions often accompanying the so called ‘mainstream’ institutions. It is open to self-motivated visual artists who are keen to expand their ideas, exchange knowledge and experiment in fellowship with other artists. This also encourages a space for sharing skills and ideas in an innovative environment where artists feel safe to experiment and learn from one another. Since 1985, each workshop, regional or international, has had its own identity which unfolds as the workshop progresses. Because the material budget is often quite low, sharing and the use of found objects or donated materials is encouraged.”
Thupelo, which is a Se Sotho phrase meaning ‘to teach by example’, was initiated in 1985 in Johannesburg by David Koloane, together with the late Bill Ainsle and a group of artists. Both regional and international Thupelo workshops were initiated in response to a need for interaction between artists and are therefore artists-led. It is part of the international Triangle network of studio and workshop initiatives.
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