Hearing the ‘art beat’ of Limpopo province

A night of celebrating art from the heart of Limpopo with the many stories that go with it was recently held in Haenertsburg during the Spring Fair.

BJ and Daléne van Zyl with Philé and Lona van Zyl.

The exhibition, the Limpopo Heritage Collection, featured the artwork of seven renowned sculptural artists. According to Lisa Martus, organiser of the exhibition, many of the works on display were part of the Jurgen Witt Collection and some are also on permanent display at the Tzaneen Museum.

Lisa Martus, Hilda Witt (widow of the late Jurgen Witt), Deon Pienaar and Prof Louis
Changuion.

“They are also the most influential artists in that they influenced and mentored many of the prominent artists today,” she told the Herald. On display were also work by Jerry Lion, a Limpopo artist who was commissioned to design the commemorative stamps after Nelson Mandela was released as well as Pierre Volschenk, who is renowned for his Nelson Mandela bust and his baobab paintings.

Akissi Beukman, whose work is currently showcased at the Mocaa Zeitz museum of contemporary art in Cape Town, was also featured. The exhibition was made possible by local award-winning creative company, The Traveling Circus, in conjunction with Love Limpopo, another initiative celebrating and promoting the many treasures of the province as well as local agri giant, ZZ2, who is the custodians of the Jurgen Witt Collection.

Angelo Mkhabele, the son of Bevan Mkhabele.

Martus told the Herald that the conservation of art collections is something that lies near to her heart. “It is important to host shows like these to make sure that local living artists and crafters are recognised for their work,” she said. “It is a celebration of the true spirit of the Limpopo, reflecting the beauty of its people, landscapes, heritage and culture.”

Jan and Bernadine Taljaard, Pétria de Vaal, Isabella Marais and Cornel Coetzee.

Martus, a social development specialist and her colleagues, Deon Pienaar and Stefan Hurter, work in the tourism field making films on local communities. In the past eight months, they have produced 36 films for conservation organisations, ranging from the Vhembe Biosphere, The Ribola Art Route, The Limpopo Birding Routes and Friends of the Haenertsburg Grasslands, amongst others.

Nyiko Mutileni, Akissi Beukman and Johannes Westerveld.

Martus said that the Ribola Art Route near Elim is an experience that should be undertaken by all art lovers. “It is a melting pot of Tsonga, Venda and Shangaan cultures and is rich with symbology.” She encouraged locals to visit the route. Go to www.ribolaartroute.com for more information or to book day tours. Martus can also be contacted on 072 397 9624.