Arts for Humanity and the University of Johannesburg’s art gallery held an exhibition where 20 works of art were on display. Residents gathered at the art gallery where the artworks were displayed on the wall at UJ’s Kingsway campus in Auckland Park.
Zinhle Khumalo from Arts for Humanity said that these exhibitions were held in order to stimulate conversations about the 20 year celebration of the Bill of Rights entrenched in the South African Constitution.
“Human rights are a pivotal point within the Bill of Rights and through these exhibitions we hope to allow people the platform to express themselves in a healthy manner. All 25 issues from the Bill of Rights is showcased here through prints, digital prints and photographs,” she explained.
She pointed out that 17 years after Arts for Humanity held their first exhibition, now was the time for residents to reflect on the past years and see where the country was headed.
“We have worked with distinguished artists and alongside their artworks we have worked with a poet who has deciphered the art and written a poem about it,” Khumalo said.
She pointed out the recent racial issues that have emanated from social media and said that indicated that the citizens of the country needed to talk and be heard.
Lecturer at UJ in the Fine Arts, Professor Kim Berman said that she regarded Art for Humanity as heroic as the project had become a visual voice for human rights around the world through their various advocacy campaigns of exhibitions, workshops poster billboards human rights forums and discussions. “One only has to read the list of endorsements from international Nobel Peace prize winners and advocates for human rights to recognize the monumental importance of this activist organisation,” she said.
Prof Berman was speaking from the podium as she did the opening speech for the exhibition.
Details: University of Johannesburg Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, 011 559 4555.
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