As we bid farewell to Africa Month, Randburg-based artist Jaylin Richardson shared the importance of celebrating and educating art students on the importance of African art.
Richardson, who is an art teacher at Lillian Gray Art School, shared insights into her approach and dedication. “I am extremely passionate about educating the youth about South African artists and the rich tapestry of African Art as a whole,” Richardson explained. “I believe that including African art in the education of artists is essential as it offers a unique perspective that enriches the conventional Western-centric narratives prevalent in art education.”
Richardson highlighted the importance of exposing students to diverse artistic traditions. “We encourage students to explore diverse artistic traditions to gain a broader understanding of the global art landscape. The school curriculum and media often give students a very limited view of the art world; it focuses mostly on Western art.”
African art is invaluable for its cultural and social insights, Richardson noted. “It gives students a different perspective and helps them understand the country’s history and context. I believe that celebrating and incorporating African art helps promote invaluable cultural heritages and empowers young artists by connecting them to their roots, fostering a sense of pride and identity.”
Richardson incorporates African art themes through various projects inspired by South African artists. “We have done projects inspired by South African Artists. It starts with teaching the students about the artists and then we do an artwork inspired by them and their style. We have focused on several South African artists such as Mary Sibande, Nicholas Hlobo, Rorkes Drift artists, Esther Mahlangu, and many more.”
One notable project involved the work of Esther Mahlangu. “We did a clay project inspired by Esther Mahlangu. The younger students made huts from clay and decorated them with Ndebele patterns, while the older kids created pots using her patterns and sneakers featuring Ndebele patterns.”
Richardson explained that social media plays a big role in promoting African art. “We have a YouTube video which focuses on the South African artist George Pemba. Although Pemba is known as the grand-master of South African art, there is actually very little material on him and at school, students are taught about him very briefly.”
Richardson emphasised the importance of using the platform to educate the public. “Through our videos, we want to shed light on these amazing artists and provide people with free education on them. It is so important to give these artists the recognition they deserve. For instance, Pemba’s work is very important in documenting the transformation of South Africa from Apartheid to post-1994.”
Richardson also addressed common misconceptions about African art. “I think there are many misconceptions and stereotypes related to African art and culture. A lot of the time, African art is underappreciated and misunderstood in the global context. Stereotypes of primitivism are still very pervasive in the way African art is depicted and seen. Through education, these misconceptions can be transformed through knowledge and understanding.”
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