A discovery of social cohesion through art

In celebration of its 15th year anniversary, the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation opened the doors to its public art exhibition, On Main Road, on 20 November.

Mmabatho Maboya, CEO of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation said the exhibition allowed the foundation to commemorate an important milestone with a public event that contributes uniquely to the South African discussion on inequality.

“We are celebrating and commemorating the work that we’ve done. Most importantly – through this exhibition – we would like to take our work forward and engage with the bigger challenges around inequality, inclusion and exclusion,” Maboya said.

The exhibition features works of fine art, posters, photography, video and design that contribute uniquely to the national discussions on inequality. Maboya said the idea to use an exhibition to celebrate the foundation’s anniversary came from the power that artworks have in representing social conditions while also immersing the viewer in a state the forces them to view the work with a critical eye.

“For us to be able to foster an inclusive and empowered society we have to able to respond to the bigger questions and we do that through the work that we do in education and supporting businesses,” said Maboya.

Curated by Rita Potenza, On Main Road includes Over 70 works by some of South Africa’s most compelling emerging and established artists whose artwork speaks to the themes of inequality, inclusion and exclusion, fragmentation and cohesion, borders and boundaries.

“The most exciting thing about the exhibition is that it’s actually giving us the past, present and the future. It was quiet exciting to see a few of the artists I look up to. We all know where South Africa is coming from and where it’s going. The exhibition summarises the country’s culture and heritage as well,” Nelson Makamo said.

Speaking at the opening, renowned South African visual artist, Makamo urged South Africans to engage and promote art and its usability in building solutions for a cohesive and united nation.

“The most exciting thing about the exhibition is that it’s actually giving us the past, present and the future. It was quiet exciting to see a few of the artists I look up to. We all know where South Africa is coming from and where it’s going. The exhibition summarises the country’s culture and heritage as well,” Makamo said.

Showing at the Women’s Jail in Constitution Hill the exhibition is open until 15 December and is open to the public.