Artists draw inspiration from Trappists monks

A colony of Durban artists, including three painters from Amanzimtoti, has been enjoying a sense of wonder by trailing the Trappists monks of KwaZulu-Natal.

Trappist monks under the leadership of Father Franz Pfanner, founded Mariannhill Monastery near Pinetown in 1882. As a rule, the monks speak only when necessary and regard idle talk as something to avoid. They are cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St Benedict.

The Mariannhill Monastery became a self-sufficient community, with the monks making the bricks to build with, metal works and blacksmithing, their own hospital and school, and they even baked their own bread.

They taught the locals skills and farming, and designed and built their own buildings, including all the woodwork and murals and even made their own keys.

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They first landed in the Eastern Cape, but due to its barren environment, moved to Mariannhill.

As the monks can only sleep under a consecrated roof, within the space of a few years a network of missions, known as ‘out-stations’, was established across the landscape of Southern KZN. The out-stations, built by the Trappist monks between 1882 and 1908, were spaced a day’s ride on a horse from Pinetown to Matatiele.

The group of 16 local artists, who all belong to Maggie Strachan’s studio, visited many of these missions and out-stations close to Ixopo, Underberg and High Flats in deeply rural areas.

They were also given permission by the monks to use the archives at Mariannhill, and draw and paint at the missions.

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They invite the public to share in their experience by visiting an exhibition of their work in the St Anne’s Hall at Mariannhill Monastery from 5 to 12 November.

The group has drawn inspiration from the environment, local communities, archival records, church architecture and artifacts.

The artists involved hope their paintings, drawings and mixed-media works will highlight a little-known part of KZN’s cultural heritage, inspire a sense of awe and encourage visitors to experience this extraordinary history for themselves, while enjoying the breathtaking landscapes.

Amanzimtoti artists Gill van Wyk, Scott Kotze and Ritha Fenske will add their collective of more than 30 paintings to over 100 to be displayed on sale at the exhibition.

“These mission stations with their beautiful, out of place European architecture in the hills of KZN tell us so much about the men and women who built them. Their determination and dedication, their vision and sense of purpose is captured in their creative designs and attention to detail,” said Scott.

“In a generation where everything needs to happen instantaneously, I hope this exhibition will help us to pause and reflect on the beautiful legacy left to us by this group of people who followed a very different, yet perhaps more satisfying way of life,” he added.

The exhibition is open from noon to 3pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm on weekends. The paintings on display, as well as directions, can be viewed on the Facebook page ‘Trailing the Trappists’.