THE SISULU’S IMMORTALISED AT NATIONAL

WSU Fine Art students display aesthetic patriotism through their alma mater’s namesake, Walter Sisulu and his wife Albertina themed pieces at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda.

The art works are supposed to celebrate the legacies left by the two struggle stalwarts and reflects critically on what they envisaged for post-apartheid South Africa.

“The Visual Arts Department finds it fitting to name this exhibition after Walter Sisulu and his wife, Albertina. It is the first time our icon has been celebrated in this way by the University,” said WSU Fine Art lecturer, Sonwabiso Ngcai.

At the entrance of the Albany Museum exhibition one can’t miss the striking portraits of liberation struggle stalwarts, Walter Sisulu and his wife Albertina.

The portraits are done by Molteno born WSU second-year student Lonwabo Mzamo who said his disadvantaged background and passion for social and economic issues influenced his artwork.

“The exhibition examines their ideals in terms of advancements made at setbacks in education in democratic South Africa,” says Fine Art lecturer, Sonwabiso Ngcai.

Another student exhibiting at the festival is Simamkele Sisonke, who despite life’s challenges found an escape at an early age through self-taught art drawing. He later discovered art history which excited him to do his best to study the different styles from history’s greatest’s.

The works showcased are selected on merit from first to third year students in the disciplines of ceramic sculpture, painting, printmaking and drawing.

By: Sinawo Hermans