Languages: 
Eastern Cape Legislature deputy-speaker Mlibo Qoboshiyane was nothing short of impressed by O.R Tambo district’s budding artists who had impeccably immortalised heroes and heroines of the region at the city’s inaugural art exhibition.
Through fostering and curation by WSU’s Visual Arts Department, the five local artists who’d cupped the face of South Africa’s political history and heritage with strokes of genius, exhibited their work at the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha.
The exhibition was a celebration of the country’s 25-years of democracy, a feat that could not have been achieved without the contribution of these freedom stalwarts in artistic incarnations.
Qoboshiyane said that the country’s 25-years of democracy has been a journey. It has changed the quality of what we used to know and what we know now.
“This is a story of the African child that we need to know and these artistic expressions, to me, are supposed to depict the real history of who we are. When you arrive in Cape Town you can clearly see the statues of Jan Van Riebeeck and they are respected, but none of the African Kings before them. These are the things we need to think about when building what I like to call a living exhibition,” said Qoboshiyane.
Qoboshiyane added that people need to start taking advantage of technology and use it to spread the good things of the region such as art and culture across the globe.
What fascinated most about the art work was that it was created by self-taught local youngsters who had never studied fine arts full-time at any institution.
One such example is WSU B.Com Accounting student, Rorisang Monanabela who spoke on behalf of his fellow artists thanking the university and the Nelson Mandela Museum for the opportunity.
“I would like to thank the University and the museum. This is very special to us. We are here to celebrate 25 years of democracy and remembering our fallen heroes and heroines who played their role in leading their communities and the South Africa in to freedom. As young artists we saw a gap between the former homeland states and the Republic of South Africa. This exhibition will now unleash the talent of O.R Tambo District and uplift the youth,” he said.
Rorisang was accompanied by his fellow contributing artists: Esihle Loyiso Mpetha, ABongile Majeke, Awethu Ndabambi and Zigcine Libazi.
By: Sinawo Hermans
