Johannesburg - The renowned artwork of sculptor Noria Mabasa will be in Gauteng for the exhibition, Noria Mabasa: Shaping Dreams.
This exhibition will be held at the Nirox Sculpture Park in collaboration with !KAURU Contemporary Art from Africa and the Vhutsila Arts and Craft Centre.
Told through a particular lens, the exhibition aims to question the extent to which people’s knowledge is informed by things that have little to do with the artist, but more insight into the artist’s practice.
“The exhibition at the Centre is comprised of new works produced during her residency and since, with a new selection of pre-existing works that speak to its overarching concerns,” said Tshepiso Mohlala of !KAURU.
Family representative Tala Motsepe explained that much of the exhibition aims to honour and celebrate Mabasa’s work and pay tribute to another great woman artist.
“The exhibition is actually a chance for South Africans to see her life’s work. It is a collection of cultural art by a self-taught artist. Unfortunately, she won’t be there at the exhibition, as she is old and her health is not great,” Motsepe said.
The exhibition at the arts and craft centre will comprise new works produced during her residency from May this year, and a selection of pre-existing works in clay and wood that speak to the exhibition’s overarching themes.
Mabasa’s sculptures are created from the comfort of her home in Vhuwani (Venda), where she largely relies on indigenous traditions of material cultural production, in particular pottery and woodwork.
The sculptures are constructed by employing a visual language that foregrounds colour and texture to an exacting degree. They ultimately point to the way people encounter nature by seeking spiritual guidance from them.
Mabasa is globally recognised for her wood sculptures and her sculpting craft, a skill she has been perfecting since 1974. The 84-year-old’s journey in art was sparked by a dream from her ancestors and she honed her skills with the influence of the canon of Vhutsila.
Vhutsila means art that is inclusive of all art forms including traditional drum making, pottery, murals and sculpture.
“She didn’t receive any formal training in art or woodwork. It is amazing how talented she is and it is important to share her work with the country. We have a responsibility to call audiences to view the hard work of Ma Noria, Esther Mahlangu and other women artists who are seldom celebrated by the country until in their old age,” he said.
Motsepe said that the importance of exhibitions, along with the art training workshops that occurred during Mabasa’s residency helps to push the vision of a South African artist having the opportunity to succeed, without formal training from universities or specialist institutions.
“We live in an economy that favours men but women are the providers. Women are the ones who prepare food for the men who go out to work in the economy. The same is seen with our artists.
“The artwork of Noria has mostly been celebrated and acknowledged by private owners, institutions, and companies. Even in the training, young artists don’t always get exposed to their work until they are in university or already in the field,” he said.
Heeding the call to vocally celebrate the works of older artists is the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture. Motsepe said the government’s support was primarily financial and vocational through the workshops conducted by Mabasa for learners of various ages.
The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, 22 October 2022, and run until 20 November 2022.
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