Cape Town - Our Cape Town Heritage is preparing to showcase the works of local and lesser-exposed artists at its upcoming exhibition in collaboration with the Bo-Kaap Deli.
The non-profit organisation (NPO) was established to provide a platform to showcase the works of largely marginalised artists, and in an effort to preserve the rich heritage and traditions decades-long practised in Cape Town.
The exhibition, EKSÊ! Echoes of Self will take place from July 4-7 at Bo-Kaap Deli.
Founder and director Tashneem Abrahams said the exhibition, a fourth for the NPO, will expound on the “Coloured” experience and heritage in Cape Town.
“We observe three distinct perspectives about culture and how each chooses to represent it visually, two fine artists Gary Frier and Kimberley Titus, and writer Nadia Kamies, who shares her personal family archives.
“All three participants of this exhibition share their subjective experiences of their ‘coloured experience’ and explain what has influenced them and shaped their understanding of the heritage and term,” Abrahams said.
Abrahams said the organisation plans to expand on more heritages and cultures that exist in Cape Town.
“We understand the term ‘Coloured’ is embraced by more of the youth, while it is an offensive term to others, and finding the balance can be hard to navigate, however, we believe that opening a respectful dialogue around this will provide a better understanding especially through art and education.”
Kamies worked as an Occupational Therapist before writing about what it meant to grow up “Coloured” in South Africa under the apartheid regime.
She is also the author of Off-centre and Out of Focus: Growing up ‘coloured’ in South Africa.
“Over the last few years, I have been engaging with personal family photographs taken during apartheid as a way of accessing issues of identity, representation and heritage. I have also been exploring the stories contained in the ordinary objects that our grandparents and parents kept and passed down to us Kamies said.
Visual artist from Strandfontein, Titus, shared that following her retrenchment during the Covid- 19 lockdown, she rediscovered her love for art and how this was an integral part of her life’s purpose.
“I work primarily with acrylic paints to create powerful and vibrant paintings. Inspired by the joy of living and the beauty of the world around me, I use contrasting textures and settings to evoke emotion and encourage observers to reflect on their own life experiences,” Titus said.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the rich traditions and history of my community, and to contribute to a broader understanding and appreciation of our cultural heritage.”
The artworks will be for sale with a portion of the sales used to sustain the work of the organisation.
Our Cape Town Heritage has also welcomed anyone interested in assisting the organisation through volunteering.
For more information, email info@ ourcapetownheritage.org or contact +27 83 995 3609.
Cape Argus