THUPELO CAPE TOWN - REGIONAL WORKSHOP
ULWAZI CENTRE LANGA 21 - 28 MARCH 2004

PARTICIPANTS:
Boyce Magandela, Jacqui Cheminais-Burton, Ricky Dyaloyi, Sonya Rademeyer, Joseph Gibbs, Lindile Magunya, Aphiwe Ntsinde, Bandile Gumbi, Christian Tschannen, Sonu Aggarwal, Lundi Mduba
Lonwabo Kilani, Alex Mamacos, Ayanda Ogqoyi
Billy Mandindi

 

REGIONAL THUPELO WORKSHOP 2004 - REPORT

The seventh Regional workshop was held at the Ulwazi Centre in Langa between 21st and 28th March 2004. There were 15 participants 11 of whom are from Cape Town. We had 3 participants (from UK, Switzerland, and India) who were staying in Cape Town for different reasons at the time and who applied and were invited to join the workshop. A poet joined us from Durban. Three of the Cape Town artists had previously attended a Thupelo workshop (including the working committee)

The workshop once again provided a space where artists who often work in isolation came together to experiment and learn through working in a shared space. Basic materials were provided.

The Church with whom we were sharing the community hall finished their service and left the hall after which Jill Trappler gave a brief history as well as background of Thupelo. Jill welcomed and introduced all participants and Kumi who works at Ulwazi Centre who was not only incredibly supportive the whole workshop, but who also took on the catering for the six days. Jill recommended that due to the slightly shorter period over which the workshop was taking place, we should set up the hall and start working that Sunday so that we could come in the following morning and have something to look at.

Many artists painted although there was some installation as well as land art. One artist worked with a by product of cheese which is compressed into small round tablet like discs which was used in a pixilated image. Three disposable cameras were given to three different people who were friends of three of the artists on the workshop which provided material for photo documentation.

On the third day we were joined by Billy who had bumped into Lindile walking home the day before with paint on his trousers.

As we were working in a community Centre which is used by other people, twice during the week we had a group of elderly people walk through the space (this took about 20 minutes either way) to their meeting/gathering place where they do sewing and gardening. It was wonderful having this brief interaction with elders of the community, some of whom joined us for the open day exhibition.

Voyila Voyiya was invited to conduct a walkabout where we moved through all the artists workspaces where dialogue was opened up between artists around the work. Due to lack of time we limited this to more or less 10 minutes per artists. This gave opportunity to express various aspects, obtain advice, express interests, difficulties, breakthroughs, etc. The group was quite small and very interactive and so opening up and engaging with each other within this process seemed relatively easy.

At midday on Saturday we unfortunately had to pack up the working space in order to create an environment ready for visitors of the open day/exhibition the following day. The space was transformed and looked fantastic.

The following day we arrived for the open day and the Church unfortunately had not followed through with the agreement that they would vacate the hall by 1.45 pm. Their annual general meeting went on until after 2 (the time of the opening). Most of the work had been removed or turned around. All chairs were packed away, works were re-hung and the snack and drinks tables were all put into place within about 15 minutes.

The exhibition was opened slightly late by Garth Erasmus after which Bandile Gumbi recited poetry some of which was in response to the workshop and environment, whilst Joseph backed her on guitar. The exhibition was well attended by about 150 visitors and was documented on video by Vuyile Voyiya.

Alex Mamacos

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