Happy birthday Tata!

WORDS Debbie Loots

Today, 18 July is Mandela Day, a day we unite with the world to remember the 67 years our former president sacrificed in the fight for freedom. It is his wish that we celebrate his birthday by taking 67 minutes of our own time to give back to the community in an effort to help continue his life’s work. Forming part of this special day is the launch in Johannesburg of an art exhibition in Madiba’s honour.

Titled We Love Mandela: Art Inspired by Madiba, the exhibition is showing at the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City.

Sculptures, beadwork and photographs, as well as prints and paintings, by artists including Wayne Barker, Richard Chauke, David Koloane, Jürgen Schadeburg, Kagisa Pat Mautloa, Billy and Jane Makhubele, Johannes Maswanganyi, Collen Maswanganyi, Rankadi Daniel Mosako, Velaphi Mzimba, Joachim Schönfeldt, Eric Sher, Alfred Thoba, Susan Woolf, Lena Woolf and Zapiro.

According to the curator of the exhibition, Natalie Knight, many of these artists were only able to practice their craft after Mandela was released in 1990. Others found an outlet through resistance art to protest the country’s oppressive rule.

Curating exhibitions in honour of South Africa’s well-loved icon is nothing new to Natalie, former owner of Natalie Knight Gallery. This is the third show of its kind she heads. The other two were Mandela@90, she curated for the South African Constitutional Court, and the Mandela@94-z-a exhibition, which took place at Wits’ Origins Gallery.

In October, after its run in Johannesburg, the exhibitionwill be showm in London. This is in anticipation of South Africa’s 20 years of democracy and in remembrance of England’s various protest actions as well as the advocating for the abolishment of Apartheid by British leaders before 1990. After it closes in London, the exhibition will travel to other world capitals.

See the exhibition at the Stephan Welz & Co Sandton gallery (Shop L39) and at the Peacemakers museum (Shop L32) until Monday 26 August 2013. Entry to this momentous exhibition is free and the artworks are not for sale.

More info: www.stephanwelzandco.co.za

Also opening today is the exhibition of posters honouring Mandela’s 95th birthday. See some of them here.