Nando’s Creative Exchange: Sifiso Temba

Michaela Stehr — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 05:00:00 +0000

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr

Nando’s Creative Exchange (NCX) aims to recognise emerging South African fine artists who demonstrate exceptional ability and help them take the next steps in their careers.

The programme offers four artists mentorship opportunities, with art materials sponsorship, culminating in a group exhibition. This was showcased first in October at the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg and then at the AVA Gallery in Cape Town. We chat with Sifiso Temba, one of the four chosen local artists.

How did your artistic journey begin?

I got involved in art at Primary school. I always thought whatever I will be when I grow up it has to do with drawing. I participated in a couple of graphic design and architecture workshops in my high school years. Around the same time, I picked up street art, it was then getting involved in the art culture, behaviour, dress code, and language. At some point, I did an electrical course for 3 years for my parent’s sake and then later enrolled at Artist Proof Studio where I got involved in art professionally until now.

What words best describe your work?

My work is forever changing it’s crude, expressive, provoking, surreal, and futuristic.

What does being a part of the Nando’s Creative Exchange Programme mean to you?

Being part of the NCX program means I exist, I’m seen, I belong, I’m here, in reality, I’m hitting the right keys. It is a privilege to be part of the program with great minds to share ideas and experiences.

How do you feel about mentorship and learning through an experienced industry professional?

There is an African idiom that goes “indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili” this translates to “ask the way from those who have gone through it’” There is always room to learn as a human and to have a good-spirited guide as Pippa Heatherington. It was an awesome experience.

What would you like to gain both personally and professionally through this experience?

Personally, I’d have to say trust and kindness to myself and professionally it has to be consistent in the work I make.

Where have you been looking for inspiration for your pieces?

I looked for inspiration from dark moments within myself like being suppressed by anxieties and terrorized by the “I’m not good enough” to “I need to awaken my soul” then the pieces become what they are today.

What does your creative process look like?

I choose a theme, select keywords for emotions, composition, and colour, get references from staging or the internet, manipulate images on photoshop, and then paint.

Any other interesting things you’d like to add?

I love people, I love life and let’s be kind to each other.

A selection of their work will be on show at the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery in Cape Town from 01 December 2022 to 12 January 2023.

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The post Nando’s Creative Exchange: Sifiso Temba appeared first on Visi.

Nando’s Creative Exchange: Simon Venter

Michaela Stehr — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr

Nando’s Creative Exchange (NCX) aims to recognise emerging South African fine artists who demonstrate exceptional ability and help them take the next steps in their careers.

The programme offers four artists mentorship opportunities, with art materials sponsorship, culminating in a group exhibition. This was showcased first in October at the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg and then at the AVA Gallery in Cape Town. We chat to Simon Venter, one of the four chosen local artists.

How did you get involved in art?

I took art until matric but never considered it as a career until the year after high school when I found myself taking part in Art in the Park in Pietermaritzburg (an annual art fair held at the Botanical Gardens), and then later that same year (2016) I took part in the Hilton Arts Festival (hosted by Hilton College) where I exhibited my work and sold a number of pieces. Besides these two experiences, I also entered a few competitions and gallery open calls. In some sense had it been financially possible for me to attend university straight out of high school I most likely would not be where I am today with my art career.

How would you describe your work?

I think the simplest way to describe my work may be as abstract realism with influences from Impressionism and Surrealism.

What does being a part of the Nando’s Creative Exchange Program mean to you?

It has meant having the opportunity to create new pieces and explore ideas that I had yet had the chance to. It has also been a great experience as you know that the work you produce will be backed by Nando’s due to their obvious efforts at backing creativity in SA.

How do you feel about mentorship and learning through an experienced industry professional?

I think that working with Pippa Hetherington as our mentor has been very interesting and educational. She is able to look at each of our works from a broad perspective and see things in it that she can tell are unique to each artist and encourages us to pursue the idea to its utmost. Having that sort of support from her, and the other artists have been greatly beneficial.

What would you like to gain both personally and professionally through this experience?

Personally, I hope that people appreciate the work and are able to connect with the stories that the pieces tell and in doing so hopefully also engage with ideas or concepts they hadn’t before considered, or given much thought to. Professionally, I hope that this opportunity brings many sales, new contacts within the industry, and new opportunities for me to work with different people and institutions on projects which are creatively stimulating and engaging for the public at large.

Where have you been looking for inspiration for your pieces?

Numerous places, films, books, video games, and art. I think this year one experience which has inspired much of my art for this body of work had the opportunity to view stained glass windows in person for the first time. That experience has stuck with me throughout this year, and I think it has come through in several of my artworks. Besides that, due to my love of portraiture, I would say that two artists whom I have drawn inspiration from are George Pemba and Colleen Barry.

What does your creative process look like?

It flows when I am in the zone, but otherwise, it is a matter of leaving the easel and returning to it as the ideas form. That is, often I will open the studio in the morning, begin the process of getting my paints ready, and work a little. Then I will likely take a break to do some admin, have lunch, watch something/read, and then return to the studio for about 4 hours of continuous work in the afternoon. Blasting music from the hi-fi.

Any other interesting things you’d like to tell us about your work?

I am not sure how interesting it is, but so far this year I have created close to 70 new pieces of work. I think having the motivation of the Nando’s Creative Exchange exhibition at the end of the year helped me push to do all those works.

A selection of their work will be on show at the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery in Cape Town from 01 December 2022 to 12 January 2023.

Looking for more local art? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Nando’s Creative Exchange: Simon Venter appeared first on Visi.

basha uhuru freedom festival Archives | Visi

Nando’s Creative Exchange: Sifiso Temba

How did your artistic journey begin?

What words best describe your work?

What does being a part of the Nando’s Creative Exchange Programme mean to you?

How do you feel about mentorship and learning through an experienced industry professional?

What would you like to gain both personally and professionally through this experience?

Where have you been looking for inspiration for your pieces?

What does your creative process look like?

Any other interesting things you’d like to add?

Nando’s Creative Exchange: Simon Venter

How did you get involved in art?

How would you describe your work?

What does being a part of the Nando’s Creative Exchange Program mean to you?

How do you feel about mentorship and learning through an experienced industry professional?

What would you like to gain both personally and professionally through this experience?

Where have you been looking for inspiration for your pieces?

What does your creative process look like?

Any other interesting things you’d like to tell us about your work?