African Art Centre 1987 - 1990

Exhibitions : African Art centre 1987- 90
December 1988 Christmas exhibition of craft, Terry-anne Stevenson did drawings of a doll and a beaded aeroplane for the flyer advertising the exhibition.
July 1989 to 19 August 1989   FROM RORKE'S DRIFT TO NOW.  An exhibition of contemporary work by former Rorke's Drift fine art students held at The African Art Centre Durban.
25 Artists participated:
Mpolokeng Ramphomane, Tony Nkotsi, Charles Nkosi, Ben Nshusha, Rochester Mafafo,
Muzi Donga, Paul Sibisi, Bhekisani Manyoni, Thami Jali, Gordon Gabashane,
Chabani Manganye, Dumisani Mabaso, Mpathi Gocini, Ephraim Ziqubu, Vuminkosi Zulu,
Gordon Mbatha, Velile Soha, George Msimang, Ben Nshusha, Azaria Mbatha, Joel Sibisi,
Raphael Magwaza, Bongiwe Dhlomo, Patrick Mautloa.
Durban Arts Association part-funded the exhibition. Val Coppin of Coppin-Johnson Gallery mounted the work at cost. Terry-anne Stevenson for collecting and co-ordinating the exhibition. Anthea Martin for assistance in hanging the exhibition.

Vulamehlo Open-Eye Exhibition 1990 at The Durban Art Gallery - funded by The Alliance Francaise South Africa.
172 artworks were exhibited 
Artists exhibiting were; Andries Botha, Gordon Gabashane, Newell Goba,
Trevor Makhoba, Joseph Manana, Truman Mnyaka, Mpolokeng Ramphomane,
Andrew Verster, Jeremy Wafer, Tito Zungu


History: Rorke's Drift

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ELC ART AND CRAFT CENTRE AT RORKE'S DRIFT Compiled by
Anthea Martin
The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) Art and Craft Centre is situated at Rorke’s Drift which is forty-five kilometres from Dundee, in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is situated on the bank of the Buffalo River on the site of one the most famous battles of the Anglo Zulu war. 
The first art and craft instructors were Peder and Ulla Gowenius who were trained in fine art at the Konstfacskolan in Stockholm, Sweden, where Peder had specialised in art education and Ulla majored in textile art and weaving. The ideology and philosphy taught by their art school belong to" the National Romantics whose imperative was to construct an art expressing the national identity and a common culture and history tied to regional romanticism" (Facos 1998:47). There was huge importance given to the study of crafts before developing into fine artists. Some of the graduates from this school went onto form the Bauhaus Art School.
 They arrived in South Africa in September 1961.   "Art was to express life, that is the spirit of the times and the culture in which it was produced.  This it did by transforming the visible world according to the imagination and feelings of artists - those who could discern essential patterns and meaning in the vicissitudes of daily life and the shifting appearance of nature. (Facos 1998:105). They were admirably suited to begin their teaching at Rorke's Drift. Gowenius in later years writes " we were young, naive and unaware of the obstacles that lay ahead. Laternative languages are very important in any situation of oppression.  The storytelling picture is only one of many languages. The reputation of our school still lives on today because vital stories emerged in tapestries and prints.  The possibility of expressing oneself in art is like giving a language to the speechless.  A first step towards freedom.  Without language we are powerless". Vaxjo 2002. (2003: XV Hobbs, Rankin, Rorke's Drift Empowering Prints.)
After visiting various art centres they settled at the Ceza Mission Hospital under church protection and hospitality.  Ulla successfully introduced spinning and weaving for male and female patients at Ceza hospital, who were convalescing from tuberculosis and other diseases which needed art therapy.  Peder experimented with painting and drawing, but found that the male patients were better at wood carving which quickly developed into linocut printmaking. ii 
A craft centre was then established at Rorke’s Drift, as there were buildings available on Swedish mission land.  Weaving studios were set up in vacated seminary buildings. The weaving workshop produced carpets and tapestries, which became very successful and financially profitable and were able to support the running of the centre.  
The Establishment of a Fine Art School 1968 – 1983 
A specific situation was created by the Swedish Lutheran Church, Swedish teaching methods and democratic politics.  This made a potent mixture out of which unique art and craft was created.  The fine art that was produced at the art school under Swedish, American and South African teachers, during the period of 1962 to 1983. The weaving studio was commissioned to make many tapestries for international and national customers.The success of the craft centre gave impetus to the dream of opening a fine art school. The fine art curriculum was planned as a comprehensive three year course, with instruction in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, lettering and design and some art history.  Students received a diploma at the end of their studies. It is recognised that the art and craft produced at the ELC Art and Craft Centre Rorke’s was of great importance for the development of black artists in Southern Africa, because of its unique situation as one of the few art schools for black students.  The art school had a reputation of excellent teachers and talented students that produced individual and high quality art and craft that received local and international recognition. 
In practical terms it was intended that the students would be able to making a living through application of their art and craft, either as fulltime artists or through teaching or both. The relationship between the students studying art and the craftspeople was aimed at being symbiotic, with artists making designs for the weavers, as well as images for the ceramic and textile crafters and some of the crafters experimented with printmaking.  This sense of partnership was also encouraged between the crafters.
" Students at the Fine Art School were required to study drawing, sculpture, ceramics, weaving, lettering and design, oil painting, watercolour painting, graphic art - which included lino and woodcuts - screenprinting and etching". (Thorpe, 1994:19) 
This was a two year course and the students received a diploma on graduation.  The numbers admitted each year were small and only 52 graduated during the time the school was in existence.
The art school closed down in 1983 due to various reasons, some of which were political. There was constant pressure that the Swedish teachers would lose their visas, but mostly it was lack of funding and gradual withdrawal of financial support from Sweden. 
Artists that were trained at the Art Centre, some of whom continued to sell their work through the African Art Centre:
Cyprian Chilakoe, Bongiwe Dhlomo, Gordon Gabashane, Thami Jali, Dan Rakgoathe,
Charles Nkosi,  Ben Nshusha, Caiphus Nxumalo,  Raphael Magwaza,  Rochester Mafafo,
John Muafangejo,  Judas Mahlangu, Bhekisani Manyoni, Azaria Mbatha, Gordon Mbatha, George Msimang, Joel Sibisi,   Paul Sibisi, , Ephraim Ziqubu, Vuminkosi Zulu, William Zulu.






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