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Sunday, November 15, 2009

ITHALA, UB’CIKO

(Pic: “2010 can uplift my community” by Thubelihle Hlela, acrylic and pen on paper)

Kizo Gallery hosts part of the Ithala poster competition.

Ithala Limited in partnership with Kizo Art Gallery supported by UKhozi FM, Future leaders and SABC Education have collaborated to promote the arts in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The collaboration has resulted in an art exhibition hosted at Kizo.

The Ithala, Ub’ciko exhibition is part of the Ithala poster competition and stems from a provincial search which saw scores of post-matric and other privately practicing artists submitting entries for selection. A panel of judges comprising experts in the field of Visual arts selected 10 entries out of the scores that were received.

This year the judges included Nontobeko Ntombela (Curator, DUT Art Gallery), Nathi Gumede (Kizo Art Gallery Head Curator) and Manqoba Mbatha (Communications Manager, Ithala Limited). The selected artists were commissioned to make an artwork inspired by South Africa’s hosting of the 2010, soccer world cup. The artists were provided with art materials and were given time to complete their works.

The selected artists also spent a day being workshopped on their ideas and use of materials by art theory lecture Themba Shibase. The workshop took place at the DUT Fine Art Department and the resultant works can be seen at Kizo.

The poster art and craft competition that invited scholars from the ages 6 up to 18 years old to participate also has an “Open” category, from ages 19 and older. It is from this category that the 10 artists were selected. They include Thabani Hlela and Thubelihle Hlela from Umlazi: Sibusiso Mbokazi from Tongaat, Thabani Dlamini from Ulundi, and Xolani Cebekhulu and Mandla Khuzwayo from Eshowe.

The drawing and painting side of this competition has been championed by Ithala Limited for the past 13 years. The very nature of the business of Ithala is to provide financial and developmental solutions to previously disadvantaged communities and societies. Based on this, this competition has given scholars and students opportunities to realize that their talent and artistic skill can be recognized and be a platform to develop a number of career paths.

Ithala, Ub’ciko exhibition runs until November 16. Kizo Art Gallery is situated at Gateway in Umhlanga. More information from Kizo curator Nathi Gumede on 031 566 4324, fax 031 566 2494 or email: nathig@kizo.co.za or visit www.kizo.co.za