(One of the photographs on the exhibition)The COLLECTIVE is an artSPACEdurban initiative and the team is made up of Amy-Jo Windt, Sayuri Naidoo and Lisa Herselman. It was created for the promotion of young artists under the age of 35 within the Durban area.
“Not only do we promote the visual art spectrum, but music and poetry as well,” says the COLLECTIVE team. “We are also putting focus onto arts that are not usually given a platform, such as Street Art and Graffiti. Our gallery will also act as an agent to many artists around Durban, to promote their work to the other hubs of South Africa, Johannesburg and Cape Town. This way we will show the talent that Durban has to offer as well as try help artists make a name for them, and sustain their art form.
“The gallery will also be host to a coffee shop with Wi-Fi available, which will run on the veranda that wraps around our gallery,” they add. “This will provide a venue for artists to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, and be inspired by the space around them.
Currently running at the COLLECTIVE is From the Eyes of the Youth, a project that was carried out in several stages, the first being a 'getting to know you' activity. The youth kept journals and collected images, things from nature, drawings, and words which represent various themes they will discuss in the meetings. The themes revolved around words that they heard around their homes and neighbourhoods, on the radio, television, or in class and school; people or things that make them happy to be who they are; people or things that make them fearful; things that represent their culture; and things that they consider to be education.
Through these exercises the youth explored their environments and critically analyzed themselves and the world around them. Discussions revolved around what each volunteer shares. The participants were given digital cameras to take pictures based on the idea that their pictures will show the beauty, pain, celebrations, and challenges of being members of their communities and culture.
The project was conducted in three communities in KwaZulu-Natal: Eshowe, Wentworth, and Harding. It was funded by Rotary International organization as part of community service project by the visiting Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Fileve Palmer-Stahlman and her husband Joseph Stahlman. Both facilitators are working on the PhDs in anthropology.
The exhibition closes on August 13 at 14h00.
The COLLECTIVE is situated at 48b Florida Road (entrance in 4th Avenue next to Ike's). More information on 031 303 4891, email info@thecollective-durban.com or visit http://thecollectivedurban. blogspot.com/
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