CONVERSATIONS WE DO NOT HAVE

As part of its Women’s Month celebrations, and running concurrently with the South African Women’s Arts Festival, The Playhouse Company hosts an exhibition entitled Conversations We Do Not Have in the Playhouse Theatre’s Alhambra Room in partnership with Amazwi Abesifazane – Voices of Women Museum, The Ghandi Foundation and various individuals.

The Amazwi Abesifazane – Voices of Women Museum holds in trust the memories of ordinary women in close to 3,000 embroidered cloths and recorded personal stories, and a selection of these memory cloths are included in Conversations We Do not Have. Other artworks drawn from the MTN Art Collection, Phansi Museum and Mary Stainbank Collection will also be on display.

A day I will never forget is the theme that was given to groups of women who, over the past 10 years, have produced personal narrative and creative artworks depicting these stories; these are the memory cloths that will be exhibited. The memory cloths and narratives, which were initiated by sculptor Andries Botha, open up discourse about South African women’s feminine aspect and our understanding of what that might be.

The exhibition has a comprehensive accompanying educational programme talking about the history and methodology of the artworks, and is open to learner groups as well as the general public.

“Though equality is enshrined in our Constitution, the reality for many South African women is one of prejudice, gender-based violence and a stifled voice,” says Playhouse Company Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Linda Bukhosini. “Conversations We Do Not Have seeks to give a voice to ordinary South African women and tell their rich stories.”

Conversations We Do Not Have runs I the Playhouse Alhambra Room until August 31. Admission is free. For information, contact The Playhouse Box Office on 031 369 9540 or 031 369 9596.