Art exhibition took place in Design Garage, corner of De Villiers & Roeland St, Capetown. Exhibition was open 6th of March until 8th of March 2018.
The proposed theme of ‘Recollection’ speaks to one’s ability to remember an experience, story, thought and feeling. Storytelling is an important part of many indigenous cultures, and this is true of the San as well. Inspiration was taken by the extensive collection of San art at the Kalk Bay Modern:
“Sparingly dispersed throughout Southern Africa, rock paintings can be found, dating back thousands of years. These images are the only threads of history left to tell the story of the San way of life that no longer exists. As an indigenous people deeply connected with nature and animals; they visually reference oral tradition of expressing daily life and mythological beliefs, which continues to be both integral and vital in passing down from one generation to the next. Contemporary San art is a natural evolution of their creativity to interpret their dreams, their morals and retain their world which is rapidly disintegrating.” http://www.kalkbaymodern.co.za/san-bushman-art/
The exhibition theme is underpinned by the process and visualization of storytelling and printing as a medium to capture recollection and present to an audience. The exhibition aims to place the choice of recollection, and thus content, in the hands of participants themselves – exploring both the individual world and the world of community. Instead of presenting an exhibition ABOUT the San youth, the exhibition aims to exhibit stories BY the San youth. Their voices, their stories.