Thirteen young art students exhibited their work at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, last Friday and Saturday.
The students are part of the Lalela non-profit arts education programme for at-risk youth in Hout Bay and surrounding communities (“Lalela connects art works with fashion,” Sentinel, October 2019).
Fifteen-year-old Masiphumelele High School pupil Sange Mda joined Lalela in 2022 while in Grade 7.
“I grew up in a township where there were not as many opportunities compared to today,” she said, adding that she had taken to drawing after being introduced to art by a teacher.
“I was excited most of the time and did exceptionally well, and that’s when I knew that art is something that makes me happy.”
She wanted her art to promote diversity, equality and justice, she said.
“When They See Us”, the theme of Lalela’s exhibition explored racial oppression and profiling.
Referring to one of her paintings showing a beach scene, Sange said she liked to escape to the beach and listen to the breeze when she felt lonely and wanted to find calm and “forget the pain”, and she hoped to show that in the piece.
Lalela director Firdous Hendricks said: “Our long term goal is to ensure that investing in the child and creating a safe space will allow them to express themselves by providing them with a community that will nurture and develop their creative thinking.”
For more information, contact Firdous Hendricks at 071 613 6835.
