A Kwelera artist and devoted Desmond Tutu admirer was over the moon when she saw a social media photograph of the archbishop emeritus and his daughter the Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth admiring her art at the opening of the Ubuntutu exhibition in Cape Town on Monday.
Kathryn Harmer Fox, who is an acclaimed fibre artist and won the Carrefour Europeén du Patchwork competition in France last year, said she was “blown away” when she realised Tutu had seen her work.
“It is so humbling to know that although I may never meet him in the flesh, he spent time with one of my works. I was moved to tears that he paused in front of my work,” said Fox.
The joyful piece is called The Tutu's Inner Circle of Love and Peace and depicts a laughing Desmond and Leah Tutu, three pink-winged, cherubs and four white doves with spread wings.
“I worked off about 15 images of the Tutus and added little black cupids to celebrate their love for each other and for the people of South Africa. I added the white doves for peace because of the Tutus’ very active fight for peace without ever drawing blood.
“And, to celebrate East London, I used (isiShweshwe) in the background. I have always loved Shweshwe and have used it for many years,” said Fox, who was invited to submit a piece depicting the Tutus to the exhibition.
The Ubuntutu exhibition is a collaboration between the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and the Michigan State University Museum in association with South African and American fibre art and quilt artists.
Fox said working on the piece in her seaside home studio had been a privilege because she has admired Tutu for years.
“He is a man of courage. He tells the truth no matter what and has an incredible sense of fairness. He also has a wonderful sense of humour and laughs with joy not avarice. He is also a man of true faith and spirituality and his wife is incredible as well. It was a great joy working on this piece,” she said.
Last year Fox submitted a Nelson Mandela fibre art piece called Fistful of Freedom to the exhibition. The work was bought by the University of Michigan.
Fox said her vibrant Tutu piece, which involved sewing colourful thread over a range of dress fabrics and netting, took her about a month to complete.
She said although she had been invited to Monday’s opening, she had been unable to attend.
“I didn’t know the Tutus would be there because of his recent ill-health. They are both in wheelchairs but still attended and engaged with everyone. I will print the photograph of him looking at my piece and frame it.”
l The exhibition is at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Museum in Cape Town until November 4
Tutu views East London artist’s work: ‘He is a man of true faith, spirituality’
Kathryn Harmer Fox, who is an acclaimed fibre artist and won the Carrefour Europeén du Patchwork competition in France last year, said she was “blown away” when she realised Tutu had seen her work.
“It is so humbling to know that although I may never meet him in the flesh, he spent time with one of my works. I was moved to tears that he paused in front of my work,” said Fox.
The joyful piece is called The Tutu's Inner Circle of Love and Peace and depicts a laughing Desmond and Leah Tutu, three pink-winged, cherubs and four white doves with spread wings.
“I worked off about 15 images of the Tutus and added little black cupids to celebrate their love for each other and for the people of South Africa. I added the white doves for peace because of the Tutus’ very active fight for peace without ever drawing blood.
“And, to celebrate East London, I used (isiShweshwe) in the background. I have always loved Shweshwe and have used it for many years,” said Fox, who was invited to submit a piece depicting the Tutus to the exhibition.
The Ubuntutu exhibition is a collaboration between the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and the Michigan State University Museum in association with South African and American fibre art and quilt artists.
Fox said working on the piece in her seaside home studio had been a privilege because she has admired Tutu for years.
“He is a man of courage. He tells the truth no matter what and has an incredible sense of fairness. He also has a wonderful sense of humour and laughs with joy not avarice. He is also a man of true faith and spirituality and his wife is incredible as well. It was a great joy working on this piece,” she said.
Last year Fox submitted a Nelson Mandela fibre art piece called Fistful of Freedom to the exhibition. The work was bought by the University of Michigan.
Fox said her vibrant Tutu piece, which involved sewing colourful thread over a range of dress fabrics and netting, took her about a month to complete.
She said although she had been invited to Monday’s opening, she had been unable to attend.
“I didn’t know the Tutus would be there because of his recent ill-health. They are both in wheelchairs but still attended and engaged with everyone. I will print the photograph of him looking at my piece and frame it.”
l The exhibition is at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Museum in Cape Town until November 4
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