By TIFFANY MAC SHERRY and TYRA WARREN
The best of East London art will be on display during the city’s first-ever arts festival.
Anne Bryant Art Gallery curator Leon du Preez said the Grahamstown National Arts Festival had led to a lot of festivals mushrooming all over the country – and it was now East London’s turn.
“East London needs something. We need to bring some culture to East London,” he said.
The gallery, in partnership with the Guild Theatre and East London Museum, considered the “cultural hub of East London”, will be offering a jam-packed programme for its three-day festival including feature films, a comedy show and theatre productions. The Anne Bryant’s impressive art collection will also be on display.
Assistant curator, chairman of the Arts Society and artist, Terry Flynn, said the Eastern Cape possesses a lot artistic talent.
“We’ve got amazing artists,” Flynn said gesturing at paintings by Mzi Makalima. “This work was brought from right here. This artist is going somewhere.”
Du Preez said there was a lot of interest around the festival and some artists had donated money or were performing for free.
“It is all about making people aware of what we are doing here.”
Flynn said some people had lived their whole lives in East London but had never visited the gallery. He added some people also failed to recognise the value of art institutions and art itself.
The Anne Bryant Gallery will be hosting two visual art exhibitions during the festival.
One of the exhibitions is in the gallery’s Coach House, which showcases Gompo artists from their community art centre.
This exhibition will help showcase these artists to a broader East London audience and give them publicity and visibility.
The second exhibition is at the Courtenay-Latimer Hall at the East London Museum and it exhibits local artists who are recognised as the best in the area.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Anne Bryant Art Gallery will offer a guided tour on aspects of the permanent collection.
lBookings for all events can be made at Computicket.
Inaugural EL art fest to showcase province’s talent
The best of East London art will be on display during the city’s first-ever arts festival.
Anne Bryant Art Gallery curator Leon du Preez said the Grahamstown National Arts Festival had led to a lot of festivals mushrooming all over the country – and it was now East London’s turn.
“East London needs something. We need to bring some culture to East London,” he said.
The gallery, in partnership with the Guild Theatre and East London Museum, considered the “cultural hub of East London”, will be offering a jam-packed programme for its three-day festival including feature films, a comedy show and theatre productions. The Anne Bryant’s impressive art collection will also be on display.
Assistant curator, chairman of the Arts Society and artist, Terry Flynn, said the Eastern Cape possesses a lot artistic talent.
“We’ve got amazing artists,” Flynn said gesturing at paintings by Mzi Makalima. “This work was brought from right here. This artist is going somewhere.”
Du Preez said there was a lot of interest around the festival and some artists had donated money or were performing for free.
“It is all about making people aware of what we are doing here.”
Flynn said some people had lived their whole lives in East London but had never visited the gallery. He added some people also failed to recognise the value of art institutions and art itself.
The Anne Bryant Gallery will be hosting two visual art exhibitions during the festival.
One of the exhibitions is in the gallery’s Coach House, which showcases Gompo artists from their community art centre.
This exhibition will help showcase these artists to a broader East London audience and give them publicity and visibility.
The second exhibition is at the Courtenay-Latimer Hall at the East London Museum and it exhibits local artists who are recognised as the best in the area.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Anne Bryant Art Gallery will offer a guided tour on aspects of the permanent collection.
lBookings for all events can be made at Computicket.
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