Sabina Elago
Windhoek
The College of the Art (COTA) will host a Project Week for the Visual Art Department starting on 1 August at various site in Windhoek.
The eleven days Project Week has become an annual event of the department that takes place at various sites in Windhoek, when lecturers and students practise their artistic skill in public.
Head of the Department of Visual Art, Nicky Marais, says this is an opportunity for students and lecturers to leave their classrooms and studios and interact artistically with different communities in Windhoek.
“During Project Week the students and lecturers will be fully involved in the realisation of the various projects incorporated into Project Week,” she says.
Marais adds that students will paint two murals, make two big public sculptures, and create a new range of craft-jewellery using wood from invader bush.
They will also make an installation of totem poles, new signage for art institutions and complete a large wall mosaic.
“Following last year’s successful Project Week, the projects for this year promise to be exciting and meaningful by covering a variety of different techniques and materials,” she adds.
This year’s Project Week will cover activities such as the ‘Murals at the Augustineum School with German artist Edeltraut Rath.’
This project, aims to create a beautiful and inspiring educational atmosphere at the newly renovated Augustineum School in Khomasdal. Marais and six students will work on this project.
They will paint a mural at the TB Hospital to create a hopeful and engaging mural for the entertainment and encouragement of patients, staff and visitors to the TB Hospital at the Katutura State Hospital. Lecturer Papa Shikongeni and six students will work on this project together.
Lecturer Darina Zheynova with six students will facilitate ‘Public Sculptures at the Nyama Showground Grillhouse’ where students and lecturers will make big metal public sculptures outside the popular restaurant.
They will create the sculptures with the help of master sculptor, Sammy Kamati, who was instrumental in the creation of the Eland Sculpture last year, which now features outside the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN).
Lecturer Peter Kewowo and five students will create metal and stone sculptures alongside renowned French artist, G? Pellini and COTA final year student, Kambezunda Ngavee to raise awareness about poaching in Namibia.
The mosaic wall at the Katutura Community Art Centre (KCAC) that lecturer Kim Modise started during last year’s Project Week will be extended this year in collaboration with lecturer John Nampala.
Lecturer Erik Schnack and seven students will create an installation celebrating the different family totems of Namibia in a combined installation at the Katutura Community Art Centre. The project explores the technique of wood carving.
Fillipus Sheehama and four students will make creative new signboards for COTA and Penduka to make it easier to find these two artistic landmarks of Windhoek.
Jewellery design lecturer Robert Hidishange, together with four students, will create a new range of jewellery made with wood from invader bush species in Namibia.
They will craft wood from these problem plants into pendants, necklaces and bracelets to raise awareness about the problems of bush encroachment for livestock farmers.
Students and lecturers of the visual arts department will realise these projects with the financial and material support of various partners, and create them at different venues throughout the city.
Project Week will conclude with a drive around all the projects in the afternoon of Friday 11 August, ending at the Katutura TB Hospital, where they will hold a braai with live music performances supported by the FNCC.