Artists unite against social ills
FIVE local artists have taken their paintbrushes and paint to visually highlight and spread the message on the dangers of various social ills, such as drug abuse and gender-based violence, in Kimberley.
Artists from Artist Unite have since November been hard at work turning the entrance wall at the AR Abass Stadium into a colourful mural.
The project manager for Artists Unite, Janine Peters-Titus, said various social ills are depicted through the work of the artists.
“We have six young and talented artists who are working on this mural. We have noticed that there is a lot of movement in this area and also there are many soccer matches or other youth events that are hosted at this stadium.
“We decided that instead of constantly having to talk to the youth about the dangers of substance abuse, women and children abuse and other social ills that are plaguing our community, we rather relay our message in the best way that we know, which is through art,” said Peters-Titus.
“The mural is bright and eye-catching, so it will be very hard for anyone who drives or walks past this stadium not to see the paintings. We want this mural to not only spark conversation, but people should be spurred to implement what the messages depict.”
Peters-Titus added that this is the second project her group has tackled in the city.
“We have done the murals at the Kimberley Skate Plaza. This is now our second project we have taken on. This current project has evoked a lot of curiosity among community members and youngsters who walk past here. Many community members have praised the artists for their work as they had seen that the walls of the stadium were dull and empty previously, but these walls have now come alive.
“The community is fascinated when they see how the paintings take shape after a few days of work. This is also a wonderful initiative in how the artists market their work and talents.”
Peters-Titus said that the entire wall of the stadium will unfortunately not be able to be completed due to financial constraints.
“I have applied for funding to embark on this project. I was fortunate to receive funding from the National Arts Council. However, we are only able to paint the entrance wall of the stadium. We are in the process of searching for funders and sponsors to assist us financially so we can paint the entire wall. So far we have not yet been able to secure that funding.”
She emphasised that the project is not just merely for the artists to “keep busy”.
“We deliberately decided to employ young and upcoming artists on this project as we also want to spark an interest in art among other youngsters. Some youngsters are artistically talented but do not know how or where to use their talents. Once they see their peers employed in the arts industry, they will see there are other opportunities available for them.
“This city has a history of not unlocking and exposing the talents of its youth. We have seen many artists, in various sectors, having to pack their bags and head to bigger cities where they can grow their talent and be economically secure.
“It is so sad to see that only after an artist has reached national and international stardom that they are given recognition and assistance in their own community.
“This project is not only to beautify the city, or give people something nice to look at, but it is also to showcase that there are several opportunities in the arts industry which the youth can explore.”
Peters-Titus urged the community to protect the artwork.
“The artists who worked on the mural have truly taken their time and put their creativity into every piece on this wall. The community needs to ensure that they take care of this mural and that it does not get vandalised.
“This mural is a piece of the legacy of the artists. We know the youth are the adults of tomorrow, so we need to respect, appreciate and honour the work they have done here,” Peters-Titus said.
