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THE FOUNDATION OF CULTURE

The Foundation of Culture  Written by Manelisi Manellie   Village Scene with South African Flag by Maggie Molongo (Mutual Art) Villiage Scene with South African Flag by Maggie Molongo is an embroidery on textile presentation that offers rich dimension through colourful and strikingly textured pictorial elements. As the title suggests, Villiage Scene with South African Flag places figures complementary to the South African national flag, which is acclaimed for its representation of a hard-won democracy and a culturally diverse nation. This decorative artwork design provides a visible outlook of a distinct and dynamic lived experience in a South African rural village. This piece has inspired a consideration of the value of culture, its meaning in the context of South Africa, our responsibility of protecting it and new expressions and spaces for cultural development, preservation and evolution.   Arguably, the value of cultural heritage is as concrete as it is seemingly subtle. The ta
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A WOMAN IN THE GEOMATICS INDUSTRY

A Woman In The Geomatics Industry Compiled by Manelisi Manellie Photo: Offset by Shutterstock By general observation, infrastructure is understood to be a formation of amenities, such as tunnels, water, railways and gas systems which are constructions that typically exist underground. This system is largely believed to form part of many aspects of modern existence that society struggles to do without. Another aspect that society ceases to exist without is the role of women, who draw an arguable parallel to a substantially overlooked necessity of our daily lives. Consequently, this notion has prompted consideration for the role of women from a standpoint of one of the important professions in the infrastructure (built environment industry), geomatics.  According to the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure ( https://www.westerncape.gov.za/tpw/department-of-infrastructure/become-geomatics-professional ), “Geomatics is the study of methods and technologies used to collect, distribute,
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THE POST-PANDEMIC GENERATION

The Post Pandemic Generation compiled by Manelisi Manellie   Historical events has consistently had an indelible effect on society in every era, the most recent experience was the COVID-19 pandemic that had brought about various unpredictable elements that inescapably challenged our politics, economic standing, mental wellbeing and most importantly our health and mortality. The last pandemic of this magnitude was over 100 years ago when the outbreak of the Spanish Flu erupted, and it is between this period and now that monumental historic events prompted various generational groups. The Post-Pandemic Generation is a self-coined term intended to refer to a group of young adults emerging out of an era during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following is an exploration of the component cultural elements that precede this group and the effects on their current and future subsistence. The observations will be established through brief descriptions of previous generational groups by way of deter
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WORKPLACE BULLYING

Workplace Bullying compiled by Manelisi Manellie Kraal Alleen by Lady Skollie (Everard Read) Kraal Alleen is a 2019 crayon and ink piece created by Gauteng-born artist, Lady Skollie. It is exhibited at Cape Town’s Everard Read gallery and it is one of many of the University of Cape Town alum’s artwork that boldly explores themes of gender, sex and the search for identity. Kraal is an Afrikaans word which commonly refers to an enclosure of livestock that is occasionally considered to be the main resource of sustenance for a family or household in rural surroundings. Whereas Alleen means alone when directly translated into English and the parallel of the combined usage of these words makes for an effortless association with a common Afrikaans expression, ‘sielalleen’ meaning soul alone. A feeling typically provoked by rejection or mistreatment of any kind either by family, peer group or society. However as common as mistreatment is in a working environment, it is still a unique and of
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ART AND LIBERATION

Art and liberation Compiled by Manelisi Manellie The words ‘liberation’ and ‘freedom’ are often justifiably used in various settings concerning South Africa. ‘The liberation struggle’, ‘The struggle for freedom, ‘Freedom Day’ are all expressions common in the vocabulary of South African culture. According to the Oxford Dictionary, liberation is defined as “the action or an act of liberating someone or something or of setting someone free from bondage or oppression” or as “the condition of being liberated”. Similarly the definition of freedom is described as “personal liberty”, “the power of self-determination attributed to the will”. Freedom and liberation is an art form practiced on a daily basis by people all over the world regardless of circumstance. It is for this reason that the will to advance the level of awareness of local South African art is an act worth exploring, along with the power and manner in which art stimulates, the history of South African art and the relevant artwo
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THE LEGACY OF NEVILLE ALEXANDER'S CONTRIBUTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS

The Legacy of Neville Alexander's Contribution to Human Rights Compiled by Manelisi Manellie Human Rights Day is historically linked to the Sharpeville Massacre which saw the death of 69 Pass Law protesters at the hands of police on 21 March 1960. Although an irremovable scar in the history of South Africa, today it is observed as an official public holiday and a celebration of how far we have come as a country. Author, teacher and lecturer Dr. Neville Alexander witnessed this event from Germany which had prompted his immediate return to South Africa to form a club in support of the armed liberation struggle based on his Marxist beliefs named the Yu Chi Chan Club (‘guerrilla warfare’ in Mandarin). Neville Alexander has etched an indomitable legacy in the University of Cape Town for his anti-capitalist beliefs and advocacy of indigenous language education. During an annual celebration of this revolutionary’s contribution to socialist ideology, we learn about the man behind the legen
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BMW AND FNB ART JOBURG'S BUSINESS OF ART IN CAPE TOWN

BMW and FNB Art Joburg's Business of Art in Cape Town Compiled by Manelisi Manellie   The BMW Young Collectors Company was established in 2020 as an initiative with FNB Art Joburg, a 100% black owned business, to showcase art from across the world and the African continent. This is to create an art collectors’ base in South Africa by providing access for young professionals to the art world with the aim of inspiring change and champion diversity through learning and experience. After registering to be a part of the BMW Young Collectors Company, an impressively crafted synopsis was personally delivered in which, Mandla Sibeko (FNB Art Joburg Founding Director), writes, “through an exciting series of key events, its aim is to build an empowered community that will go on to shape the art eco-system of this country”.   This was followed by an invite to the Franschoek Gallery Hop, as part of the Cape Town leg of this thrilling series which prompted great enthusiasm for an incredible e
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