Wire+plus
[this is my Cape Town]
competition, exhibition, auction
Wire+plus [this is my Cape Town] is a Cape Craft & Design
Institute (CCDI) initiative to encourage creativity and innovation
among wire artists, provide them with exposure and recognition for
their talent, and give them an opportunity to grow as a sub-craft
sector. Simultaneously the project offers Cape Town Tourism the
opportunity to promote and reflect Cape Town in its many different
facets.
The project will see 11 master wire artists produce large pieces of
wire art on site at the V&A Waterfront during August. These will
then form part of an outdoor exhibition during September, Tourism Month
and culminate in an auction of the wire art pieces in October.
Apart from highlighting the wire artist scene in Cape Town, the project
will also focus on the versatile usage such as beads, from there the
name wire+plus, adding to wire and adding benefits for the people of
the Cape.
The 11 wire artists who are participating in the wire+plus [this is my Cape Town] competition, exhibition and auction. With them is Lorraine Bester from the V&A Waterfront, Marjorie Naidoo from the Cape Craft & Design Institute, and Cathy Alberts from Cape Town Tourism.
Simultaneously the project partners want to highlight the plight of
street children and ways and means to empower them with skills that can
ultimately contribute to the well-being of Cape Town as a city. It was
decided that part of the proceeds of the auction will go to the street
children project The Ark in Faure. Also, at the end of the project, the
artists will be training street children in the art of wiring.
The mass of material required for the project, has been a challenge for
all involved with logistic planning. It was necessary to find storage
space for 3 tons of wire, donated by South Africa’s largest wire
producers, Allens Meshco, and for 500 kilograms of beads, contributed
by Cape Town’s well-known bead shop in Long Street, Bead Merchants.
Rick Allen of Allens Meshco explains his motivation for participation
in the project: “Our company has been involved in the wire industry for
30 years and I have developed a fascination for wire art and the
employment opportunities that it presents. Our company has also been
involved in assisting wire artists to exhibit their work overseas and
we hope that the wire artist's competition will create further interest
and awareness in this particular form of art and craft."
Says Lorraine Bester of the V&A Waterfront: “The Small Business
Development Department at the V&A Waterfront has worked with many
wire artists who have grown into successful and sustainable businesses
at the V&A Waterfront. We are proud to be associated with a
competition and exhibition of this nature and feel that the V&A
Waterfront is the perfect location for launching and hosting this
event. The artists will be based at the V&A Waterfront Craft Market
& Wellness Centre for the month of August and we invite the public
to view the progress of these fantastic exhibits.”
Issued by :
HR Strategic Communications
On behalf of :
wire+plus [this is my Cape Town]
Media enquiries:
082 771 8834
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