Visitors to Spier this summer can enjoy a selection of the best art pieces by a group of talented Western Cape crafters. Curated by the Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI), the ICONIC [craft] exhibition will showcase close on 100 crafted art pieces from Icon crafters nominated during 2004 and 2005, as well as those by aspiring Icons.

CCDI executive director, Erica Elk, says this first complete Icon Exhibition boasts the phenomenal talent and creativity of the best in this province. “An exhibition of this nature challenges craft artists to excellence. Many of the crafters have drawn deeply from their respective wells of creativity and have produced items that have stretched their powers of innovation and production. Others have submitted work that exemplifies the best of what they have produced over the years.”

France and Japan have their Living Treasures: crafters and craft-artists with rare skills who are honoured while still alive, and who are encouraged to teach their skills to apprentices. In 2004, the CCDI introduced Western Cape Craft Icons - craft-artists who have contributed significantly to the creative, economic and social spheres, who have excelled as designers, innovators, entrepreneurs, job creators, role models, trendsetters and/or leaders in the craft sector.

To date 43 Western Cape crafters and craft-artists have been acknowledged and honoured. This year the CCDI invited the Icons to submit an iconic example of their work for the ICONIC [craft] exhibition - a tribute to Western Cape creativity and innovation. Aspiring Icons will be chosen by a panel according to the selection criteria.

The showpieces represent every medium, from beads, ceramics, glass, mosaics, leather and metal, to natural material, paper, recycled material, textiles, wax, wire and wood. There will be a special selection on jewellery and fashion accessories.
The recycled section features well-known artists Jackson Nkumanda, Haldane Martin, Derrick Senteni, Heath Nash and Lehopo Lichaba. Majolandile Dyalvane, Lisa Firer and Katherine Glenday feature in the ceramics section; Joe Mapfuno, Jefter Mwazha and Mike Carellas in the wire section; and Jane Solomon, Nosipho Mfengwana, Ena Heese-Kranenburg and Zandra Klapwijk in the textiles section. Co-operative craft enterprises such as Monkeybiz, Streetwires, Mielie and Xenoga have submitted entries. Kapula Candles have outdone themselves with a truly magical candle installation.

ICONIC [craft] will be on show from 1 December 2007 to 20 January 2008, 10:00 till 17:00, at The Beam Gallery in the old Wine Cellar at Spier Estate, alongside the prestigious Spier Contemporary exhibition which is being held on the South bank of Spier and runs from 13 December 2007 to 29 February 2008.

Notes to the Editor:

The Beam Gallery, that hosts the ICONIC [craft] exhibition, is a project of the Africa Centre. For more information, visit www.africacentre.net

• The CCDI created the Spier Hotel’s most successful ‘art room’, an extraordinary suite in an Afro Deco theme that has been hailed by guests staying in the room as an experience to remember.
  
  

• The CCDI is a joint initiative of the Western Cape Provincial Government and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and is also funded by the City of Cape Town, MAPPP Seta, the national departments of Science and Technology and Trade and Industry and a number of private sector funders for specific projects.
  
  

• The CCDI has a database of 910 active Western Cape craft enterprises, 360 retail outlets and 200 service providers. The institute facilitates an entry for hand crafters into the sector and introduces and trains them to generate business locally and internationally.
  
  

• The CCDI aims at contributing to the Western Cape’s drive to build a better home for all, supporting craft producers, networking all players in the product-to-market chain, promoting Cape Craft and encouraging unlimited creativity and innovation.
  

To contact the CCDI, visit www.capecraftanddesign.org.za or tel: (021) 460 4245.

ICONIC [craft]:
IKONIESE KUNSHANDWERK UITSTALLING BY SPIER ‘N FEES VIR DIE OOG

Besoekers aan Spier kan hierdie somer ‘n uitgesoekte versameling van die beste kunswerke van die Wes-Kaap se talentvolle handwerk kunstenaars gaan besigtig. Die ICONIC [craft] uitstalling is onder die kuratorskap van die Kaapse Handwerk- en Ontwerp Instituut (CCDI) en stel bykans 100 kunshandwerkstukke van Ikoon handwerkers wat in 2004 en 2005 genomineer is, ten toon, sowel as werke van aspirant Ikone.

CCDI uitvoerende direkteur, Erica Elk, sê hierdie eerste voltallige Ikoon Tentoonstelling vertoon die provinsie se heel beste fenomenale talent en kreatiwiteit. “’n Tentoonstelling van hierdie aard daag handwerkkunstenaars uit om te presteer. Baie van die handwerkers het diep in hul onderskeie skeppingsbronne gaan delf en items gemaak wat hul gedwing het om hul vermoëns tot nuutskepping verder te laat reik. Ander het werke voorgelê wat ‘n epitoom is van die beste wat hulle oor die jare geproduseer het.”

Frankryk en Japan het hul ‘Living Treasures’: handwerkers en handwerk kunstenaars met rare vaardighede wat in hul lewe vereer word, en wat aangemoedig word om hul vaardighede aan vakleerlinge oor te dra. In 2004 het die CCDI Wes-Kaapse Handwerk Ikone bekend gestel – handwerk kunstenaars wat ‘n betekenisvolle bydrae gelewer het op skeppende, ekonomiese en sosiale terreine as ontwerpers, innoveerders, entrepreneurs, werkskeppers, rolmodelle, toonaangewers en/of leiers in die handwerk sektor.

Tot op hede is 43 Wes-Kaapse handwerkers en handwerk kunstenaars erken en vereer. Vanjaar het die CCDI die Ikone uitgenooi om ‘n ikoniese voorbeeld van hul werk vir die ICONIC [craft] uitstalling in te skryf – ‘n eerbewys aan Wes-Kaapse kreatiwiteit en innovering. ‘n Paneel sal aspirant Ikone, wat aan die kriteria voldoen, aanwys.

Die vertoonstukke verteenwoordig alle mediums - van krale, keramiek, glas, mosaïek, leer en metaal, tot natuurlike materiale, papier, herwinningsmateriaal, tekstiele, was, draad en hout. Daar sal ‘n spesiale seleksie van juwele en mode bykomstighede wees.

Die herwinningsafdeling vertoon bekende kunstenaars soos Jackson Nkumanda, Haldane Martin, Derrick Senteni, Heath Nash en Lehopo Lichaba. Majolandile Dyalvane, Lisa Firer en Katherine Glenday stal in die keramiek afdeling uit; Joe Mapfuno, Jefter Mwazha en Mike Carellas in die draad afdeling; en Jane Solomon, Nosipho Mfengwana, Ena Heese-Kranenburg en Zandra Klapwijk in die afdeling vir tekstiele. Koöperatiewe handwerk ondernemings soos Monkeybiz, Streetwires, Mielie en Xenoga het ingeskryf. Kapula Candles het hulself oortref met ‘n betowerende kerse stellasie.

ICONIC [craft] is oop van 1 Desember 2007 tot 20 Januarie 2008, 10:00 tot 17:00, by The Beam Gallery in die ou Wynkelder op die Spier Landgoed, langs die voortreflike Spier Kontemporêre uitstalling op die Suidelike oewer van Spier wat van 13 Desember 2007 tot 29 Februarie 2008 duur.

Aantekeninge vir die Redakteur:

• Die Beam Galery, wat die ICONIC [craft] uitstalling huisves, is ‘n projek van die Afrika Sentrum. Vir nadere inligting, besoek www.africacentre.net
  
  

• Die CCDI het Spier Hotel se suksesvolste ‘kunskamer’ geskep, ‘n buitengewone suite met Afro Deco tema wat deur gaste wat in die kamer oorgebly het, aangehaal is as ‘n onvergeetlike ervaring.
  
  

• Die CCDI is ‘n gemeenskaplike inisiatief van die Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale Regering en die Kaapse Skiereiland Universiteit van Tegnologie, en word ook deur die Stad Kaapstad, MAPPP Seta, die nasionale departemente van Wetenskap en Tegnologie en Handel en Nywerheid befonds, asook privaatsektor befondsers vir spesifieke projekte.
  
  

• Die CCDI het ‘n databasis van 910 aktiewe Wes-Kaapse handwerk ondernemings, 360 kleinhandel afsetgebiede en 200 diensverskaffers. Die instituut fasiliteer toegang vir handwerkers tot die sektor en stel hulle bekend en lei hulle op om plaaslike en internasionaal besigheid te genereer.
  
  

• Die CCDI werk om by te dra tot die Wes-Kaap se doelwit om ‘n beter tuiste vir almal te skep, om handwerkers te ondersteun, om alle spellers in die produk-na-die-mark ketting bymekaar uit te bring, en om Kaapse handwerk te bevorder en onbeperkte kreatiwiteit en innovering aan te moedig.

Om die CCDI te kontak, besoek www.capecraftanddesign.org.za of tel: (021) 460 4245.