Sharpville echoes Soweto June 16 in observing Youth Month
By CityLife Arts Writer
No better way to observe June Youth Month through visual art and music at Diniso Arts Complex from the 1st-30th June 2024 every Saturday and Sunday.
The program is kick starting with visual art exhibition of Iva-NyanisoDiniso’s‘ Infant-Images Artworks Exhibition with the official opening on the 1stand 2ndJune at 14h00..
The Infant Artworks Exhibition is a concept to exhibit children’s artworks to the public. The concept is to preserve art at its infant stage and develop the child artist in the creative space. The 1st and 2nd June are the dates for Child Artwork Talk.
The Infant Art Exhibition initiative by Iga-Makhulu Diniso began way back in 1997 at the Sharpeville Resource Centre for the Arts. “I started to archive my sons’ artworks when they were as young as 3 years and the youngest by the name of Iva-Nyaniso Diniso had his solo exhibition ‘IVA Infant-Images Exhibition 2015’ at Visual Arts & Graphics Design, K-Block art department at the Vaal University of Technology” attest Diniso.
The Infant Artworks Exhibition at the intimate Art Port Kofi Bar and Art Gallery at Diniso Arts Complex is going to serve as the preparatory step to commercial mainstream art gallery. This is to prepare the child artists for the proper art world. Also is to do away with the myth that art galleries are the big glitzy ones only in the cities. Art is an inborn talent and it has to be exposed and exhibited now like a seed is planted, natured and watered to grow into a tree and bear fruits.
The 8th and 9th June will be the Youth Music Dialogue on Sharpeville music, musicians and music bands. In the music genre homage will be paid to the late Vernon ‘Mgababa’ Molefe and Themba ‘Lollipop Boy’ Lehlakola both Sharpeville musicians. Vernon Molefe was a go-getter who happened to be at Pelican Night Club in Soweto where he befriended Lebo M (Lebohang Morake of the Lion King’s fame).
It is said that Vernon Molefe after the 16 June 1976 Student Uprising against the Bantu Education, he singly went to Pretoria Union Building to confront the then Minister of Education. After that he was harassed by the security branch until he exiled to Lesotho and off to the United States of America together with Lebo M.
In the US he used to busk playing his accordion to support themselves. They became great musicians until Vernon was assassinated. His music album in South Africa is ‘Mgababa- Umfana O Mncane ne Accordion Yakhe’ produced by AlmonMemela and the USA one is ‘Free Spirit’
Themba Lehlakolabe came popular at the very young age and he has two music albums ‘My Fisrt Love- Lollipop Boy’ produced by Mac Mathunjwa with Lollipop Boy song composed by Moses Thipenyane and Joshua Tladi, and My First Love song composed by Jimmy Mojapelo. Another album is ‘Children of Africa’ Little Themba and The Black Five produced by Jimmy Mojapelo. Themba is the musician who was part of KetaneKulture Movement of the 1980s during the era of the famous ‘Street Kid’ of OupaPooe from Sharpeville and Paul Ndlovu.
This initiative of engaging children artists and involving their parents is influenced by what the former MEC of Sport, Recreation, Arts Culture & Heritage Gauteng Province and former Executive Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality, Mr. Peter Skosana quoted in his Keynote Address speech during the launching of the defunct OVAC (One Voice Arts Consortium) at the Eldorado Community Arts Centre in zone 14 Sebokeng “A child in the arts is a child out of prison”. The 22nd and 23rd June will be showing video clips of Julius Sello Malema and Mbuyiseni Quinton Ndlosi when they were still young, and also the video clip of NalediChirwa. On the 29th and 30th June will be viewing Truth (Iva-Nyaniso Diniso) and BikosManna and Mfundo’s music video clips.
Activities, events, festivals and exhibitions hosted at Diniso Arts Centre are in line with tourism. Young women in the business of cakes and ‘magwenya’ and in hospitality and crafters can call 083 757 3104. For more information on the exhibition contact: Iga-Makhulu Diniso 084 282 9160.
