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Craft award for local beader
Marianne Meijer. The Mercury 14 October 2003. Republished courtesy of Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd
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There was much joy and pride at the African Art Centre and the Durban Institute of Technology recently, when it was announced that Lobolile Bhekiswephi Ximba was the winner of the craft section in the Brett Kebble Art Awards. She was presented with a R30 000 prize for her beaded crucifix.
Both the AAC and DIT had an enormous hand in the skills-training of Ximba. Now aged 50, and having lived in a rural area, Ximba never went to school and was taught beadwork by her nother, Hluphekile Zuma. Since 1994, she has attended workshops given by the AAC and, after this initial training, joined the Siyazama project at DIT, where the winning work was created.
In August and October 1999, Ximba attended a bead jewellery and doll tableaux workshop to interpret the message of AIDS education. At this workshop, she started making crucifix dolls with messages describing situations within the community and church relating to AIDS.
Titled "Siyazama", the project is a rural crafts and HIV/AIDS education and design research undertaking, the prime objective being to make every effort to ensure the expert traditional craftswomen of KwaZulu-Natal make it through the AIDS pandemic. Project leader is Kate Wells, a senior design lecturer at the DIT.
At the Siyazama workshops the beaders' creative talent is explored to the full, but, at the same time, much information about AIDS is imparted and each craftwork carries its own AIDS story or message. The workshops are lively, colourful events that have a powerful effect on all concerned.
"Lobolile Ximba's beaded crucufix was based on the layers of myths and misconceptions surrounding anti-retroviral therapies. It is the project's intention to have one of these crucifixes handing behind every AIDS hospital bed in the country and beyond," said Wells.
Ximba received the Kebble Craft Award at a function in Cape Town. This is her second major award. In 2002, she won first prize at the FNB Vita Crafts Awards in Johannesburg. Director of the African Art Centre Anthea Martin said: "We are so proud of Lobolile and congratulate all who worked with her on this fantastic feat."
Many of HIVAN's media materials are enhanced by images of the Siyazama Project's beautiful beadwork. Visit the Siyazama website via this hyperlink: http://www.siyazamaproject.co.za/ |
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One of Lobolile Ximba's crucifix dolls. (Photo courtesy of Siyazama Project)
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