The Whispering The Now exhibition features the artwork of artists who took part in a year-long Capacity Building Workshop.
The group of 25 artists are a part of the City’s Emerging Artist Programme, an initiative to help emerging artists access opportunities that will help to promote their work and develop their profession.
Through hands-on training, mentorship and industry guidance, the Capacity Building Training equips artists with practical skills to grow a sustainable career. From managing finances to planning exhibitions, artists gain the confidence and clarity to navigate the art world on their own terms.
The works on display engages with diverse facets of human experience while responding to the critical social and environmental realities of our time. The exhibition is open from Monday to Fridays between 10am and 3pm until Monday May 12, at The Lab, Woodstock.
Artist Alex Abrahams, from Rondebosch, was introduced to the programme by his weaving teacher. He said the Capacity Building Workshop taught him how to map his career; the different elements of financial management; the importance of exhibition readiness; as well as how artists can build ecologically sustainable futures.
Alex Abrahams with his artwork.
Image: supplied
Mr Abrahams currently works as an archivist at a museum and also has his own art practice
“I got a distinction for Visual Art in matric. I then did an undergraduate BA with majors in Drama and Sociology. I followed this with a BA Honours in Curatorship at UCT. My qualification has given me opportunities to work with some reputable galleries and museums. I took a short course in lino printing at Peter Clarke Art Centre and have been developing my practice ever since,” he said.
His work for the exhibition titled, Bev’s Garden is a garden scene.
“The work has a great balance between light and dark, and this allows for a harmonious juxtaposing of natural and human subject matter. Viewers can at the same time appreciate the very busy aloes, or they can enjoy the familiarity of garden furniture. My work ‘Togetherness’ features two trees within a park in Cape Town. It holds specific meaning to me of ideas around networking – such as the brilliance of nature’s networks, the artist’s efforts to bring together a composition, as well as the need to overcome life’s hurdles with a sturdy assuredness.”
Fatiema Ward's bead work.
Image: supplied
This is Fatiema Ward from Lotus River’s second time taking part in the Emerging Artist Programme. She said the programme created a platform for artists to showcase their art but also gives them an opportunity to learn from seasoned insiders in the industry.
“We meet curators, artists, art dealers, financial experts and people like Richard Kilpert - who has facilitated us throughout this course . We were introduced to various galleries and the industry was explained in depth. As emerging artists the industry can be intimidating but these courses have given me confidence and also introduced me to an artist community which is so important,” she said.
Her artistic journey started in the late 80's, when she would help her mom who was a bridal dressmaker.
“I studied clothing production in the early 90’s and then went on to work in my mothers bridal shop in Wynberg. My responsibility was the handwork and creating elaborate headwear. I eventually took over the business but was forced to close down in 2016. I was left with all these intricately beaded wedding gowns and I honestly could not sell them. In 2019 I started playing around with these gowns. I entered my first competition in 2022 and I was part of the Remembrance Gallery at Leeuwenhof,” she said.
Ms Ward said beading was cathartic for her and a way of remembering her culture. “The ornate gowns worn by Cape Malay brides is a thing of the past and very few people still hand bead. I want to introduce people to the richness of this art.”
Tsediso Joans Mnkhenga with his artwork.
Image: supplied
Tsediso Joans Mnkhenga from Limpopo said he was feeling lost in 2023, looking for his purpose when he saw the programme advertised online.
“Apart from what the programme offers, I learned a lot, I learned about the people the most, from the likes of Seemah Toefy, Richard Kilpert, Igsaan Martin, Ben Photography, and famous and emerging artists who the programme brought in to help motivate me,” he said.
Mr Mnkhenga said his art reflects the times, focused on current affairs.
“I have chosen a specific subject matter because of my curiosity to understand the essence of life, my work focuses on themes of unity, personal independence, and the infinite and I tell these stories through the drawings that I create with ball point pen of women and children to represent peaceful coexistence and spiritual connection,” he said.
Mr Mnkhenga said the work he created for exhibition was very personal.
“It reflects on how I made it to the emerging artist programme. Finding purpose in life, Uma’mlambo is the first work that I would love to discuss, the theme is drawn from an African Folklore. Uma’mlambo is a water spirit, she is beautiful and can turn herself into anything desirable, often times she turns herself into precious things. My Second artwork is titled Teivah which translates to box or basket, it is a Hebrew word and is used for the ark of the covenant (Noah’s Ark),” he said.
Andrea Snell from Cape Town said the programme empowered them with all facets of the art industry, great, good, bad and horrific all-encompassing knowledge to navigate this world with some form of a map.
“The programme empowered us with a blueprint of this elusive world to be in a better position to create sustainable forms of incomes without waiting for call from a gallery. We have been carefully and systematically shown that we have the power to have an autonomous career that we control and not just leaving pieces of our souls in the fate of others who mostly are not creators (galleries and art shows are monopolised by certain 'elite' revenue focused corporates and/ or institutions),” she said.
Ms Snell applied for the programme in November and the next day, she was accepted and a week later, she was exhibiting her art for the first time at an event.
"As a direct result of this programme, I discovered my true life passion. EAP provided the right conditions for me to see myself with unfiltered sight, my worth, my gift and how I affect a cause or legacy in my most authentic self. So I quit my job on 31 December 2024 and proclaimed to the universe that I accept the journey of my highest, truest self,” she said.
Andrea Snell's artwork.
Image: supplied
Ms Snell describes her style of art as cognitive, abstract, expressive and always changing.
“My art is 100% recycled and upcycled surfaces, if new then sourced from establishment keeping waste to a minimum, as I try to inspire other young creatives to create, and develop it by sourcing discarded items which could be transformed into literally anything else,” she said.
Mayoral committee member for community services and health, Francine Higham said: “It is important that the City continues to support the growing careers of young people. Often we encourage youth to explore a vast array of careers, but then overlook the creative industry. Yet the arts are such a critical part of our society. Youth in Cape Town are extremely talented, and through our Emerging Artist Programme, we continue to invest in them.”