15 Jun 2017

Visual artistes in Kweneng demonstrated flair and talent during the ongoing President Day Competition Regional Visual Arts and Exhibition held at Kgosi Sechele Museum in Molepolole recently. 

The exhibition, facilitated by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, opened on June 13 and covered basketry, leather work, pottery, wood curving, jewelry, bead work, ceramic, tapestry, textiles and under art photography, print making, painting, graphic design, sculpture and drawings. 

Amongst the regional villages which took part, position one was dominated by Molepolole as the artistes proved their supremacy especially in sculpture, drawings, graphic designs, print making, photography, textile, beadwork, wood curving and leather work by heading positions one and two.

With financial support from CIPA, participants walked home with P3 000 for position one, P1 500 and P1 000 for positions two and three respectively. 

Those on the top three positions have also booked themselves a space for the nationals scheduled for next month. 

Thamaga dominated the tapestry category with position one and scooping position two both in jewelry and beadwork. 

Kopong proved its mettle by leading ceramics with positions one and two whilst Kaudwane went for position one in jewelry and position three in leather work. 

Ditshegwane scooped position three in basketry while Moshwaweng went for position two still in basketry.

Chairperson of Kgosi Sechele Museum, Kgosi Basiamang Garebakwena thanked the youth ministry for playing a major role in the art exhibitions. 

He explained that the museum was a community based organisation and has been running since 1992. 

“As we all know our government is trying its level best to eradicate poverty in our societies, and we aim to help government in this mission to improve the lives of the needy and single parenthood in women through art,” he said. 

He went on to explain that they did not make much profit but with the funding they got from the government and other sources they hoped to impact positively on people’s lives.

Kgosi Garebakwena went on to explain that in 2016, they asked for financial support from CIPA and they were given P100 000.

“The money will be used for celebrations like Dithubaruba which has been struggling with finance. We will also use it to finance exhibitions which showcase arts and crafts as well as finding a market for the youth handicrafts,” he said. 

Kgosi Garebakwena emphasised that they had an ongoing project to build a crafts centre to facilitate market and easy display of handicrafts.

The Companies Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) copyright administrator, Keitseng Monyatsi said art should no longer be taken for recreational purposes but as a means of earning a living.

She explained that CIPA had laws such as the copyright and neighbouring rights to protect arts. 

She said countries such as Kenya and Malawi made a living out of art, an initiative which could also be used in Botswana.

On the judge’s comments, Molayakgosi Kebalipile urged participants to use exhibitions as an inspiration and to learn.

He encouraged participants to refrain from copying other people’s work and using them as their own. ENDS