Image sourced from http://www.womensworkbw.com/gb-kuru2.htm
I recently embarked on a grand tour of Botswana dubbed "The Botswana Blitzkrieg" it was trip that hit all the major tourist locations in the country, and I made a point of paying close attention to the art that was readily available. I got an appreciation of the type of art that tourists are generally exposed to around Botswana. Sadly, that is the same mass produced Kenyan productions that are found at every high density tourist attraction in the SADC region, which, for some reason or another, permeates every nook and cranny of Botswana suppressing the work of our true native artists. The most disappointing thing about it all is that the common art styles from each country are reproduced in these factories so it’s incredibly difficult to tell which pieces are actually produced by the vendor, and trust me, almost every vendor will always try to pretend that they made the things that they are selling. Even more disappointing is that the major curio shops in the county know about and support this practice, selling these wares because they can put their usual 100% mark up on all products and still compete with the average Joe on the street that actually creates their own work. Our native art market is in a sorry state, and this trip just helped me confirm that; until, of course, I came across The Kuru Art Project a few Kilometres north of Ghanzi.
Considering that I began my journey driving east from Gaborone, and that the Kuru Art project is in the west, you can imagine my relief when I came across their Art Gallery and found a place that genuinely promoted its local artists. The funny thing about it is that we had no idea that the place existed, and we stopped there on a whim. I kid you not, I saw the sign on the side of the road, asked my passengers if they were interested in stopping, and when they said yes, I did a 2 wheeled skid as I made the turn towards D'Kar Village, where the gallery is located. The risk was worth it, the place was significantly more than I had been expected when I suggested the detour.
I was so impressed by the place that I had a conversation with the gallery's manager, asking if I could learn more about the project and do a blog post about it in order to try to create more of a local buzz about the place. I won't lie; I was actually quite ashamed that I didn't know more about it. This is yet another example of an institution that is better known and appreciated outside of Botswana than it is within Botswana. The project has exhibited in Southern Africa, Europe, the United States and Australia, but somehow my only point of reference was the news articles detailing the demise and rebirth of the Kuru Dance festival...I didn't even make THAT connection until I came back to Gaborone and picked up the latest paper.
What all Batswana should know is that the project has been in existence since 1990, it encourages San artists of the Naro and Dcui San tribes to draw on the ancient traditions and compository techniques used by the San for thousands of years. However, and this is the key differentiator, it does no claim to studiously continue that tradition. Rather, The Kuru Art Project actively acknowledges the fluid nature of artistic influence and describes itself as 'Contemporary San Art'. This honest self-awareness is infused in the Art produced from the project as each art piece reflects an understanding of what sells in the tourist driven art market (I wish Batswana would buy more art) as well as an honest expression of the life of the San today. More in touch with their roots than most, but also marginalised in the Bantu dominated society of modern Southern Africa. The art produced by the Kuru project was breath of fresh and air, and breathed new hope into dreams for the contemporary artist in Botswana. This project is our true gem in the desert, we should all know more about it, support it, and support all projects that affiliated with it. We should also use it as an example, of the ways in which we can document and preserve our cultural journey as citizens of this great country, even so far as exporting our culture and influencing the cultures of the peoples that surround us. These are the types of projects that have given pride to one of the more victimised peoples in society, and a project like this has given them pride in their cultural identity. Imagine what could happen if the entire nation supported them, and others that aim to do the same.
Further information on the Kuru Art project can be obtained by visiting their site www.kuruart.com; don't be shy, take a trip out there, it’s worth it.
I recently embarked on a grand tour of Botswana dubbed "The Botswana Blitzkrieg" it was trip that hit all the major tourist locations in the country, and I made a point of paying close attention to the art that was readily available. I got an appreciation of the type of art that tourists are generally exposed to around Botswana. Sadly, that is the same mass produced Kenyan productions that are found at every high density tourist attraction in the SADC region, which, for some reason or another, permeates every nook and cranny of Botswana suppressing the work of our true native artists. The most disappointing thing about it all is that the common art styles from each country are reproduced in these factories so it’s incredibly difficult to tell which pieces are actually produced by the vendor, and trust me, almost every vendor will always try to pretend that they made the things that they are selling. Even more disappointing is that the major curio shops in the county know about and support this practice, selling these wares because they can put their usual 100% mark up on all products and still compete with the average Joe on the street that actually creates their own work. Our native art market is in a sorry state, and this trip just helped me confirm that; until, of course, I came across The Kuru Art Project a few Kilometres north of Ghanzi.
Considering that I began my journey driving east from Gaborone, and that the Kuru Art project is in the west, you can imagine my relief when I came across their Art Gallery and found a place that genuinely promoted its local artists. The funny thing about it is that we had no idea that the place existed, and we stopped there on a whim. I kid you not, I saw the sign on the side of the road, asked my passengers if they were interested in stopping, and when they said yes, I did a 2 wheeled skid as I made the turn towards D'Kar Village, where the gallery is located. The risk was worth it, the place was significantly more than I had been expected when I suggested the detour.
I was so impressed by the place that I had a conversation with the gallery's manager, asking if I could learn more about the project and do a blog post about it in order to try to create more of a local buzz about the place. I won't lie; I was actually quite ashamed that I didn't know more about it. This is yet another example of an institution that is better known and appreciated outside of Botswana than it is within Botswana. The project has exhibited in Southern Africa, Europe, the United States and Australia, but somehow my only point of reference was the news articles detailing the demise and rebirth of the Kuru Dance festival...I didn't even make THAT connection until I came back to Gaborone and picked up the latest paper.
What all Batswana should know is that the project has been in existence since 1990, it encourages San artists of the Naro and Dcui San tribes to draw on the ancient traditions and compository techniques used by the San for thousands of years. However, and this is the key differentiator, it does no claim to studiously continue that tradition. Rather, The Kuru Art Project actively acknowledges the fluid nature of artistic influence and describes itself as 'Contemporary San Art'. This honest self-awareness is infused in the Art produced from the project as each art piece reflects an understanding of what sells in the tourist driven art market (I wish Batswana would buy more art) as well as an honest expression of the life of the San today. More in touch with their roots than most, but also marginalised in the Bantu dominated society of modern Southern Africa. The art produced by the Kuru project was breath of fresh and air, and breathed new hope into dreams for the contemporary artist in Botswana. This project is our true gem in the desert, we should all know more about it, support it, and support all projects that affiliated with it. We should also use it as an example, of the ways in which we can document and preserve our cultural journey as citizens of this great country, even so far as exporting our culture and influencing the cultures of the peoples that surround us. These are the types of projects that have given pride to one of the more victimised peoples in society, and a project like this has given them pride in their cultural identity. Imagine what could happen if the entire nation supported them, and others that aim to do the same.
Further information on the Kuru Art project can be obtained by visiting their site www.kuruart.com; don't be shy, take a trip out there, it’s worth it.
RSS Feed
