A Word of Art

The artist talks last week were a great success,lots of cheering and high 5’s.
Revolution.co.za made a video of all the talks.We will post it here soon.

Were painting 5 containers / to become nursery schools for kids in poor communities, Juma + Wind + Paint =Juma paint face :)

We have begun construction on the new /AWOA ART HOUSE (artist in residency apartments,and studios) wich will house 5 artist in res,and our new res director/mom Indigo from Canada,who arrives Jan 5th :) Im also excited to announce that Juma and Willard (Jullard), two amasing guys form Zimbabwe who over the last 3 years,have helped us with all our community outreach,events and projects,are almost officially South African citizens as we finally formalised our relationship :),with a contractial employment to secure there citizenship in SA,not only have they built the space in record time,but they will be managing the studio ,running workshops, working with the residents and leading community projects.
We are planning a small housewarming so keep an eye on the blog.

Some photos from artists in residence YUMANIZUMU (Tokyo) and Veronica Casellas Jimenez (Venezuela) trip to Kayalisha last weekend with Juma and Willard.

Today is beautiful.
I just woke up to receive this news!.

Dear Ricky Lee,

On behalf of the Arts and Healing Network, I am delighted to write and share the news that you have been selected as one of this year’s recipients of the AHN Award. Congratulations!

The four of us at the Arts and Healing Network - Marion Weber, Sandra Hobson, Tristy Taylor and myself - are deeply inspired by your incredible creative vision in the work you are doing with murals, youth, and artists in Capetown. We admire how you are using art within your community to revitalise and transform your neighborhood. We are so impressed that at such a young age, you are so clear about your direction as an artist and we applaud you for your immense talent and leadership.

This year the Arts and Healing Network is giving away three awards to support “the next generation” of healing artists who are between 18 and 35 years old. In addition to yourself, we are also granting awards to Naomi Natale

Great project we encourage you to apply for:

Open call for applications 2012:
Unesco-Aschberg bursaries for Artists Programme

The project, which runs since 2000, focuses on the analysis of the relationship between art and society and investigates methodologies of creative interventions able to activate projects for a responsible social transformation.
The aim of UNIDEE in Residence is to bring together committed visual/video animators, artists,photographers, architects from Asia, Africa and Latin America for four months; their interaction and collaboration result in a series of projects claiming for a socially responsible change in society.During the programme, residents develop their projects, live and
work together, exchange ideas, attend lectures and project presentations. Moreover, Cittadellarte arranges opportunities to meet and collaborate with experts as well as local partners, such as companies, neighbourhoods, schools, institutions and councils.
At the end of UNIDEE in Residence, an exhibition is held at Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, where the projects are presented to the public.

For any further information:
http://www.cittadellarte.it/unidee

Blog on the previous edition:
http://www.unidee2011.wordpress.com

We have updated the international artist in residency page with more info and our 2012 upcoming artist list.
http://www.a-word-of-art.co.za/art-residency/

This prestigious status is designated biennially by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) to cities that are dedicated to using design for social, cultural and economic development.

This title will give Cape Town a chance to showcase its achievements and aspirations through a year-long programme of design-led events and activities as World Design Capital designees Seoul and Helsinki will do in this year and in 2012 respectively. For more information on World Design Capital, please visit http://www.worlddesigncapital.com and
http://www.capetown2014.co.za/

This is what our mayor had to say this week when it was announced:
“It is an honour for me to be addressing you here today as mayor of the first African city to be named a World Design Capital. A city belongs to its people and it must be designed for and with them and their communities. For many years, people have been applying innovative solutions to our challenges. They have been using design to transform various aspects of life. But they have often been working without an overarching social goal in mind.

“The World Design Capital bid process and title have helped to bring different initiatives together and have made us realise that design in all its forms, when added together, creates human and city development,”

“The World Design Capital designation gives cities like Cape Town additional motivation to actively think of transformative design in development plans. We look forward to learning from other cities that are using design as a tool for transformation, including past winners Torino, Seoul and Helsinki and our fellow short-listed cities, Dublin and Bilbao. We are honoured to have been considered with them.” De Lille said.

Personally I want to see more honest design,design that serves a purpose,
The best quality does not mean the most glamorous.
Good quality should be inline with the function and service of the design and relative to its environment,user, materials and community.
In light of the global “occupy we are the 99%” phenomenon of the masses using social networking to communicate there frustration for greed and considerable waste ,the world is becoming more transparent, information is shared,and therefore design should be an honest reflection of this time,design should serve the well being of a community.
Design does matter,it can change the world.And South Africa is in a good position to inspire this,
As founder of /A WORD OF ART,project space and international artist residency,and as the newly appointed creative director of the ‘woodstock industrial and art centre ,” I aspire towards this vision of a creative community,and am excited to welcome the world.
heres a great little video to get you excited:

adn follow it all here:http://twitter.com/#!/CapeTown2014

i art soweto

(Mural by ello and photo by rowan pybus)

Watch the video,,Rowan Pybus really outdid himself on this one,

See all the murals and more info on the i art sa project here:
http://www.i-art-sa-project.com/

Also some great news is that i art sa has received a Loerie award for best live activation.

Its been a while since the last posts,
I landed up staying in America for a further month and a half,painting and meeting fantastic people in Atlanta,Rochester,Portland,New York and in between
so many memories and special moments in time,

Here’s some pictures from my adventure

Portland

my new friends from the together studios/gallery.

Adam Maynard makes great bags and was my gracious host and an awesome adventure partner,
He will be coming to stay with us as part of the residency program in December,.

his bags are handmade gems,,a true caring craftsmen,

My mural behind there gallery/studios

Next door the artist ‘above’ works in a shared space called flight 64,its the perfect studio for any print maker,
above will also be joining us for the residency from January,

Past resident indigo caught the train down from Vancouver to say hi and to have a meeting about moving to CT and working with AWOA
The meeting lasted a whole 5 minutes,then we just had fun all weekend,I am excited to announce she will be moving here in January to head up the residency program as director and res mom.

Most days in Portland look like this
We like to call it “Backyardism”

but there was more to do then just Backyardism,

And another mural of mine,

These are my friends Tyler and Alicia,,they are the best and I miss them already

they live here

Atlanta

Monica Campana,is one of the most radical people I have ever met,
She makes beautiful art,

She is also the visionary behind Living walls conference, one of the best public mural projects the world has over seen.
Not only for its size and quality of walls,but because of the spirit,ethos and energy that is this amazing project,
I was honored to be there,and meet so many brilliant people and artists.
I almost cried when I had to leave.

See the project here http://livingwallsconference.com/

The Goat farm was base camp for 2 weeks,and the venue for the finale exhibition.

White Cocoa at work next to a fantastic piece by Over Under,to amazing artists from NY.

I got to witness Escif from Valencia (with the help of Sam3) create one of his most brilliant works yet.

New friends and super talented young artists
clown soldier(NY),doodles(Oakland),Feral Child (Oakland) Nanook(Baltimore)Nanooks brother,Gaia(Baltimore),Lenny(NY)
Mural by Lenny

It was great to reconnect with good friend Roa who painted by far my favorite work of the project and in fact my favorite work of his ever,

Sam3 painted the worlds largest mural

My wall in collaboration with ‘Ever’ from Beunis Aires,

Titled,one universe one dream,unity.

‘Ever’ detail.

Detail of my part,


The final exhibition at the Goat Farm

My installation for the exhibition.

And finally i got to visit my best friend Gary Morris in NY,the genius musician behind the music used in every film me and Rowan Pybus have made together,

Whilst in NY I painted a few walls in and exhibited at the Ritual group show at Causey Contemporary,

Heres a wall we painted outside the gallery in collaboration with Jaz(Beunis Aires) ,Two one(Melbourne) and David Shillinglaw (London),

Another wall with Jaz(Beunis Aires)

Rochester NY

And finally Rochester NY,
Thanks to Ian Wilson for everything!!!
Watch this it says it all,
Great job Phillip

BELIEVE/Visual Intervention from Ian Wilson on Vimeo.

See more pics and walls on my personal blogspot
http://www.freddysam.com/blog/