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08 August 2018 Photo Rulanzen Martin
WomensMonth Art exhibition honours courageous South African women
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela became affectionately known as the ‘Mother of the Nation’. She passed away on 2 April 2018. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela by Alf Khumalo on display at the Oliewenhuis Art Gallery.

Art in its many forms has always challenged controversial issues in national and international discourse. The exhibition in commemoration of Women’s Day, titled Speaking out and standing up: An exhibition in honour of South African women, highlights women’s voices by narrating their own life histories. 

In collaboration with the Oliewenhuis Art Museum, the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State hosted an art exhibition on 1 August 2018. The exhibition took place on the same day as the national #TotalShutDown protests challenging gender-based violence and rape across South Africa. The exhibition included numerous South African female artists who have combined art and activism and was curated by Yolanda de Kock from Oliewenhuis. The works are on display at Oliewenhuis until 26 August 2018.

The historical representation of South African women

“Tonight’s exhibition focuses on the historical and contemporary representation of SA women, and one woman that deserves acknowledgement, is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,” said Dr Nadine Lake, Gender Studies Programme Director at CGAS. She also highlighted the fact that “Madikizela-Mandela’s life attests to the multifaceted nature of black women’s lives. Her life reveals that black women are not automatically regarded as agents in their own right, but face discrimination, isolation, and exclusion when they step out of the parameters defined for them.” 

Dr Lake furthermore asserted that, “South African Women’s Month and Day is a reflection and commemoration of women’s achievements but is increasingly being criticised by feminists across the country. While the constitution enshrines the rights of women and prohibits discrimination, it has become clear that there is a huge disconnection between an aspirational ideology and women’s lived realities.” 

Women should lead their own narrative

Sharon Snell, Chief Executive Officer of the National Museum, said, “The dominant voice about Women’s Day is to spoil women and to give them flowers and chocolates on the day, in the same way as for Mother’s Day.” 

Women’s Day has unfortunately been equated to the traditional role that women play. The purpose of Women’s Day is to change those perceptions and to highlight issues of inequality. Snell said, “It is time for women to lead their own narrative.”

The exhibition highlights the important intersection between art and activism and focuses on aspects such as gender-based violence, homosexuality, corrective rape, domesticity and intersectionality, consumerism and feminism, traditional and family histories, women’s and children’s rights, identity and gender, bullying and domestic violence. Snell emphasised the fact that art has not been silenced and has carefully been articulating these important messages around gendered and social inequalities. 

News Archive

UFS honours many during autumn diploma and graduation ceremony
2008-04-25

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The University of the Free State (UFS) will award 594 diplomas and 2 524 degrees from 22-25 April 2008 during this year’s autumn diploma and graduation ceremony. Students from the Main Campus and Vista Campus will take part in the ceremony.

Altogether 50 doctorates, one honorary doctorate and one shield of honour will be awarded. The honorary doctorate will be awarded to Prof. Daneel Ferreira and the shield of honour to Mr Ludo Helsen. This is the first time since 2004 that a shield of honour will be awarded.

On 23 April 2008 Prof. Ferreira will receive the degree Doctor Scientiae (honoris causa) for his for exceptional service, not only to the Southern African scientific community but also globally. By awarding him an honorary doctorate, the UFS recognises his significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry over the years. Prof. Ferreira, a former professor in organic chemistry at the UFS, is professor and chair of Pharmacognosy in the School of Pharmacology at the University of Mississippi, United States of America, as well as research chair of the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at that university.

Mr Helsen will be honoured on 25 April 2008 for his involvement in a diversity of projects on the relationship between language and culture and the consolidation of a dynamic democratic dispensation. Among these is the Multilingual Information Development Programme (the MIDP), which is aimed at institutionalising a multilingual dispensation within the Free State Provincial Government. Mr Helsen is a member of the provincial council of Antwerp, Belgium.

On 22 April 2008 from 08:30 altogether 228 diplomas will be awarded to students from all the faculties. At 14:30 on the same day 366 diplomas will be awarded in the teacher upgrading programmes of the School of Education in the Faculty of the Humanities, namely A.C.E, N.P.D.E. and C.E.

On 23 April 2008 from 08:30 altogether 298 degrees and nine doctorates will be awarded in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology. At 14:30 on the same day 656 degrees and 23 doctorates will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

On 24 April 2008 from 08:30 altogether 453 degrees and 11 doctorates will be awarded to students in the Faculty of the Humanities, excluding the School of Education. At 14:30 on the same day 375 degrees and six doctorates will be awarded to students from the School of Education.

On 25 April 2008 from 08:30 altogether 441 degrees will be awarded in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. This excludes students in B.Acc., B.Admin., B.Pub., related honours degrees and all masters and doctoral degrees.

It will be continued at 14:30 when 251 degrees and one doctoral degree will be awarded to students from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. This includes students in B.Acc., B.Admin., B.Pub., related honours degrees and all masters and doctors degrees.

Both the diploma and degree ceremonies will be held in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
18 April 2008

 

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