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Alumnus donates painting to the Department of Economics and Finance

13 August 2021 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

painting_web read more — Mr Steve Strauss, an alumnus from the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of the Free State (UFS) who donated one of his paintings to the department, pictured with Dr Nico Keyser, head of the Department of Economics and Finance with the painting.

The office of the Head of the Department of Economics and Finance in the University of the Free State (UFS) Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences received a new piece of art in the form of a flower painting donated by an alumnus.

Steve Strauss, who is now a fulltime painter, donated one of his paintings to the department from which he graduated in 1989 with a degree in BCom Economics. Strauss, who started painting as a hobby while still a student at the UFS, enjoys painting flowers because it reminds him of his mother’s garden.

Dr Nico Keyser, head of the Department of Economics and Finance, says he is delighted that alumni still want to be part of the department and the university. “It points to the extraordinary role that the years at the university have played in one's life, and also the diverse talents that people have besides the academy. Steve enjoyed his years at the university, as they were wonderful years. That is why he decided to donate the painting,” says Dr Keyser.

According to Dr Keyser, Strauss enrolled for a few formal and informal classes from 2011 and now has a studio on the farm in the Schweizer-Reneke district where he lives.

“Steve Strauss’s motivation to start painting was to express his God-given talent. He is currently a full-time artist, and his work is on display at various galleries in Clarence, Kimberley and Johannesburg. He often attends art festivals to exhibit his paintings.

“The painting will be on display in the HoD’s office. The donation is much appreciated by the department, and so is all involvement of alumni students in the department. I hope that the future HODs will also find joy from the painting,” says Dr Keyser.

News Archive

Former architecture student takes part in Archiprix in Moscow

2013-06-24

Jurie Swart in Moscow.
24 June 2013

“I am proud that I could honour the UFS’ name,” says Jurie Swart. He participated in the prestigious Archiprix in Moscow in May 2013.

Archiprix is an international competition where the world’s top architecture students are selected. Architecture departments, schools and faculties of 1 500 universities from 78 countries worldwide are invited to enter their top master’s students over two study years.

In 2012, Jurie Swart was honoured as regional winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award and also received an honourable mention in the 2012 International Graduate Architecture Projects.

After several months of careful evaluation by a panel of five experts, his thesis, Borderline – mediated landscape, A water research centre for the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus, was nominated as one of the world’s 25 master’s projects to take part in the Archiprix in Moscow. His thesis was also on display at the Central House of Artists in Moscow for a couple of months.

The judges were Yuri Grigoryan (architect and director of the Moscow-based Project Meganom, as well as director of educational programmes at the Strelka Institute in Moscow); Susan Herrington (professor of architecture and landscape architecture at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada); Kristin Jarmund (architect and director of the Norwegian-based Kjark, an architectural house); Hubert Klumpner (architect, director of the Venezuela-based Urban-Think Tank, and professor of architecture and urban design at the ETH, Zürich ); and Lesley Lokko (architect, academic and author from the UK).

Jurie Swart was selected as the participants’ favourite. “From the top 25, seven winners were announced, and although I didn’t win, it is still an amazing achievement and I am proud to have honoured the university’s name,” he said.

During his visit to Moscow, he also attended a workshop with the rest of the nominated students. This project, with the theme Railroads, was an exercise to help solve Russia’s transport problems.

View his project

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