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Liminality: lockdown art gives stunning glimpse of student experience

11 June 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Courtesy of artists and the Johannes Stegmann Gallery.

Liminality is an exhibition of first-, second- and third-year student’s work in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State (UFS). The works are from 2019 and 2020. Created during the hard lockdown of 2020, the artworks provide a glimpse of what students had to deal with and overcome during these times.

In a proposal for the exhibition, Angela de Jesus, Curator of the UFS Art Galleries, wrote: “The subtitle of the exhibition is ‘threshold, transition, transformation’ and it refers to the creative processes that students engaged with in these adverse circumstances resulting in a wide array of artworks in both traditional and adapted mediums.”

The exhibition speaks to our shared experiences of insecurity, fragility, and discord, and to the resourcefulness and immutability of creative expression.

The virtual exhibition runs until 2 July 2021.

The exhibition is also currently available for viewing at the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery, Sasol Library, UFS Bloemfontein Campus. Monday - Friday 09:00 - 16:00.

MEGAN JOHNS, Battleground, Tobacco, charcoal dust, plaster of paris and resin, 93.5 x 50 x 7.5 cm

JACOBETH SELINGA, Linda, Installation: Found bed, wool and thread, 257 x 196 x 91 cm

POLOKO MOHANOE, Prayer for rain, Gouache on Fabriano, 66 x 72.8 cm

SEBOTSE SELAMULELA, In my image (Coronavirus head), Clay, 35 x 40 x 60 cm

WILLIAM SHAER, Creator, Deconstructed chair, koat wood and Imbura wood, 100 x 75 x 45 cm

Interior of the Johannes Stegmann Gallery

News Archive

Deaf Awareness Month empowers the hearing impaired

2015-09-21

There are more sign languages in the world than spoken languages. About 600 000 deaf South Africans have the South African Sign Language (SASL) as their first language. There are about 40 schools for the deaf in South Africa. 90% of all deaf children are born to hearing parents. Only about 30% of speech is visible on the lips.

How many of these fundamental facts did you know?

Deaf Awareness Month serves to educate hearing communities about issues that the deaf population face on a daily basis, as well as to honour the history and culture of people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. For the past 70 years, the University of the Free State (UFS) has dedicated September to hosting events around the topic of hearing impairment.

The theme of ‘With South African Sign Language rights, our children can!’

This year’s theme had learners from Bartimea School for the Deaf and Blind, hearing impaired UFS students, and Prof Jonathan Jansen engaged in a conversation around empowerment at a picnic held on Monday 7 September 2015 at the Red Square on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Through a sign language interpreter, Matshela, a grade 12 learner, explained that he felt empowered by the efforts the university has made to embrace and empower individuals with disabilities. He then revealed his intentions of pursuing Information Technology or Social Work studies at Kovsies.

Clifford Machete, a first-year Administration student at the university, stated how sign language interpreters gave him an ‘I can’ attitude when he first arrived at university. “As a deaf person, I see that I am able to learn with the help of sign language interpreters. There is accessibility at the university, and I am so proud to be a student here and part of Deaf Awareness Month.”

Susan Lombaard, Lecturer and Acting Chairperson at the Department of South African Sign Language, believes that Deaf Awareness Month is about promoting human dignity.

“We want to show the world that deaf people can do everything, and that their language is as strong and important as any spoken language.”

For more information regarding Deaf Awareness Month activities, contact the South African Sign Language Department on 051 401 2251.

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