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Webinar on resilience and business in the time of COVID-19

19 May 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

The University of the Free State (UFS), Standard Bank, and the Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) are pleased to invite you to a special lunchtime webinar with Mr Allon Raiz, CEO of Raizcorp, one of South Africa’s most successful business incubators.

The COVID-19 crisis has affected the operations, cash flow, and debt positions of most businesses, often threatening the sustainability and even the survival of businesses.

Join us for a discussion on how to think about business models that will ensure the survival and even the growth of business in the time of COVID-19.

Date: Thursday, 10 June 2021
Topic: Resilience and business in the time of COVID-19
Time: 12:00-13:30
Platform: Zoom
RSVP to: Alicia Pienaar by 7 June 2021

News Archive

Pres Steyn turns pink in anticipation of Vryfees

2014-06-06

Video clip
Live streaming

Australian artist Cigdem Aydemir vacuum packed the Pres Steyn monument on the Bloemfontein Campus’s Red Plain – in pink. Aydemir’s project, ‘Plastic Histories’, forms part of a public art project that encourages us to evaluate public monuments in their historical context.

By vacuum packing monuments, Aydemir alludes to their significance and preservation. At the same time, though, it reveals the nature of their contentious and gendered historical function. This is because most monuments in post-colonial countries typically celebrate men’s achievements in serving their nations.

In response, this project acknowledges the contribution of women from all races, communities and sexual orientations to the grand narrative of a post-apartheid South Africa.

Aydemir is also developing an app in collaboration with Australian artist Warren Armstrong. This will be used for augmented reality viewing of three city monuments – those of President Brand, General De Wet and General Hertzog. This means that visitors will be able to hold a smart phone or iPad in front of the monuments and view the monuments as if vacuum packed in pink plastic.

In conjunction with the public art project there will be an exhibition of digitally manipulated photographs of nineteen-century and contemporary male monuments in Bloemfontein. These photos will be exhibited at the Johannes Stegmann Gallery at the UFS Sasol Library from 15 July – 1 August 2014.

Public tours on the Bloemfontein Campus and into the city will take place on:

• Tuesday 15 July at 11:00,
• Wednesday 16 July at 14:00, and
• Saturday 19 July at 11:00.

Aydemir’s ‘Plastic Histories’ public art project is part of the UFS Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD) and the Vryfees arts festival’s partnership with the Australian-based SituateArt in Festivals initiative. This partnership is managed by the Salamanca Arts Centre in Tasmania.