Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Art students’ pilgrimage and learning from Willem Boshoff

23 February 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rian Horn

Towards the end of 2021, a group of Fine Arts students – both undergraduate and postgraduate – were among the first visitors to the Word Woes exhibition by Prof Willem Boshoff, affiliated UFS A-1 NRF-rated scholar, at the Javett Art Centre in Pretoria. It was as if a new world had opened to experience the art first-hand, and the VIP tour by Willem Boshoff was definitely the cherry on top. The exhibition opens on 13 March 2022.

Prof Boshoff, South Africa’s only NRF A-rated scholar in the arts, is an affiliated scholar and artist in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State (UFS). The ‘enriching’ trip was made possible through generous funding from Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic. The purpose of the trip was twofold; it was an opportunity for students to visit an art gallery, and also to “enrich the learning and teaching of the Fine Arts programme by exposing the students to a large art gallery and excellent art exhibitions”, according to Lecturer Adelheid von Maltitz.

“The educational value and professional exposure to high-level experts in their field are the most important input for the students,” Dr Van Staden said. The department plans to conduct annual visits to art galleries outside of the Free State.

UFS Fine Arts privileged to be associated with Prof Boshoff

Prof Willem Boshoff is an enigma in his own right; he is an internationally renowned artist and academic who has been involved with the UFS for more than 10 years, and his involvement with the Department of Fine Arts brings an invaluable opportunity for students and staff alike. “This allows our students to gain insight into his artistic practice, which in turn may positively impact their own,” says Vol Maltitz.

The duality of the Word Woes exhibition

The title of the exhibition reflects the very brand of Willem Boshoff and is a retrospective of the works spanning his artistic practice, as per the Javett Art Centre website. The words ‘Word Woes’ can be understood in English or Afrikaans. “In either language the two words look identical, but their meanings differ sharply. Read in English, the title WORD WOES bemoans difficult issues around words and language. Read in Afrikaans, the same words liberate, prompting us to let go and be wild.”

Visit the Javett Art Centre website for more information.

Video by: Rian Horn (Odd Looking Tree)

News Archive

Luvo and Ryk inspire UFS student leaders

2017-10-13

Ryk Neethling and Luvo Manyonga have a special bond.
The sporting duo shared their inspiring stories with student
Leaders of the University of the Free State.
Photo: Kaleidoscope Studios

Dreams can come true and Luvo Manyonga’s story is the perfect example. It would make the ideal movie script. This is opinion of the businessman and former international swimmer Ryk Neethling.

The Olympic gold medallist and former World Champion and Manyonga shared their stories with new student leaders of the University of the Free State (UFS).

“I am so proud of this guy,” Neethling said. “And we are just half-way through this movie. The best is yet to come.” The 26-year-old Manyonga is the current Olympic silver medallist and World Champion in long jump. But he had to overcome huge obstacles as a former tik or crystal meth addict.

Not an easy road
The duo were guests for a session, Inspirational Stories of Lived Humanising Experiences, which was part of the university’s Student Leadership Training weekend for Student Representative Councils, Residence committees, Residence Assistants and Association Representatives in the Economic and Management Sciences Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Manyonga, who is dating the Kovsie netball player Khomotso Mamburu, talked about growing up in Mbekweni township in Paarl, about his career and his setbacks.

After finishing fifth at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in 2011 he started partying when he returned home. “I hooked up with the wrong friends and they introduced me to tik,” he said. “They told me: ‘Hey dude, you are drunk. Just take a hit and it will sober you up.’ I took it and it was nice, but that is where it started.”

Be surrounded by positive people
Manyonga lost all his money and his sport was also suffering because of his addiction. “At the beginning of 2014 I started to realise that I was throwing my life away and I needed help. I went to reach out to people close to me and told them I had a problem.” He thanked Neethling, who helped him when he was at his lowest, his mother, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Tuks Sport and the High Performance Centre where he trains for the influence on his life.

Neethling’s advice to student leaders was to dream big, work hard, expand your network and find a mentor you can learn from.

“Always surround yourself with positive people,” he said. “You can succeed if you stay positive.”

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept