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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

Bloemfontein’s Visser brothers to wow hometown fans

2013-03-27

From left: Vincent Visser, Gareth Cliff and Vicus Visser
Photo: Supplied
27 March 2013

South Africa’s YouTube singing sensation, Vicus Visser, will wow Bloemfonteiners on 18 April 2013 with a musical performance at the University of the Free State.

He and his talented brother Vincent will perform at the Wynand Mouton Theatre giving their hometown fans a taste of their recent performances in the United States. Vicus, who has been dubbed Bloemfontein’s Justin Bieber, performed overseas for the first time in February this year when he and his brother performed at events for Black History Month in Washington DC and New York. One of their performances was at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC where they paid tribute to Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.

Vicus rose to fame in 2010 when a music clip of him as a ten year old boy, singing “These Arms” by All for One, appeared on the internet. After a massive seven-year search on social media channels by local and international record companies, he was tracked down to Heidedal in Bloemfontein. Vicus and Vincent moved to Johannesburg in 2012 where they were managed and mentored by Gareth Cliff, top radio presenter and judge on Idols South Africa.

Gareth will join the Visser brothers in Bloemfontein on 18 April and will be master of ceremonies at the concert titled Singing the Dream for South Africa - The Kennedy Centre Performance. As with their performance in the United States, the brothers will treat the hometown crowd to a selection of songs in English, Zulu, Sesotho and Afrikaans.

Vicus, Vincent and Gareth will also make special appearances at the two graduation ceremonies hosted at 09:30 and 14:30 on 18 April 2013. Gareth will be guest speaker and the two brothers will give a short performance. They will also have a meet and greet session with students at the Thakaneng Bridge at 11:45.

Tickets for the Singing the Dream for South Africa - The Kennedy Centre Performance cost R 20 and are available at Room 5, Thakaneng Bridge. The show starts at 19:30.

For more information contact Nicoleen Snyman at snymann@ufs.ac.za or 051 401 9598 / 051 401 9102.

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