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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

SA-YSSP strengthens academic partnerships between countries

2014-11-17

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Zanele Magwaza-Msibi
Photo: Stephen Collett

Students from all over the world and all walks of life have come together at the Bloemfontein Campus to take part in the Southern African Young Scientists Summer Programme (SA-YSSP) hosted by our university.

This prestigious academic programme is an annual three-month education, academic training and research capacity development programme. The programme is presented in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) as well as the National Research Foundation.

Dr Priscilla Mensah, Director of the SA-YSSP, says this programme’s Doctoral candidates are given the opportunity to advance their research under the direct supervision of senior scientists from South Africa and IIASA.

“In line with international trends in doctoral education, the SA-YSSP seeks to advance not only the discipline-specific research skills of the young scientists, but also equip and expose scholars to an array of additional competencies and skills required to be successful in knowledge-driven societies,” Dr Mensah says.

During her keynote address, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, praised the UFS for hosting this successful programme for the third year. “The success of this programme shows in the increase in applicants internationally but specifically in our SADEC regions.”

She said that solutions to the problems in the world require a wide variety of knowledge and integrated approaches to the unique challenges in different countries.

Deputy Minister Magwaza-Msibi also regards the SA-YSSP as a very successful platform to strengthen partnerships with countries.

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