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17 May 2024
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Supplied
Prof Magdalena Sobon from Poland and Michael Jackson Blebo from Ghana shared their expertise with staff and students during their visit to the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State.
In a concerted effort to solidify its identity in South Africa and abroad, the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently played host to two distinguished artists: Prof Magdalena Sobon from the Wladyslaw Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, and the Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist, Michael Jackson Blebo.
Dr Adelheid Von Maltitz, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Fine Arts at UFS, lauded the visits, held between 19 and 29 March 2024, as an enriching learning experience for the faculty and students within the department.
The visit highlights
During their visit to UFS, Prof Sobon and Blebo actively engaged with the department’s staff and students. Prof Sobon, an acknowledged paper-making artist, conducted a comprehensive two-day workshop, imparting extensive knowledge in this craft. As a direct outcome of this workshop, the department has procured the requisite equipment and materials, enriching the students’ capabilities in this medium. Blebo on the other hand, conducted a demonstration on clay bust modelling and both artists participated in critique sessions with the fourth-year students. Dr Von Maltitz underlined the significance of Blebo’s African heritage, noting, ‘’For our students to interact with a young, accomplished artist of his calibre is of benefit to them in terms of how they may envision their art careers.’’ Of particular note were Prof Sobon’s interactions with the students, wherein she shared her own artistic practices from her student years during her lectures.
In addition to their engagements with the students, Prof Sobon and Blebo also had the opportunity to present their research to second-year sculpture students at the Richmond Land Art Project, an off-campus initiative fostering art creation centred on socio-economic and other pertinent issues.
Future collaborations
Dr Von Maltitz emphasised the importance of maintaining ties with these eminent artists for the department’s growth and global outreach. Prof Sobon’s visit has paved the way for two department members to visit the Wladyslaw Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz in the near future. ‘’These individuals will get an opportunity to learn about studio setups and network with fellow academics, creative researchers, and artists,’’ stated Dr Von Maltitz. She hailed the visit by the two artists as both stimulating and fruitful, particularly for the students.
Varsity Cup rugby match between FNB Shimlas and FNB NMMU Madibaz disrupted
2016-02-21
State of our campuses #7
The Varsity Cup match between the FNB Shimlas and FNB NMMU Madibaz, which took place on 22 February 2016 at Xerox Shimla Park on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), was interrupted in the 17th minute when a group of protesters moved onto the field to disrupt the game, which was already in progress.
The rugby players of both teams, as well as the match officials, immediately cleared the field as the protesters moved across the field towards the halfway line. Members of the UFS Protection Services gathered around the protesters, but were outnumbered. After a few minutes, spectators ran onto the field. The protesters were chased off the field and beaten by the spectators. Injured persons were treated by medical personnel. It is clear at this time that both the protesting group and the spectators included non-students in their ranks.
The senior leadership of the UFS condemns in the strongest terms possible the violence against the protesters; nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands. An urgent investigation is underway, using footage from the event, and no stone will be left unturned to identify those who acted violently, whether students or not.