Fine Art students Invade Essence Festival 2017

File Picture: Fine Art student, Shamil Balram. 


Second year fine Arts students Shamil Balram and Sihle Seme showcased their work at the Annual Essence Festival 2017 at the Durban ICC. 

Both students were invited to showcase their work at the festival, for both exposure, recognition and most importantly views & opinions on how to perfect their work by artistic critics. 

“I was happy to have been invited to exhibit my work for exposure and getting an understanding of other people opinions about my work, furthermore was to meet different artists and gain some ideas in order for me to be more critical and practical as well,” said Seme.

Balram said, the work focuses on questions of land ownership in post-Apartheid South Africa and unpacking our surrounding and their complex relationships to history to memory and to politics.
“One of my strong characteristics are my majestic interracial background which allows me to interact with diverse communities and cultures,” added Balram. 

Seme said, the experience of the showcasing was quite challenging because I had a chance to interact with many other artists and individual and had to explain my concept which was why I intended on constructing my work. 

“I found that this year there was more emphases put onto the Visual Art aspect of the Essence festival, being a student it is imperative to have a voice in society,” said Balram. 


Having a number of international recognised artist who approached my work, it was truly an honour. It are shows like these which allows students to see the endless objectives in the art society.     

   -Mongi Khanyile

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