Michael Nkalane
SOUTH Africans can view colourful paintings depicting the long journey of Nelson Mandela, the iconic political-prisoner-turned-statesman, in the Robben Island Museum at the V&A Waterfront.
On the Trail of Nelson Mandela, The Mandela Project is a collection of 30 acrylic paintings by German artist Dagmar Schmidt to commemorate the second anniversary of Madiba’s death.
Project manager Ulrich Reimann said the paintings not only depicted Madiba’s painful journey to freedom, but also his legacy. He said they could not have thought of a more fitting and lasting honour to commemorate his death. “Myself, and the artist, Schmidt, travelled the length and breadth of the country, learning while getting insight into the Struggle of the man. We have been to his hometown, Qunu, Soweto and even to Paarl, where he was released from prison,” he said.
The paintings will be exhibited in East London (Ann Bryant Gallery) and the University of Fort Hare (De Beers Centenary Art Gallery) in February, before being taken to the Jabulani Theatre in Soweto.
Reimann said they would add important value to already existing Madiba exhibitions.
“These paintings will remind the country about the life and times of Mandela.”
Schmidt said retracing Mandela’s footsteps fascinated her. “This was my first visit to the country and I embarked on a 5 000km car journey into the past of this remarkable human being and extraordinary statesman. Right from the start here (Cape Town) I met many people of his age. Ed Fisher and Jaco le Roux vividly recounted Madiba’s experience of his last days in prison. “His family told me how they had been without a husband, father and grandfather,” she said.
Schmidt said after travelling in the footsteps of Mandela from March this year, she created a new repertoire of images.
michael.nkalane@inl.co.za
@siyaks