Rorkes Drift and Konstfack – Stories told and yet not told
Open all-day seminar at Konstfack, 18 April.
Iaspis, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s International Programme for Visual and Applied Artists in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria and the Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education at Konstfack, University of Arts, Crafts and Design are pleased to invite you to an open all-day seminar at Konstfack on 18 April.
The seminar takes its starting point in the shared history of Sweden and South Africa, in relation to the Evangelical Lutheran Church’s (ELC) Arts and Craft Center in Rorke’s Drift. Today, 55 years after its inception, some of this history is known, but still very few know about the impact the ELC Arts and Craft Center has had on the South African art scene. It was the first that allowed black South Africans to train as artists. Equally few know that it was a young Swedish art teacher trained at Konstfack, Peder Gowenius and his wife Ulla Gowenius, a textile artist also from Konstfack, who founded the Center in 1963.
What can we learn from the history of (and the fight for) democracy, culture, education and the arts? South African filmmaker Cedric Nunn will show his recent documentary about Rorke’s Drift, and Konstfack lecturer Viktoria Kindstrand and Peder Gowenius will present their film in which Gowenius tells his story about the struggle and the success of the ELC Arts and Craft Center. The screenings will frame a wider discussion about bilateral collaboration, the need for more research, projects and artistic exchange.
The seminar is free and open to all interested.
9.15 Welcome & introduction: professor Anette Göthlund, professor at the Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education.
9.30 David Andrew & Anette Göthlund in a discussion on critical engagement with histories and future-oriented pedagogies + questions.
10.45-11.00 break
11.00-12.15 Screening of Viktoria Kindstrand’s filmed interview with Peder Gowenius about his time with The Evangelical Lutheran Church’s Arts and Craft Centre at Rorke’s Drift, followed by discussion.
12.15-13.15 Lunch break
13.15-13.30 Hedda Krausz Sjögren: Presentations and updates on collaborations and initiatives from the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria.
13.30-13.45 Johan Pousette: Iaspis and the Arts Grants Committee international programme for visual and applied artists.
13.45-14.15 Hans Eriksson: Presentation about Iaspis residence programme in Capetown.
14.15-14.45 break
14.45-16.30 Screening of Cedric Nunn’s documentary Rorke’s Drift revisited, and discussion.
Closing words and looking forward
17.00 Book Launch of Blå Jakaranda by Peder Gowenius.
Warmly Welcome!
Anette Göthlund is Professor at the Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education, Konstfack, University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm.
Cedric Nunn is a photographer, documentary film-maker and an artist, living in Durban.
David Andrew is Associate Professor and Head of the Division of Visual Arts, Wits School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Hans Eriksson is an artist and has recently returned from his residency at Iaspis residence programme in Capetown.
Hedda Krausz Sjögren is Counsellor for Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria.
Johan Pousette is the Director of Iaspis, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s International Programme for Visual and Applied Artists.
Peder Gowenius is a Swedish art teacher who in 1963 founded the ELC Arts and Craft Center in Rorke’s Drift.
Viktoria Kindstrand is an artist and lecturer at the Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education, Konstfack, University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm.
Contact person: Anette Göthlund, anette.gothlund@konstfack.se , +46 767-233481
Organiser: The Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education, Konstfack.
In collaboration with Iaspis, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s International Programme for Visual and Applied Artists, and the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria.
