Journey to Freedom wins a prestigious award

The sewing outreach project entitled Journey to Freedom, received the prestigious Gold Award for 2004 FNB Craft Now exhibition. Professor Mandla Makhanya headed the project in collaboration with academics, outreach-sewing projects Intuthuko and Boitumelo, visual Artists and the Melodia Unisa Chorale.

Gwen Miller and Wendy Ross from Visual Arts coordinated the multimedia project, which had embroidery and digital components. The components exhibited included two large embroidered panels and a projection of the digital animations with a sound track. The sound track used was a live recording of the Choir earlier this year during the combination of UNISA-Mississippi Project.

The project formed part of the celebration of 10 years of democracy. While revisiting the past experiences of ordinary people during apartheid in its imagery and narratives, it also focused on reconciliation and celebration.

The exhibition can be seen at the Bus Factory at the Newtown Precinct, corner of President and Goch Street, Johannesburg and will be on show until 30 October. For further information please contact the Craft Council of South Africa at 011 8349569 or 011 4923696.

Zanele Mabuza, Celia de Villiers and Rosinah Teffo from Intuthuku at UNISA

Emmah Mphalhala, Erica Luttich and Mary Mawela from Boitumelo holding the Gold Award Certificate

Wendy Ross and Gwen Miller collating the work

(back left to right: George King, Gwen Miller, Greg Miller, Sonja Barac, Sarah Fraser and Kai Lossgott. Front standing left to right: Emmah Mphalhala, Mary Mawela and Celia de Villiers. Front sitting: Erica Luttich and Katty Vandenberghe.)

Embroidered panel A: The Journey to Freedom