During June of 2015, I spent a month in South Africa studying art, culture, and education. Our group met with many South African visual artists to learn and observe multiple methods and techniques used to create visual expressions from the region. Our studies and research involved interviewing and working with South Sotho visual artists, kings, chiefs, and oral historians in order to record a history that provides South Sotho individuals the opportunity to represent themselves within their own terms. Many of the artists we met with were women that practiced many different art forms. We were able to engage with artists working with beads, clay, as well as an artist who created beautiful Ditema house paintings.
In addition to working on interviews, I worked on a service learning project that engaged with art historical approaches and methodologies, and topical discussions on the display of African objects within a museum setting. Our group also worked along side elementary and middle school teachers and helped them plan and learn ways to engage with South Sotho art and history. For many of the lessons I worked on focused on making art that represented objects seen in daily life.
The last piece that I worked on was sustainability and management of cultural resources, including the museum that is discussed above. This trip was a trip of a lifetime and taught me how to work with individuals of different cultures as well as helped me to grow to be a stronger, more confident individual.
Relive our trip by visiting csumeetsafrica.wordpress.com
Also take a look at our Instagram at dmmriep
In addition to working on interviews, I worked on a service learning project that engaged with art historical approaches and methodologies, and topical discussions on the display of African objects within a museum setting. Our group also worked along side elementary and middle school teachers and helped them plan and learn ways to engage with South Sotho art and history. For many of the lessons I worked on focused on making art that represented objects seen in daily life.
The last piece that I worked on was sustainability and management of cultural resources, including the museum that is discussed above. This trip was a trip of a lifetime and taught me how to work with individuals of different cultures as well as helped me to grow to be a stronger, more confident individual.
Relive our trip by visiting csumeetsafrica.wordpress.com
Also take a look at our Instagram at dmmriep