A Letter to my 22 year old self
(Group Show)
9 November 2018 - 25 January 2019
ABSA x BKhz
“22, I have just graduated, here is my qualification but I do not know where to go. I do not know whom to reach out to- to lead me in good faith within the industry. How do I reach out? To whom? I feel alone.”
“In 2011, I had days where I would sleep without food and had to result to going to school with a grumbling stomach (if I had money for the taxi fare), my concentration levels were impaired, I could not tell anyone as I was afraid to ask for help, also I felt ashamed by my situation. I failed my first year due to my poor decision making that was driven by hunger and lack of help.”
- Banele Khoza
A Letter to my 22 year old self is a response of help to young creatives that find themselves alone in an hour of need, namely of basics of not having food, transportation money to school, art material, registration fees and school fees. These are the basics that separate a Pass and a Fail in the school system.
Khoza kindly asked a number of artists and friends in his personal network to donate a work and to write a letter to their 22 year old selves which would provide advise to their younger self and younger people attending the exhibition. The Foundation that he wishes to build is in support of art education and basic needs for young creatives. After he personally had trouble himself while in varsity and that could have hindered his progress as a creative, realizing the impact of his situation in 2011, he wishes to help where he can to make it easy for the next creative.
He has made a call to prominent and upcoming contemporary artists to donate a few of their works, bearing in mind that a all proceeds will be absorbed by the BKhz foundation and distributed to the identified varsities, art students and educational programmes .
Going forward Banele Khoza wishes to create scholarships for deserving students (not awarded for academic success but for those in serious financial need). The scholarship would be at the value of R75 000 per student, hopefully given annually to see the student out of varsity- and helping them with finding their feet going forward.
BKhz
Participating artists include:
Heidi Fourie, Tatenda Chidora, Andile Buka, Ed Young, Nina Torr, Alexandra Karakashian, Mia Chaplin, Ruby Swinney, Bright Ackwerh, Vusi Beauchamp, Banele Khoza x Zanele Muholi, Dale Lawrence, Nelson Makamo, Dylan Graham, Lady Skollie, Oliver Mayhew, Leanne Olivier, Ilandi Barkhuizen, Sifiso Mkhabela, Justin DIngwall, Colbert Mashile, Estelle Dry, Bernard Brand, Selwyn Steyn, Nicolene Ndelu, Brooklyn J Pakathi, Nikki Zakkas, Manyatsa Monyamane, Lemeeze Davids, Matt Hazell, Mofatt Takadiwa.
