The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Jewellery Design students showcased their isiShweshwe and isiNdebele inspired jewellery during the official opening of the International Youth Indra Congress on Monday, 02 July 2018 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College.
This Congress is hosted by ARROWSA, UKZN and DUT under the theme, ‘Pathways’. It is billed to be a six-day arts for social change extravaganza from Monday, 02 to Saturday, 07 July 2018, and it will feature various workshops and artistic showcases.
HOD for the Department of Fine Arts and Jewellery Design, Chris de Beer said this Congress presents Jewellery Design students with a perfect platform to showcase their work to a broader market.
“Our students have been showcasing in this Congress for about seven years, and we treat this as part of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) because they learn and apply broader aspects of participating in an exhibition from planning, creation and marketing of their own work. We try to expose them to as many DUT graduate attributes as possible” said de Beer.
De Beer added that through the exhibition students were able to make some money from their work and also contribute towards a good course as the portion of the sales goes to ARROWSA as a contribution to their charity work.
Speaking during the official opening of the Congress, Founder and a Director of the Indra Congress, David Oddie said the idea of Indra was inspired by the African idea of Ubuntu. “Ubuntu is the essence of being a human being, you can’t be a complete human being in isolation by yourself,” said Oddie.
“So this week we are coming together to broaden the net of Indra in the spirit of Ubuntu as part of our wider aspiration to create a global net – a safe and creative space where young people can use the language, creative and arts to give expression to their thoughts and feelings – to explore ideas that are important to them, and to rehearse their humanities and affirm their identities,” explained Oddie.
The Congress will culminate with a spectacular parade on the Durban beachfront promenade on Saturday 7th July from 10.30 – 12.30 from the Snake Park to Joe Cools areas. The parade will provide the participating congress youth with an opportunity to display their week’s artistic process and products thereby including the greater Durban community in the celebration of the arts for social change.
Pictured: HOD for the Department of Fine Arts and Jewellery Design, Chris de Beer explains the artistic features of the jewellery that was showcased during the official opening of Indra Congress at UKZN, Howard College on 02 July 2018.
Nduduzo Ndlovu
