Unlearn to Learn, a skills-sharing initiative founded by Durban University of Technology (DUT) Fine Art alumnus and lecturer Kenneth Shandu, officially launched its latest mentorship series with an exhibition on Saturday, 17 May 2025 at the DUT City Campus Satellite Gallery. Running until 13 June 2025, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between qualified and self-taught artists in Durban, fostering a culture of support, skill exchange, and exposure to professional platforms for exhibiting and selling work.
This emphasis on accessibility and upliftment was central to Shandu’s motivation for creating the programme. The mentorship sessions, typically held over weekends at the KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA) Gallery in Glenwood, challenge traditional educational norms, while offering artists opportunities to exhibit, Unlearn to Learnplaces mentorship and community growth at its core.
All works on display during this cycle of the programnme are produced by artists who have undergone the mentorship, underscoring the power of shared knowledge in cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and community dialogue.
This edition marks the first time all the 16 artists who participated in the programme showcased their work. Several participants, like founder Kenneth Shandu and artist Minenhle Nxele, were initially self-taught before pursuing formal studies. Many others, with little or no prior access to galleries, saw the initiative as a rare and meaningful opportunity to showcase their work and build networks in the art world.
One such artist is Khuthali Zondo, a self-taught contemporary artist from Donnybrook in the Harry Gwala District. She shared how independent study and public library research in 2014-2015 ultimately led to her first exhibition in Durban.
Having begun practicing art over a decade ago before moving to Durban from Johannesburg, Zondo taught herself through real-world experience, drawing early inspiration from Donnybrook Primary School.
“So far, so great because now I’m showcasing my work and putting my work out there, which is the whole point because my work is a better and bigger message. My work is about Justice at this particular moment. This series is about justice and it’s: Deadbeat,” said Zondo.
Her exhibited pieces, Deadbeat III and Deadbeat IV, form part of a larger installation. The series tackles the issue of absent parenting across all demographics, advocating for shared responsibility in child-rearing and raising awareness about the realities of single-parent and child-headed households.
Zondo expressed a strong desire to reinvest in the village art scene, noting that while the passion exists, access to resources remains limited. She credited Unlearn to Learn with helping her grow significantly as a conceptual artist, highlighting Kenneth Shandu’s mentorship as particularly impactful.
Another self-taught artist, Zimkhitha Xwashu, joined the initiative after discovering it on social media. Though primarily a digital collage artist, she was inspired by the programme to explore new techniques and push her creative boundaries.
“I was so nervous because I usually make digital collages and I make them for myself, that’s if I’m curious about something and I want to put together different elements about whatever the topic, conversation, concept or idea that I have. So, I would just explore that and see how it looks like which is a result of just being curious,” Xwashu said.
Encouraged by mentors to experiment with physical materials, she embraced the challenge and began refining her sketching skills and proportions.
“When we started with the programme, they were advising me on my direction based on the portfolio I had submitted. They then asked me if I could make a collage using physical material firstly and secondly, I also had to improve my drawing skills in terms of proportion and what’s not,” she said.
Her debut piece explores “beauty” as a long-standing concept rooted in culture-far predating the social media influencer age.
“I’m using my culture to reference my notions of ideas that I have. My work is about questioning the narratives of stereotypes towards black femininity or the modern or contemporary woman and our relations basically to beauty and luxury. The narrative is like this is something new,” she said.
Xwashu further noted that her work reflects a broader understanding of how women historically branded themselves long before modern marketing and social media.
Minenhle Nxele, a Fine Art graduate from DUT and an early participant in the initiative, reflected on his own development through the programme.
“What is really interesting about this initiative is that even if you came in feeling as if you know enough, you soon realise that there were still missing elements as you meet different people with different skills,” said Nxele.
He emphasised the unique dynamic between formally trained and self-taught artists, noting how both have valuable insights to offer one another. He also observed that self-taught artists often bring a distinct approach to self-representation and storytelling through art.
Rohini Amratlal, a lecturer, board member, and exhibiting artist, shared her optimism for the future of the initiative.
“I think so far it’s really good because we have grown in the last two years, we are still growing and think we have grown a lot since the past two years and I think we are going to grow much bigger in the next few years if we have support from people and artists and for me personally, I would love to see this organisation grow,” said Amratlal.
She encouraged aspiring artists to take the first step and not hesitate to participate.
Founder Kenneth Shandu expressed his excitement about the public response.
“The turnout was really inspiring, especially to me. I was not expecting it, but then it shows that people are watching out there. They are seeing what we are doing so that is what brings back the confidence to me and also inspire me that in whatever circumstances I may be facing, I must not give up on it, because some out there value it,” Shandu said.
Now on display until 13 June 2025, the featured artworks span a range of mediums and themes, demonstrating how letting go of preconceived notions and embracing mentorship can unlock artistic and personal transformation.
The initiative is supported by the National Arts Council and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
Pictured: Gallery Curator Francesca Annamaria Verga and some of the Unlearn to Learn participants.
Photography: Thembinkosi Ntshangase
Nkosingiphile Dladla
