Strong images have the power to move us, change us and make us think. It’s with this in mind that the Wildlands Conservation Trust hold their annual Art for Conservation exhibition, auction and gala dinner. This year, thanks to sponsors Bonitas Medical Fund, guests will be treated to a feast of images on canvas, in sculpture and through physical movement. The exhibition has a predominantly African theme but covers a wide scope of art including wildlife art, landscapes, floral work, bronze sculpture, abstract work and human art. This year South African theatre legend Ellis Pearson, who was recently described by a Weekly Mail journalist as “a post-modern renaissance man”, and his partner Stumo Mtshali will be entertaining guests with a new, specially created piece to highlight Wildlands’ work in a production sponsored by the eThekwini Municipality’s Environmental Management Department.
Wildlands works on expanding the land under conservation to ensure limited loss of biodiversity and sustainable benefit for neighbouring communities. The Trust also supports a number of research projects including Leopard, Wild Dog and Elephant monitoring projects. Indigenous Trees for Life, one of Wildlands’ flagship programmes, is aimed at greening communities and restoring degraded forests and at the same time uplifting poor and vulnerable children and adults. The ‘tree-preneurs’ grow indigenous trees from seed, care for the plants until they reach a certain height and then trade them back to Wildlands for food, clothes, bicycles, agricultural goods and even school and university fees. The trees they grow are then used for reforestation projects around the country.
A number of caring and talented individuals have supported Wildlands year after year through their art, and have either donated art or allowed for significant percentages of their sales off the exhibition to be donated back to the Trust. Ian Van Zyl, Ingrid Weiersbye, Llewellyn Davies, Linda Lemon and Anne Cleveland are a few of the artists who will be contributing again this year. Some of the new up-and-coming artists exhibiting include Nicky Chovuchovu, Sizwe Cele and Itai Vangani.
For and evening of colourful African art, theatre and fine dining call ‘Party Planner’ Christine Bateson on 033 343 6380 or e-mail christineb@localhost/import-data-post. If you’d like to know more about all the artists exhibiting, please call Lindsay Sommer on 082 776 5446 and to discover Ellis Pearson visit his website www.ellisandbheki.co.za.
ART FOR CONSERVATION – Sponsored by Bonitas Medical Fund
WHERE: Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom
WHEN: 9th October 2009
THEME: Go Wild!