Title of Art:  Meeting the (St)one

Bio: Stephani Müller is an independent researcher, writer and educator with experience in instructional design, fine art and visual culture. Her research interests are centred on printed matter – in particular printmaking in the expanded field, process-based practices and photographic histories. She also examines the role of artist’s books, publications and material archives as alternative spaces of expression and tools for analysis.

Stephani is a trained printmaker and received her MA in Visual Art from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp in 2019 where her practice focused on the citational quality of printmaking, placing an emphasis on lithography, image trace and transfer as well as the technical and historical intersection of photography and print.

Title of Art: When meeting the (st)one

Bio: Clare Patrick is an independent curator, researcher and writer from Cape Town, South Africa working both locally and internationally. She graduated from the University of Sussex with an MA in Art History, and a BA Fine Art from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town. Her curatorial and research practices are grounded in encouraging international collaborations and connections while foregrounding underrepresented perspectives. She has curated exhibitions and presented workshops across South Africa, in the UK, France, Ireland and Morocco. 

Title of presentation: Touching on tactility in Willem Boshoff’s Blind Alphabet (1900 – ongoing)

Bio: Jenni Lauwrens is an Associate Professor in Visual Culture Studies in the School of the Arts at the University of Pretoria (UP). She obtained a PhD in History of Art and Image Studies from the University of the Free State (UFS) in 2015. She has served on the editorial board of De Arte and on the advisory board of Image & Text. Her research focuses on the intersection of visual culture studies and sensory studies and she is particularly curious about viewers’ embodied engagements with art and visual culture. 

Email: jenni.lauwrens@up.ac.za; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0336-7356 

Bio: Dr. Eva Kekou is an art historian, cultural theorist , educator writer and curator. 

Her field of expertise is : media art, interactive media and art in public space.
Her research has been published at reputable journals and has been presented at international conferences ( International Symposium of electornia art, RC21, Subtle Technologies, media art histories et al.) She has curated a big number of international shows. She has been teaching at the university for a number of years. She lived and worked in  Austria, United States, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Italy. She is now based in Athens Greece and she works internationally. 

Presentation title: The Representation of Apartheid in the Paintings of Fikile Magadlela 

Affiliation: Department of History, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 

Country: Nigeria 

 Bio: Born on the 19th of February, 1988, Nadir A. Nasidi received his B.A and M.A (Intellectual History) from Bayero University, Kano and a PhD (Art-History) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2021. He specializes in both Intellectual and Art-History with great interest in West African Islamic Art, Nigerian cultural heritages and urbanisation. Recently, his research also focuses on the roles of landscape architects in the development of urban cities with particular reference to open spaces, as well as the preservation of both natural and human forms. Nasidi has widely published in many national and international journals including Vestiges: Traces of Record and African Journal of Landscape Architecture. He is a Lecturer II in the Department of History, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Art Title: Studio textiles designing techniques as panacea for cultural and indigenous attire promotion

Affiliation: Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State. 

Country: Nigeria

Bio: Deborah Jonathan is an Academic Staff (Lecturer II) of Textile and Fashion Design, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. She began her lecturing career with the Department of Creative Arts, University of Maiduguri, Borno State. She later joined the Department of Visual and Creative Arts, now known as the Department of Industrial Design in year 2015. Her research focuses on creative- exploratory design of female fashion accessories and the promotion of Nigerian indigenous costumes.

Trained as a Textile and Fashion Designer from the University of Maiduguri and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria respectively, she is committed to making contributions in her area of specialization and her passion for entrepreneurial humanitarian aptitude had led her into working hand in hand with Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, Federal University of Lafia. Deborah had participated in quit a number of Art / Science exhibitions, competitions and had a Solo exhibition. She had also attended, presented papers and published in both International and National Journals. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Textiles at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, exploring on Aso-Oke and Studio Designed Fabrics for Redesigning of Creative Fashionable Women’s Head Gear (Auto-Gele) as Compliment for Indigenous Fashion.

Art Title: Stone Cold Pedagogy

Affiliation: Durban University of Technology 

Country: South Africa 

Bio: Dr. Dianna Moodley has completed extensive studies in Sociolinguistics, having spent almost a decade in the US. Her research specialization lies Language Policy in South African Higher Education. She is highly involved in networking with leading researchers in discovering what motivational factors affect language acquisition and usage in education worldwide. Her quest is to explore what ‘language’ works best to optimize student academic performance in Higher Education. She holds an impressive publishing portfolio, having presented her best work at Harvard and Yale Universities in the US. Her recent presentation in Barcelona Spain won her the international best oral presentation award. at Madrid in Spain. Some of Dr. Moodley’s work has been commissioned by the Council on Higher Education Studies and has been included in university language policy strategic implementation planning. She has led    several initiatives on advancing isiZulu as a medium of instruction in Higher Education in KZN. Dr. Moodley currently heads up research at one of South Africa’s top-ranking universities in the world. 

For artist duo Grégory Lasserre and Anaïs met den Ancxt, interaction in their artworks emerges from using multiple kinds of expression.  

The public share extraordinary sensory experiences in their interactive installation  

Their artworks are exhibited in museums, contemporary art centres, and digital art festivals across the world : ZKM Karlsruhe Centre for Art and Media (Germany), Daejeon Museum of Art (Korea), Museum Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Canada), NCCA (Moscow), CAM Raleigh (USA), and Bòlit Centre d’Art Contemporani (Girona), Art Center Nabi / INDAF (Seoul), BIACS3 / Biennial International of Contemporary Art of Seville (Spain), Biennial Experimenta (Australia), NAMOC / National Art Museum of China (Beijing) etc. 

Bio:
Born in Terni (Italy) on July 15 1981.
Lives and works in London.

Artwork: Saknussemm – Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Art write off: Romancing the Stone contemplating evolving trends or (exceptionaltimeless works of arts) and impermissible places in arts and designa

Artist: Sandile Ndebele

Bio: Attributes being demonstrating proficiency in communicating and presenting complex arguments and ideas fluently spoken and in written forms and to diverse audiences, likewise an effective problem solver capable of applying logical, critical and creative thinking strategies and competencies which enables engaging effectively as team member who is resourceful and responsible in managing activities with other team members. Moreover expressing awareness in diverse cultures, environments and social matters that have an impact both on local and global context of ethical implications at internalization of knowledge, abilities and values, taking active personal responsibility in learning to enhance professional and personal life and career development. In summary, a knowledgeable practitioner.

Bernard Brand 

Born 1985 in Odendaalsrus, South Africa 

Lives and works in Pretoria, South Africa 

Bernard Brand is a freelance photographer working predominantly in the field of conceptual and experimental portraiture. He considers himself a hermit, and has made use of his creative research to connect and engage with the world. 

His lists of past clients include Universal Music, Sony Music, Walmart and FCB Joburg. In 2014 he had the pleasure to travel to the United States of America to intern for the photographer, Zack Arias, and then again in 2017 and 2018 to Switzerland, where he documented Steinway Pianist, Charl du Plessis, at the Musikdorf Festival Ernen. In 2019 he also attended a Residency with Juanita Kotzé at The Rare Library in Franschoek, South Africa. 

He has participated in a several local group exhibitions including the Sasol New Signatures in 2015, ABSA L’Atelier in 2017 and the Sasol New Signatures in 2018 (Finalist). 

Module coordinator and facilitator at STADIO School of Fashion with a BA Honors Degree in Fashion with a special focus on innovation and sustainable supply chain within the fashion industry. I have experience in various departments within the fashion industry including retail and merchandising, report analysis, styling, and makeup.

Previous employers include TWM, Forever New and Timberland. With a background on the operations of the fashion industry I approached the dimension of fashion education as a Trend Analysis facilitator at STADIO School of Fashion. Every day the analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills obtained from the industry are integrated into higher education to inspire innovation to shape the future of the fashion industry.

Petro Naude is the Head of Academics at the STADIO School of Fashion. She holds a Masters in Business Management and has been working in Higher Education for 12 years. She is a visionary leader with the focus on the human behind each task. Her research focus is on the future of education in South Africa, focusing on inclusivity and community collaboration.  

Nazmira Fredericks currently holds both, a BA as well as an Honours Degree within the faculty of fashion. She completed her BA Degree at the University of Johannesburg after which she proceeded in obtaining her honours at STADIO School of Fashion.

Focusing on the division of cultural studies, Nazmira has a likeliness towards the combination of ethnography and fashion. Thus, basing her Honours dissertation on the aforementioned. Intrigued by the world of academia, Nazmira presently maintains the position of a theory-based fashion lecturer. 

Nande Sulelo has a Masters degree from Wits University and currently heads the Media programmes at the STADIO School of Fashion. She has been at the institution for over five years and is proud of the work she has accomplished within the Media portfolio producing graduates who can compete globally.  

In addition to be secretary of the Senate Nande also sits on the global advisory board of the Council for International African Fashion Education (CIAFE) representing Southern Africa. She is also spearheading CIAFE’s Journal for African and Diaspora Fashion. Nande is passionate about access to education, gender equality and linguistic rights.  

At the conference Nande will draw from her media and film background to lead a discussion about representational strategies used by Thebe Magugu to decolonise luxury fashion.   

Alhamdu Musa Moda is a creative artist with a Certificate in Printing technology, and a Bachelors Degree in Creative Arts from the University of Maiduguri. He’s at verge of completing a Master’s degree in industrial Design from Ahamadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He is an innovator and a social entrepreneur using his network and creativity to improve the learning condition of the underserved children of school going age through an initiative tagged “My Gyara Makaranta” (Let’s Fix the Schools). 

Alhamdu is the creative Director of Mosuf Enterprises- a printing establishment, and a consultant responsible for the establishing and upgrading of several printing and graphics business for both individuals and government institutions.  

He is passionate about developing young entrepreneurs through teaching, mentorship, and community service on numerous areas of need in various communities, through his initiative – Mu Gyara Makaranta. 

At present, Alhamdu is a Staff of the department of Industrial Design, federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. He’s a husband to Ruth and a father of two lovely Children- Ibrahim-Alan and Alicia. 

Elisa Bellero has been working in the marketing and communication sector for more than 15 years, she has worked in the marketing offices of several companies and collaborated with the linguistics department of the University of Verona by participating in conferences as a speaker on the topic of linguistics applied to marketing.

She is currently working on the realization of her communication project which aims to bring together the knowledge gained in marketing and communication with the love for classical literature.

PUBLICATIONS

The language of advertising, the “Laica love for water” case, CONFERENCE ON ITALIAN AND GERMAN ADVERTISING LANGUAGE, Edizioni dell’Orso, Alessandria [2012]

“Tutto questo piacere andrà sprecato” Contemporary fiction series, Bonaccorso publisher, May 2011, Verona

Neil Badenhorst (b. 1995) is an illustrator and multidisciplinary artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Badenhorst completed his Undergraduate and Honours degrees in Visual Communication (majoring in Illustration) at the Open Window in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Badenhorst completed his Masters in Design (Illustration) in 2021 at the University of Johannesburg. His study was concerned with ritual spaces and process in illustrated fantasy books. He intends to begin studying towards a PhD in Visual Arts in 2023.

Badenhorst hopes to become a ‘jack of all trades, master of some’. Although his formal education is in Design and Illustration, Badenhorst has pursued a career as an artist since his early days at university. Badenhorst has showed in a number of group shows with galleries and art fairs across South Africa and his Masters solo opened at Gallery 2 in Johannesburg, in March 2021. As an artist, Badenhorst’s practice extends into painting, collage, digital media and more recently installation art. Badenhorst’s practice is largely concerned with themes such as liminality, queer experience, worldbuilding and narrative. Badenhorst’s creative process relies heavily on intuition, and his work attempts to map out the eternally expanding internal landscape and visions of the fantastic, in order to better comprehend ‘real’ experiences and surroundings.

In addition to working as an artist, Badenhorst has also worked as a graphic designer and commercial illustrator and still freelances. Badenhorst also works as a visual researcher and currently lectures at the University of Johannesburg and Inscape Education Group on a part-time basis.

I am Ohambele James Chimezie. I am an academic who lectures and conducts research in the Art Pedagogy Section of the Department of Fine Art,Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Bio:
I am involved in teaching, research. consultancy and community service. My research interest is on Art as Therapy, Technology Integration and Social Media and how they relate to Art and Art Education. I am a member of the Society of Nigerian Artists and a Fellow of Arts in Medicine. I have some contributions of publications in journals and conferences.

Olorunfunmi Shobowale is a graphic artist, content creator, certified health and safety/human relations expert from the INSTITUTE OF SAFETY PROFESSIONALS OF NIGERIA and MAC NEL CONSULTING respectively.  He is also a member of Data Scientists Network. He is currently an educational administrator and holds a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Graphic Arts from Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode, Nigeria. He has taken up different job positions as Brand Strategist/ Commercial representative at X-ICT BRANDS, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL.  

He has undertaken the following tasks: 

• Empowerment of young people in certified professional courses  
• Creation of a digital feedback for front end ICT consumers  
• Development of organized school plan/prototype for a private educational establishment. 

• Curtailing fairly used products for quality ones (computer gadgets) via direct order, internationally.  
• Introduction of bulk messaging system for wider reach and effective communication for a wide range of institutions across West Africa. 

Bio: 

 Dr. Jonathan Okewu born on 30th December, 1983, is an Honorary Research Associate with the Faculty of Arts and Design, Durban University of Technology (DUT), P O Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa. He had his B.A, M.A and PhD in ceramic art. His style of ceramics is largely conceptual. In the area of research and publications, Dr. Jonathan Okewu is actively engaged in making contributions in his area of specialization. He is the author of the book: “Clay iron fillings”, available on amazon.com. He has won awards, prizes, residences and grants as a result of his active participation in researches and art exhibitions. His unique style of ceramics fetched him originality prize at the 2018 national Life in my City Art Festival (LIMCAF). He is a member of the Art POWA network, Rhodes University South Africa,. Ceramics Researchers Association of Nigeria (CerAN), and Arts Council of the African Studies Association ACASA.  

Write-up about the exhibition 

My creative research output was conceived and created within the broad context of the relationship between art and science, and the vast possibilities this offers contemporary artists today. Axiomatically, that the public is better informed about science than it is about contemporary art.  Art, however, is as vital to our existence as science: it visualize, abstract, imagine, invent, re-present, and interpret things (in terms of my own work, the corona virus). Art is as important as rational discourse and the presentation f empirical evidence, typical of scientific discourse. It is therefore important to see things from a range of viewpoints and to be confident about the value of such alternative viewpoints. Art cannot directly be about science, books and lectures are more successful explain the scientific method. But art can engage with science and create images that suggest alternative ways of seeing.  

My creative research output also falls within the broad ambit of contemporary ceramics. Ceramics have become increasingly central in contemporary art, clay – its main medium – having great physical appeal when working it: it can be rolled, ripped, pulled, prodded, perforated, squeezed, poked, kneaded, fingered folded and fragmented. Indeed, a very malleable medium.  

My own conceptual ceramic artwork employs an “unusual” approach to ceramic art exploration; unusual because it falls outside the traditional hand-building method of ceramics production – pinching, coiling and slabbing, which Arzt (2020) describes as “three main ceramics techniques and forming methods”. 

The challenges posed by the corona virus brought about the need to cross-examine the scourge, resulting in a very negative impact on all economic sectors.  This negative impact was also felt by artists due to the lock-down of museums, galleries and auction houses across the globe. Those outlets are fundamental sources of income for most of artists. My work embodies the need to be resilient in the fight against the devastating effect of the virus. In addition, socially, it strives to consciously point the attention of society to the negative effect of the virus to invariably raise further consciousness on the need for a total preventive crusade against the scourge so that normalcy can return.  

The Arts is a viable tool in advancing this crusade. “The [arts] can be artistically-native mediums (traditional or modern), where the expressivity is given by the art-factuality of the final Artwork” (Soreanu 2020: 263). At the peak of the corona virus pandemic, artists have variously created artworks that communicate visual messages bordering on safety and management of COVID-19 situations (Nyah et’al 2020: 104). Medically speaking, the corona virus is a disease that affects the respiratory network of the human body. But artistically, COVID-19 morphologically possesses a dramatic form that begs for artistic exploration. According to Meetkamal and Dwivedi (2020) the virus under the microscope possesses a coccoid shape structure with projections of glycoprotein. These structures have the potential to take on artistic shapes as well, not only scientific relevance. The image of the virus under the microscope was the impetus for my own work.  

My artwork, formalistically and stylistically, presents the corona virus. This is made possible through the exploration of terracotta pieces on canvas (See Annexure E. fig. 15). Identifiably, an impression of a big one-eyed ugly head has been represented as metaphoric description of corona virus and its disheartening effect on everything humans have ever worked for. It is an ‘ugly head’ because it has had an ugly effect on humanity; one that was unimaginable after the outbreak of the virus. Tandon (2020: 123) posits that increasing prevalence of COVID-19 will not only increase human mortality and morbidity, but also result in increase in poverty. My work addresses this situation. 

The aim of the output was to create ceramic art project that interrogates COVID-19 infodemic through the use of clay palm press terracotta on canvas that portrays the morphology of corona virus, with stylized one-eyed ugly face and at the same time be able to represent a story about the effect the virus has had on society. How is this possible with the clay medium? What ceramics production method can be fluid enough for artistic expression in this regard? What format should such ceramics artwork be executed in? What contextual analyses that speaks to COVID-19 can come out of it?  

This work is categorized under post-modernism in the creative medium of Ceramics. Steven (2010) opines that postmodernism views art as a socially constructed entity, requiring the viewer to look beyond the formalist compositional qualities of a work; decode its symbolic imagery; and expose its embedded cultural assumptions. The creative output here, is post-modernist because it has gone beyond traditional ceramics into a conceptual realm. 

Ceramics has been traditionally associated with cups and plates but more recently has been used by great ceramic artists such as Andille Dyalvane (2013), Chris Echeta (2000) and Magdalene Odundo (1995) to make social commentary on the societies in which they live. With skillful handling, ceramics possesses vital COVID-19 infodemic to navigate through. The creative output has contributed to knowledge thus: using pieces of terracotta to portray issues of corona virus on two-dimensional surface – canvas (See Annexure C. fig. 12 – 14). Secondly, the use of an unusual kind of hand-building technique termed clay palm press (see Annexure C. fig. 2 – 7) negates accustomed production methods in ceramics. Finally, in terms of infodemic, the impact of the virus on societies have been metaphorically portrayed through the artwork to signify whatever is bad, whatever restricts normal life, whatever causes death, and whatever takes away livelihood is ugly.