Nkawana ShowLove exhibition for August
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Sunday February 26, 2023 06:00
The 2016 Thapong Artist of the Year Award (TAYA) winner says the exhibition, titled ShowLove Art Exhibition will be held in August on a date and venue to be announced soon.
Nkawana also said the idea is to raise money and divide some of the proceeds of the exhibition among charity oraganisations across the country. He said the idea to be involved in charity work began after he won the TAYA.
“The exhibition is planned to be held in August and the date and venue are yet to be decided. I have always been a person who likes to give. After the award, I embarked on a journey to use my artistic talent to bless my fellow countrymen especially the less privileged.
I have worked with Cheshire Foundation by sharing my skill with their children in 2018,” said Nkawana. He continued: “In 2020 I held my solo charity exhibition in support of people who are mentally challenged.
This year I have created 1,000 A5 sized original drawings, ranging from water colour, painting, pencil drawings and abstract art. The artworks are priced the same and will each go for P100”. He explained that the goal is to have a sold out exhibition so that he is able to donate the proceeds to charity organisations. He said while art is considered a small industry in Botswana, he finds it very important and therefore felt he could use it to touch people’s lives and mould the nation’s identity.
“People who attended my previous exhibitions gave positive feedback and they talked about how my exhibitions have helped them heal and deal with mental health issues. Some will go to an extent of purchasing an artwork because they have emotional connection with it. In some cases we were able to buy food hampers to less privileged people and it brought joy to see people relived from hunger because of my art,” he added. Nkawana said he is hoping for better artwork sales at this year’s exhibition as it is done for a good course.
“I expect improvement in the purchase of artworks and I invite the public and the business community to attend the exhibition and purchase my art so we can stretch out a helping hand. I want to see art changing lives just like in developed countries. We also can do it here,” concluded Nkawana.