The Standard Bank National Arts Festival, held in Grahamstown, always generates a lot of controversy and differing opinions. Here are some
Suzy Bell on Trevor Makhoba
DURBAN artist, Trevor Makhoba, recipient of the 1996 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for the Visual Arts, has spoken out against the Standard Bank National Arts Festival committee. “They have exploited me. From the simplest things like not even giving me the guests’ names at the opening of my exhibition, to not even giving a telephone call to tell me whether or not I have sold a piece of work. To have no feedback is very frustrating. Especially when I have to leave many messages with the organisers and no one gets back to me.
“I’ve also had many problems with the person responsible for the sales of my work. They also take 45% commission off each sale. I think 25% is a more reasonable commission. I really feel they must take more responsibility for the welfare of the artist. An artist could wait, like I did, for eight months without selling any work. So I think surely they can provide some living expenses, funding of say about R40 000 for that year. It is an honour to win this award, and good exposure, but I don’t advise other artists to accept it unless they can afford to, or unless things change.”
Makhoba said the committee requested a minimum of 25 paintings, so he had to do three new works a month. It usually takes him one month to complete a single painting. “I’m the breadwinner in the family, with three children, and supporting my father and eight art students, so I’ve felt pressured and frustrated because I was not in my usual position of creating and selling paintings to survive.”
Makhoba plays the saxophone at weddings and funeral ceremonies, which gives him a small, but quick, source of income. “Artists need to be nurtured. We battle to survive. Some people don’t understand the conditions we live in. I told them that R10 000 was not enough for me to live on for one year, but no one was interested,” says Makhoba.
Professor Alan Crump, chairman of the Standard Bank National Arts Festival committee, dismissed Makhoba’s views, saying: “No one has complained in 17 years. How can he be exploited if we are giving him money? His complaints are ridiculous.
“We paid R25 000 for his catalogue and paid for all his materials and transport of his work. At Grahamstown we only take 20% commission off his works and it’s up to the other galleries what they take off. We just launch the touring exhibition and facilitate it, giving an award to a person who has shown great potential and excellence.
“It’s the most prestigious and best- sponsored award in the country. One can’t have it both ways. If we had to meet his demands we could not afford to give an annual award, and it’s just an award after all.”
Makhoba argues that this is one of the reasons why “the standard of art in South Africa is sometimes low. It’s also because there is no formal education. We do need serious funding for the fine arts to nurture prominent or emerging black artists in South Africa. It’s about time people took us seriously. We have the natural talent but who will nurture it except ourselves?”
Through Makhoba’s previous exhibition sales, ranging in price from R5 000 to R15 000, he started the Philange art project in 1994. It’s an art school in Umlazi that still survives today without a cent of outside funding.
The school cost Makhoba R16 000 to build and the monthly studio costs are R1 000. Makhoba provides free tuition and free paint, canvas, brushes … Eight students attend daily classes.
Makhoba has exhibited in Rome, London and New York. But his last international sales came from New York, in 1996. “But I have never been overseas. They invite me, but don’t offer to pay. Maybe it’s because I’m painting the truth about the politics of our people.”
Trevor Makhoba is exhibiting at the Durban Art Gallery until July 30. A review of his students’ work on exhibit in Durban will follow next week