/ 17 July 2012

Nelson Mandela Museum launches youth art exhibition

The Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu.
The Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu.

 

The Nelson Mandela Museum has opened a youth art exhibition on the South African democracy icon's life in his childhood home Qunu.

Eight artists aged between 15 and 23 were chosen from over 100 entries to exhibit their works at the museum in the rural Eastern Cape province.

"As the Nelson Mandela Museum, we want to collect the history of Tata Nelson Mandela throughout South Africa and in Qunu … because of his role to change the life of the people here," said museum CEO Khwezi Mpumlwana, using a title of respect for elders.

"That's why we decided to call on local artists to be part of the collection of Nelson Mandela's legacy," he said at the launch.

The paintings and drawings are portraits of Mandela and his family.

The exhibition follows a project to teach business and artistic skills to young artists from the impoverished province.

Mandela was in 1990 released from 27 years in prison and was elected South Africa's first black president four years later. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and served one term before stepping down in 1999.

The museum was opened in 2000 in the village where he grew up and which he returned to after retirement.

A host of celebrations are planned across the country for his 94th birthday on July 18.

Last Wednesday President Jacob Zuma launched a R127-million project to build a bridge linking two tribal territories in the hilly province. – Sapa-AP