“Mandala” is the Sanskrit word for “circle”. It is often associated with the quest for peace and healing. In many cultures it is used to help to find a spiritual centre.
In 2011 Brenda Devar-Sakellarides of The Joburg Arts Alive International Festival commissioned Imbali Visual Literacy Project to implement the school art project Mandalas for Mandela in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and Constitution Hill.
This legacy initiative was a highlight of the September 2011 Festival. It forged a partnership between 27 schools, 226 learners, 27 educators, the Imbali Visual Literacy Project, Constitution Hill, the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and the City of Johannesburg’s Arts Alive Festival.
The initial month-long exhibition was held in the Atrium at the Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill. Ahmed Kathrada gave the moving keynote address to a captive audience of over 230 children when the exhibition opened on 6 September 2011.
The children hung onto his every word as he shared his stories and linked our history to their expressive art works. He poignantly related that one of the cruelest aspects of being in prison was being denied the company, the sound and the joyous energy of children. He remarked that it was healing to have the children and their sensitive artwork displayed in a space that had the association of so much pain.
The opportunity for the entire Mandalas for Mandela collection to enjoy a second exhibition, this time at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, was a privilege for all who had been involved in this significant project. The exhibition opened with a celebratory tour and lunch at the Centre on 6 December 2011. Over 130 learners were able to accept the invitation to see their work at home in this environment.
The Mandalas for Mandela exhibition was launched with a welcome by Sello Hatang who thanked the learners for their vital contribution and ongoing commitment to the project.
“We are enormously proud of the work that has been produced – we look to you, the youth, for inspiration! “ he said.
Devar-Sakellarides then discussed the history of the project. “We were definitely guided in birthing this powerful project. When we started we had no idea that this project would bring us all to this incredibly special place – the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. It is believed that mandalas help us to find our centre – and yours certainly did in a literal and a metaphoric way.”
The process of creating the artwork was explained by Justine Olofsson from the Imbali Visual Literacy Project. “Not only did you all come up with original and thought provoking ideas about healing you also executed your work with extraordinary care, consideration and inspired visual flair. Hildur Amato and I so enjoyed our visits to your schools and were really impressed with how you used the resources that you had – the most important ones being your imagination and creativity.”
Verne Harris of the Centre of Memory then presented the animation film, The Life and Times of Nelson Mandela, which the learners enjoyed watching.
The institutions and the learners involved in the Mandalas for Mandela initiative were then awarded a certificate of participation and given a commemorative calendar featuring all 27 mandalas in recognition of their contribution to the project.
The varied and vibrant mandalas reflect on so many aspects of Nelson Mandela. Detailed and delightful they offer a window into the students understanding of the humble, healing, forgiving, respectful and dignified legacy of Mr Mandela.
After much food for thought, the learners were treated to a delicious lunch in the Centre of Memory gardens and given the opportunity to talk to learners from the different schools successfully forging new friendships.
The collection will enjoy a third exhibition at Constitution Hill coinciding with Human Rights Day in late March 2012.
Plans are also in place to see the work at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown allowing the work to speak to an ever-growing audience of children and adults alike.
Click here for a list of participating schools.
Click on the following mandalas to view a larger image
