The Keiskamma Trust – whose staff produced the world renowned 120 metre long Keiskamma Altarpiece and the Keiskamma Tapestry – has won another prestigious award.
The announcement that the trust won the Chairman’s Premier Award – for contributing a sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa – was made at the 14th annual Business Day Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards, in Johannesburg last week. It was awarded to the trust, together with its funders and donors.
The Keiskamma Trust – whose staff produced the world renowned 120 metre long Keiskamma Altarpiece and the Keiskamma Tapestry – has won another prestigious award.
The announcement that the trust won the Chairman’s Premier Award – for contributing a sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa – was made at the 14th annual Business Day Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards, in Johannesburg last week. It was awarded to the trust, together with its funders and donors.
Trust founder and director, Dr Carol Hofmeyr, is rightfully pleased with this achievement. “I am so proud of all of us, both those in Hamburg (where the art workers are based) and all the people behind the scenes who have worked and given time and money to help us win this award.”
The trust has also been approached by Rhodes University to create a tapestry about the history of the institution. Consisting of four panels, the tapestry will be 22 metres in length and in a similar style as the Keiskamma Tapestry. It is close to completion and will be on permanent display in the senate room from October onwards.
Trust manager, Annette Woudstra said that they often struggle to make ends meet, but she was hopeful that their dealings with Rhodes would promote them to other businesses and groups to offer them commissions for large works; “which is what we love and do best,” she said.
The trust also engages with Grahamstown through its Music Academy programme, and senior musicians regularly attend lessons at Kingswood College. “We’re becoming more and more attached to Grahamstown,” said Hofmeyr, who also mentioned that some of the trust's artworks are exhibited and sold during the National Arts Festival every year.
The Keiskamma Trust has won international acclaim for the way it addresses the problem of poverty, using creative programmes and partnerships. The project has so far created 130 jobs in the location of Hamburg, on the estuary of the Keiskamma River, about 100km’s from Grahamstown. These employees use art and music to improve their lives.
The Keiskamma tapestry projects continue the tradition of the ancient French Bayeux Tapestry, by telling stories that are important to the makers of the work.
In the case of the Altarpiece, which has had extensive international exposure, the women who stitched the cloth tell the story of people from their villages affected by HIV/Aids, and how they are ultimately able to rise above the community devastation caused by the epidemic.
The much bigger Keiskamma Tapestry tells the history of the Eastern Cape Frontier and the wars associated with the area. It was created by over 100 women from Hamburg and surrounding villages, and stretches a massive 120 metres in length. It has toured throughout South Africa and now hangs in the Parliament buildings in Cape Town.
