Due to the large numbers that would be attending Picasso’s exhibition, the venue had changed from the Anne Bryant Art Gallery to the East London’s City Hall. The guests were flocking to the city all the way from Cape Town and Grahamstown.
All of the painter’s masterpieces would be displayed, including his abstract art. Picasso’s pieces of work were captured by local artists. This exhibition, the South African National Art Association (SANAA) said, would celebrate the simplicity and the complication of his work at the same time.
The abstract art is what local tourists had been hypnotized by.
The tourist industry will be having it’s first fully-booked weekend, for all the East London accommodations, this Friday. The last time this occurred was in 2010, when international tourists had to find accommodation in the city because Port Elizabeth did not have enough space to house the tourists who would have to watch the World Cup at the stadium there.
After the Picasso art display moved to the city hall, it opened up the space for local artists to display and sell their art at The Anne Bryant Art Gallery.
One of the tourists, Greta Marian, 18, from Grahamstown said: “It’s going to be a beautiful experience. I’ve been obsessed with Picasso’s art since I was a child. It’s a pity it’s only a weekend.”
Another, Jarred Captain, 25, from Durban said: “The scope of this exhibition is large. I saw this advertised on the Picasso Art Group on Facebook and I thought, now that’s an event that I don’t want to miss.” Captain is a Fine Art student at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. “By observing art one can tap into the techniques that the artist used and apply them to their own work. I’m up for a weekend of learning.”
The price to enter is ZAR50, and for children and senior citizens it is ZAR20. The funds raised here are going to SANAA, for the development of young previously disadvantaged artists who show promise in this field. Five of them, from around South Africa, will be awarded the opportunity to study Fine Art for a year at the school of their choice.
About the exhibition, Fatima Singh, 42, has said that it’s a wonderful opportunity for artists around South Africa to come together: “It’s not everyday that this many artists are all gathered in one place. Everyone must network to build their rapport with the people in this field. By networking we can call upon each other to support one another when painting or drawing.” If you are looking for home interior designers to put some arts in your house, click here for details.
