By Avuyile Dube
A fine art exhibition with the theme ‘the body’ has provoked controversial thoughts from Durban University of Technology (DUT) students with regards to the abuse of women.
Marie Anna Pahil, an exchange fine art student from Germany who studied ‘the art of the body’, expressed sentimental emotions using a sculpture to promote awareness of the ill treatment female sex workers get in Germany, with the hope to bring change and empower women whilst utilising art.
She revealed that “Expressing is important to connect with people, when they disconnect, they will be a bigger rave.”
A lecturer and a drawing co-ordinator, Mhlonishwa Chiliza, vouches for women’s rights in all aspects by creating a safe space for DUT students, like the art exhibition, to normalise talking about issues of patriarchy and not shy away from the topic as much as it “intrigues” him.
“To benefit our students, they must see these kinds of multimedia practices that I always talk about,” Chiliza said.
However, a 3rd year fine art student, Sihle Davedi, advocated that “Men are protectors” but they are always seen as bad people in South Africa, irrespective of how any man’s character opposes the message portrayed in Pahil’s sculpture. He added that the people who usually have such views are women who had no dominant male figures growing up.
“Women don’t have men that represent other men really well in their lives, which is kind of sad,” he said.
The event was deemed a success by lecturers and students as they expressed their desire to expand the exhibition.
