Nkule Mabaso is a highly acclaimed art gallery curator. Here she chats to us about the art world, and judging the Sanlam Portrait Award.
1. I’m a gallery curator at Michaelis Galleries at the University of Cape Town.
My job is to manage and support students and artists in their quest to interpret cultural material and artistic expression. I’m also tasked with acquiring funds, conceptualising projects and providing administrative support.
2. I think art is a way of communicating.
Art its meaning and purpose is dependent on the creator and the person viewing the art. It’s a means of dealing with the condition of being alive and a more embodied way of communicating that doesn’t rely on language. I see art as a reflection of the world we live in.
3. I started the Newcastle Creative Network to create art awareness in small towns.
I wanted to boost creative industries in small towns, to make local authorities aware of art and to support the growth of the industry. Many artists and creative producers are often forced to move to already saturated cities to get their artwork acknowledged, and in so doing, cannot give back to their local communities. The Newcastle Creative Network is a platform for engagement, support and awareness of South African art.
4. It’s exciting to be a judge in the Sanlam Portrait Award competition.
I accepted the invitation to be a judge based on my curiosity about the kinds of submissions that would come through, given the country’s social and political evolutions. I’m also interested in getting to know the new names coming up in the industry and to provide a positive impact in the arts.
5. I believe that a lot of work still needs to be done in the art sector.
Through my PhD research I intend to examine cultural policy development and regulation. I want to bridge the national arts policy with cultural policy at the municipal level, thereby providing more opportunities for exposure for South African artists.
