PORTRAIT: Soweto lensman Jacob Mawela produces creative visual creations for a photographic project…

By WSAM Reporter

Commissioned with creating artworks for the Department of Sport, Art and Culture’s Art Bank of SA programme, Mawela produced an awe-inspiring portfolio of photographs interpreting art work of three internationally renowned artists.

The artists and their famous paintings are Peter Clarke’s The Fence and Vladimir Tretchikoff’s Melon Time (both dated 1960) – as well as that of American Andy Warhol’s Eight Elvises (1963).

Mawela’s presentations convey a trio of themes pertinent to South Africa’s socio-economic landscape – namely, class divisions, inequality and opulence. His photographic interpretations were set at different locations in Soweto and its surrounds, including at the Kliptown’s Beacon Road, Pimville hair saloon and a Klipspruit photographic studio. The Soweto photographer utilised the services of teenage models, Generations actor Vuyo Dabula – as well as a two-year old Greyhound. Additionally, he also brought in props such as a revolver, holster, belt, costumes and an out-of-season watermelon.

His portfolio was funded under the auspices of the Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme.

Launched in 2017, the Art Bank of South Africa is a national programme of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), and is hosted by the National Museum Bloemfontein (Oliewenhuis Art Museum), an agency of the DSAC. It is tasked with purchasing artworks from local artists to lease and sell the artworks to the SA government departments, private companies and individuals.

Chris Walker and Regina Belle coming to SA

BILL: Duo scheduled for two shows in Joburg and Durban in December…

By Edward Tsumele

South African fans of African-American music stars Chris Walker and Regina Belle will surely have a whale of a good time when the duo headline a scheduled concert later this year.

Singer, composer and producer Walker makes his return to SA shores after a 2019 sold-out show performance at the Sun Arena in Pretoria, honoring the late DJ Eddie Zondi.

Walker, a soulful vocalist and jazz bassist, has distinguished himself as both a valuable sideman and featured performer across the jazz, R&B and Gospel genres. Walker’s musical relationship with the iconic Regina Belle dates back to the early 1990’s.

Walker toured with Belle becoming a musical director. After noticing his voice, Belle gradually worked his vocals into her act. Walker credits her for teaching him to find his voice. The “Giving You All My Love” and “Take Time” singer will be taking fans back down memory lane performing his hits including “How Do You Heal a Broken Heart” from his popular albums, First Time, Sincerely Yours and We’re In This Love Together – A Tribute to Al Jarreau.

Multi-award winning singer, songwriter and actress, Regina Belle will be belting out her greatest hits for her fans when she lands in the country. With a string of hits including “Make It Like It Was”, “If I Could, Baby Come To Me” and “This Is Love”, fans will be taken on a musical repertoire. Belle has been moving gracefully between the worlds of R&B, Gospel and Jazz as a singer-songwriter who started her career in the mid-1980s.

Known for her singles “Baby Come to Me” and “Make It Like It Was”, Belle’s most notable for two hit duets, both with Peabo Bryson: “Without You”, the love theme from the comedy film Leonard Part 6, recorded in 1987 and the Grammy winning “A Whole New World”, the main theme of the Disney’s animated feature film Aladdin, recorded in 1992. Belle’s fans can expect to sing along to hits from her albums All by Myself, Stay with Me, the platinum selling Passion, This Is Regina!, Lazy Afternoon and more.

The tour will kick off at the Durban ICC on December 1 at 7pm and then move to the Sun City Super Bowl on December 3 from 6pm.

Tickets are sold at Ticketpro from R690. The concert is presented by T & S Platinum concerts. – CityLifeArts