The Abazobi Project is a joint art project between the Robben Island Museum and the Norwegian organisation Stiftelsen Arkivet. In South Africa the project is targeted towards young artists from the disadvantaged communities. Financial support from the City of
Kristiansand and the Provincial Government of Southern Norway were instrumental in starting the pre-project, which ran from February to August 2007.

The current phase from 1 September 2007 – 29 February 2008 is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, and is aimed at organising the first workshop in Cape Town as well as identifying two young artists to participate in a bilateral exchange with Norway. Two South African artists are given the opportunity to work in Kristiansand, Norway from 1 March – 31 May 2008, under the mentorship of the contemporary Norwegian artist Kjell Nupen (www.nupen.no). A major exhibition with South African and Norwegian artists will be launched in Cape Town in September 2008.

In order to strengthen the project’s artistic level, Robben Island Museum entered into talks with the Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA) in May 2007. VANSA is a national umbrella organisation for visual artists and has four regional branches (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Western Cape). VANSA was engaged as artistic adviser responsible for recommending suitable facilitators for the workshop in November 2007 and assisting with advertising the project to young artists within the target group.

Guga S’Thebe was well-suited for this type of workshop, with its work studios, exhibition facility and computer lab with 10 stationary PCs. A number of local artists are affiliated with Guga S’Thebe and make art and craft that is sold in the centre’s shop.

The ten candidates were:

• Chuma Maweni (born 1976)
• Lundi Mduba (born 1968)
• Mawande Zenzile (born 1986)
• Khaya Sineyile (born 1983)
• Boyce Magandela (born 1979)
• Zukisa Toyi (born 1975)
• Lucinda Gabrielle (born 1982)
• Lee-Ann January (born 1978)
• Igshaan Adams (born 1982)
• Steve Bandoma (born 1981)

Based on their artistic level and personal character, two candidates were chosen to travel to Kristiansand, Norway in 2008. The selection was made by the same panel that chose the ten participants for the workshop. The two selected candidates are Mawande Zenzile (born 1986) and Lee-Ann January (born 1978). Mawande is from Nyanga, Cape Town, and Lee-Ann is From Bredastorp, about two hours drive from Cape Town.

Contact details:

Pernille Stallemo
Project Manager: Abazobi
pernilles@robben-island.org.za
Cell: 078 389 3010