New mural brightens up E3 hub
On a quest to beautify and add colour to a plain wall, three artists; Noah Phiri, Thandazani Ndlovu and Shane Hlope; displayed their outstanding artwork
Striking art was added to the city through the creativity of a mural at E3 Youth Development and Creative Entrepreneurs’ Hub.
On a quest to beautify and add colour to a plain wall, three artists; Noah Phiri, Thandazani Ndlovu and Shane Hlope; displayed their outstanding artwork on Saturday.
The hub is a public benefit organisation that provides a learning space for young people in Mbombela.
E3 stands for educate, empower and enlighten. It was founded by Iris Felix and Catherine Churchill.
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Churchill said, “This weekend I saw three of the city’s most talented youth strutting their artistic stuff at E3.
We believe that mural art represents a positive force for artistic expression. It adds colour to the urban environment, exposes the awesome talent that we are home to, and in the long run contributes to urban regeneration,” she said.
Phiri (20) said what inspired him to do art is the lawlessness and philosophy within art.
“I wanted to paint a garden, an eden of sort, and something calming and yet very catching to the viewer. “I want to evoke enlightenment as it is one of E3’s core values as well as contemporary art, because I feel Mbombela artists are stuck in the notions of only painting the Big 5, buck and politics. There is so much more to do with what is being offered to us. We just need to look up,” he said.
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Hlophe (31), from KaNyamazane, said, “Our ideas are different, but we plan that we show our beauty of African cultures. Art is diverse, so to an upcoming artist I would say do what you feel comfortable to stay consistent at all times, and hard work is important,” he said.
Churchill added that one of E3’s core approaches to youth development is anchored in the development of the creative economy in and around Mbombela.
She said youth creativity and community involvement combined can provide a powerful catalyst for employment and income generation for the city’s youth.
