IN PHOTOS | Mpumalanga Blind Skills Development Hub hosts Sculpting with Touch exhibition
The MBSDH is an institution that advocates for the rights of people living with disabilities by promoting their independence.
Art pieces created by people living with visual impairments were showcased at the Sculpted by Touch Exhibition at 15 Drysdale Street on Wednesday, November 27.
It was hosted by the Mpumalanga Blind Skills Development Hub (MBSDH).
The founder of MBSDH, Fanie Msiza, said it is important for people living with disabilities to be involved in art because it is therapeutic and can assist them financially if marketed correctly.
The MBSDH is an institution that advocates for the rights of people living with disabilities by promoting their independence through sculpting.
“We started this initiative because we wanted to remove the stigma of differently-abled persons being detestable and being labelled beggars,” Msiza said.
One of the students, Jabulani Mashaba, who calls himself a jack of all trades and a master of all, said, “I grew up with eyesight, but an accident left me blind. I chose not to give up on life, but to continue. This initiative taught me computer skills and sculpting.
“We make flower pots, decorative lamps and carpets using only our hands and minds. I am happy to be part of this [programme], it has improved my life for the better,” he said.
A painter, Marietjie Henning, delivered a heartfelt message to the students, stating that art is not merely what we see, but what we feel, imagine and express.
“You remind us that perception extends far beyond the eyes. You perceive the world through your hands, your heart, your memories and your dreams. In doing so, you create works that resonate with a unique depth and meaning, offering perspectives that others might never have considered.
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“I stand before a group of extraordinary individuals; artists who have shown the world that creativity is not confined by physical vision, but instead thrives in the limitless space of the human spirit,” Henning said.
She added that the students’ artistry defied stereotypes and challenged assumptions about what it means to create.
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