Watch: Level 3 much better to work in – artist

"I'm self-taught and have a huge love and passion for art."

June 20, 2020

Reitumetse Mahope 2 minutes read

Many businesses have taken a knock due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown regulations but the entertainment industry has been one of the hardest hit with job losses.

A Pretoria artist residing in the CBD said the art industry was hugely affected.

“This situation has affected everyone but I feel it has affected us as artists more, considering the fact that even before this virus came to our shores, most artists? lives were already difficult,” said Anathi ‘Elpee’ Nkanyuza.

Elpee (25) was born in Tsomo, a small town in the Eastern Cape. He is a socio-political artist, popularly known for his self-taught smoke/fumage art.

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“I’m self-taught and have a huge love and passion for art.”

He said the lockdown was a challenge for him as there was absolutely no income made in the earlier stage of the lockdown.

It forced him and everyone to start to think differently.

“There was no means to create art at all because art suppliers were closed.”

“Things are far from being what they used to be but at least now art suppliers – shops and courier services have been allowed to operate which will enable us to find means to make ends meet.”

Elpee said it was also difficult seeing other people going back to work and yet artists were still unable to trade as before.

“I absolutely have no idea as to why the creative arts space has been and still is prohibited but I think it’s because most art events tend to have large numbers of spectators.”

“Although I think the government should allow all industries to take it upon themselves to make sure people adhere to the safety measures put in place.”

Elpee said he was currently hosting a virtual exhibition.

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“My current exhibition takes people back to where I started with ART diction 0.1 back in 2018, with the South African State Theatre that was part of the incubator programme, which then afforded me an opportunity to go on and showcase two more exhibitions.”

He said one was hosted at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown in 2019, and the was at the State Theatre also in 2019, as part of the Mzansi Fela Festival.

He said people could now stream the exhibition documentary on YouTube on the State Theatre?s channel from 15 to 28 June.

“Promoting my work online has always been my biggest platform for marketing even before the Covid-19 times.”

The lockdown has forcefully motivated me to create more work because there?s nothing else to do.

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He said Covid-19 had inspired him to think differently and to reposition himself in the art scene.

Elpee hoped the virus had done the same for other artists too. He encouraged those who have always been supporting artists before Covid-19, to find means to continue business with artists during these tough times.