Art exhibition for the blind

As part of the national book week campaign, the Polokwane Art Gallery is presenting a Visual Literacy Art Exhibition from September 10 to October 10, which is aimed at educating people using art.

Blind people and the visually impaired are also encouraged to attend the exhibition, as there is a braille art section for them.

According to Mokgabudi Letsoalo, Polokwane Museum curator, and art expert, the exhibition also aims to encourage a love for art and reading. “Art also contributes to literature and as a result, people are encouraged to love art to learn new things. The art gallery is divided into a number of sections such as braille, religion, human rights and many more,” Letsoalo said.

He added that this was the first time the gallery hosted an exhibition that catered for the blind and virtually impaired people. He said the artworks were provided by various artists from across South Africa. “This exhibition is effective and well supported and it is attended by both young and older people. We always get positive feedback when people visit the gallery and we intend to hold such exhibitions more often in the future,” he said.

The braille artwork was supplied by Willem Boshoff, who is regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost contemporary artists. His artworks are displayed both nationally and internationally.