The town of Kimberley was left devastated on the 17th of May 2019, due to the passing of a beloved local artist, Alfred Aobakwe Sekunkwe.
Mr Sekunkwe is a Kimberley born artist, who has had a passion for the arts since a very young age. In 1994, he won the Santam Children’s Art Competition. On the 16th of April 1996, the artist was one of the first local upcoming artists to exhibit his work at the William Humphreys Art Gallery. He has since then attended several art festivals.
In the year 1999, the McGregor Museum commissioned Sekunkwe to produce over 30 Masonite woodcut prints on a theme titled: Anglo Boer War. In the year 2000, he won the ‘Best Design Cover” for the Northern Cape Poetry Competition and was presented with a first prize and a cash prize. In the same year, the Northern Cape Department of Sports Arts and Culture (DSAC) engaged him to take part in the celebration of Science, Engineering and Technology week (SET WEEK) to do murals. The murals were painted in Kimberley, Douglas, Warrenton, and Campbell.
Alfred has designed promotional material for the Provincial Library Services Unit, which was launched in May during the Library week. His work can also be found at the Northern Cape Legislature building, which was part of a training initiative where a mural of fallen heroes was designed.
The artist interests included art in linocut, painted woodcut, print making and mosaic pieces.
His work was once again exhibited at the Gariep exhibition at the local William Humphreys Gallery in 2017, where his talent was described as being symbolic of the environment he was born in and situations that surrounded him.
Sekunkwe has done reparation work on the mosaic faces of Z.K Matthews and Joseph Morolong and recently completed the face of a well-known traditional healer and a leader of the Khomani San people.
The gifted artist was one of the artists whose work was scheduled to be exhibited alongside American artists later this year for the International ARTLIT Exhibition that is curated by Jowhari Trohan from the United State of America (USA).
“I’m in disbelief, it seems like just yesterday when we were outlining the art call for the ARTLIT International Exhibition where Alfred would be significant in bridging the gap of art and literature between the USA and South Africa”.
“Sekunkwe has inspired many with his gifts through the world with exhibitions in Germany and China,” articulates Ms Trahan, “ I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to have met with him and expound our individual interests on art with emphasis on the movement of arts as it is imperative that we use proper platforms to share experiences, tell stories, preserve culture, define our communities and inspire our children. He will always be in my heart, never forgotten, loved and respected. I will continue to honour his legacy throughout the diaspora,” she adds, emphatically.
Thabo Motlhabi, who knew the deceased well, says that he is pained by the injustice that happens to artists in Kimberley, “Our dear friend would not have died in the way that he did had government played its role and paid him what was due to him”.
Masego Moiloa, who is also a friend and fellow artist, feels that government does not care about artists. The Department of Sports Arts and Culture owed Alfred R2000.00 for three paintings since January of this year. The money was only paid on the 22nd of May 2019, after his death. Government is failing us as artists, with funding, support and recognition. My friend had to struggle just to do his work and to sell it so that he can make a living for himself and his family.
His family and friends describe Alfred as a soft spoken person, humble, respectful, and someone who always looked for opportunities and was bold enough to enter territories outside of his comfort zone. Though they are disappointed by the lack of appreciation, support from government and other relevant institutions in the sector, they are confident that his legacy will still live on for many years.
Comments are closed.