ABOUT
Sparingly dispersed throughout Southern Africa, rock paintings can be found, dating back thousands of years. These images are the only threads of history left to tell the story of the San way of life that no longer exists. However, today a few descendants of these first people of Southern Africa, continue the artistic tradition of their ancestors: relating by way of modern materials and techniques their yearning for the past, their sorrows, joys, and their hopes for the future.
The Kuru Art Project was initiated in 1990 by the then Kuru Development Trust, as part of their cultural initiative. Through the years the Kuru Art Project has supported the marginalized San of especially the D’Kar community to improve their lives and promote, preserve, and strengthen their cultural values through art.
Currently the Project is supporting twenty San artists. These artists are Naro and Dcui San who have lived in and around D’kar since the early 1960s. Formerly a nomadic people, hunting and food gathering from the veld remain significant cultural activities, but increasing westernisation means that this is no longer a sustainable lifestyle. Being a culture historically without a written communication form, art has always been the dominant voice through which their past, the world they live in, and their hopes are articulated. Exposure to contemporary culture is becoming evident in their art and conveys a unique way of life to the outside world. They are skilled traditional dancers, storytellers, musicians and craft producers, and the transition to express themselves in contemporary art materials has come naturally to them. The Kuru Art Project does not teach art but provides the facilities for the artists to experiment with modern art materials and thus come to terms with the artistic yearning and expression from within themselves.
Boldly coloured oil paintings, lithographs, linocuts and etchings of animals, plants, asymmetrical designs, and stories prevail in the art of the San artists working at the Kuru Art Project.
Their body of work is internationally acclaimed and has been shown in more than 15 countries over the years.
Their work has received numerous accolades, awards, and critique both nationally and internationally of which the work of Cg’ose Ntcõx’o is most familiar as it was reproduced on British Airways’ planes in 1997. Other art works by Kuru artists are reproduced in several international publications as well.
