MTN Swaziland have become the first local corporate to invest in Swazi Art!
In preparation for the opening of their new Headquarters in Ezulwini Valley, MTN & Yebo worked together to make a selection of contemporary Swazi art to decorate the new offices. The final selection of over 70 art pieces represented work from 26 different artists, and will be a permanent part of the Private MTN Swaziland Art Collection. This is the first instance of a major corporate investing in the arts in such a way in Swaziland, and we hope to see more of such partnerships in the future!
Yebo ArtReach also benefitted from the partnership, with a large mural being created by some of the Yebo artists together with students from the School for the Deaf – which was sponsored by the MTN CSR Fund.
From The MTN Commemorative Magazine for the Official Opening of their Head Office:
“Art washes away, from the soul, the dust of everyday life.” This perpetual quote by artist Pablo Picasso perhaps best sums the stroke of genius of providing an innovative finish to the new Swazi MTN Head Office with some of the finest works of art by local artists.Inside all the beautiful new offices you are met by these mesmerising 70 works of art punctuating the scene at different intervals after Swazi MTN engaged Yebo! Contemporary Art Gallery, to provide its charming touch to the site. This amazing project involves 26 local artists.
“We are extremely grateful MTN asked local artists to decorate their new headquarters. It will be great for their visitors to see a wide variety of Swazi contemporary paintings, sculptures and photographs. It is great that a local corporate is investing in local talent. Some of the amazing work produced needs to remain in Swaziland and not all be sold overseas,” a statement of gratitude from Aleta, Pete and Dane Armstrong and Khulekani Msweli from Jerempaul reads.
Swazi MTN has been hailed for assisting in the growth of the creative economy of Swaziland by Yebo! Contemporary Art Gallery. Half of the artwork that is hugging the Swazi MTN Head Office’s building was purchased from Yebo’s collection of work from previous exhibitions. The balance was commissioned by MTN making up the total of 70 artworks. Yebo put together a presentation of work to MTN, visits were made to the gallery to view work…this process took weeks. The commissioned work and installation took 3 months to complete.The wide variety of artwork in the MTN building is made up of oil paintings of nature, portraits, historical photographs, contemporary sculptures from recycled materials, clay sculptures, lino prints, collage, abstract paintings, bronze sculpture, ink drawing and large prints of drawings.