Yebo is implementing a few changes next year as the Armstrong directors wish to focus on new strategies for developing and promoting the fine art sector in Swaziland. Yebo Art & Design is on its third year of operations and it was time to review what had worked, what had not and to come up with a strategy for 2014/15.
Yebo Art & Designs new opening hours for 2014 are the following; the showroom will open every Saturday morning from 9am – 5pm for the public, who can buy art materials and exclusive ranges of creative products, view the represented artists work, book art classes and just have some free coffee and chat with the directors and artists. From Monday to Friday Yebo Art & Design workshop is open to visitors by appointment only.
The Yebo Art Gallery and Shop will now only be open to the public on Saturdays, which is also the day for classes and workshops. Aleta Armstrong said in an interview “There are numerous reasons for changing the gallery space. One is that the Cultural Village Road entrance with its construction and chaos is deterring visitors. Guava Gallery, who are next door to us have closed their restaurant and moved their jewellery shop to The Gables and Jerempaul have moved out so these factors also don’t help in attracting visitors. But on another note it is also time for a big change in how we exhibit and promote local artists. We have just finished exhibiting at Akki Art Gallery in Finland and this has been an invaluable experience for the artists participating and they have created exceptional work. Yebo strongly feels is now time that we assist the growth of local artists careers by exposing their work to a much wider audience. We have exciting exhibitions lined up in South Africa, overseas and Swaziland for the next year. But we will keep everybody updated about all these new shows.”
Other current projects for 2014 include curating a selection for the Benetton Imago Mundi Art Collection, a collaboration with MTN Bushfire Festival of the Arts, and the Womens Art Project in collaboration with ArtReach.
Yebo Art & Design will remain in their current workshop, show room and offices at Mantenga in Ezulwini – open for meetings by appointment during the week. Aleta explained “The artists we represent all have their own studios and also come here to use our workshop space and have meetings. A selection of their work will always be available in our showroom. Our websit has all the exhibitions online along with artist’s biographies and full list of work. Our facebook page also keeps people updated of events and what work the artists are creating.”
Yebo Art & Design will be focusing on continuing our commissioned creative work and projects for organisations and companies. Their team of artists do bronze sculptures, murals, mosaics, set designs, logos, screen-printed cloth etc. Yebo will also continue with classes in pottery, screen-printing and drawing. Training in these creative skills will also be on offer as the handicraft sector needs assistance by local artists in order to grow their skills.
Their NGO, Yebo ArtReach, continues its successful operations at Yebo’s workshop. The Womens Art Project begins in February 2014, which will end with an exhibition that tours Swaziland in March & April 2014. ArtReach, together with corporate and donor funding, works with local artists on numerous creative projects with local organisations, schools and communities.
