Three CUT students recently showcased their artwork at the Turbine Art Fair 2020, an online art exhibition hosted in partnership with The Free State Art Collective.

The Turbine Art Fair, which goes by the slogan "Where visionaries meet" opened its online art fair on Friday 28 August 2020 – 02 September 2020. Xola Brilliant Sello, Zizicelo Sifumba and Sylvester Zanoxolo Mqeku are the three CUT students who were amongst the selected "Free State Five".

The purpose of this art fair was to showcase how far these students have come in their journeys as artists and to share with the rest of the world what is emerging from little-explored central South Africa.

Xola Brilliant Sello, is an Advanced Diploma in Studio Arts student at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein's Department of Design and Studio Art, and his first time exhibiting at TAF. Born and raised in a creatively driven family in Botshabelo, Free State, Sello's art making examines the spirit of confidence, economically unresolved issues and the spirit of 'ubuntu' as not to be critical towards one another.

Zizicelo Sifumba, is a Master's student at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein's Department of Design and Studio Art, originally from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape. Sifumba's paintings are inspired by intersections of arts practice and community work. Her paintings are a continuous attempt to depict the experience of a South African in a metaphoric and non-literal manner.

Sylvester Zanoxolo Mqeku, also a Master's student at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein's Department of Design and Studio Art, was born in Mount Fletcher and grew up in Umtata. His work is an experiment with negative and positive imprints; liquid clay is used to capture forms, marks and imprints made in damp plaster sand and often becomes visual warnings and emblems of what nature is imaginable with future natural environments.

The RMB Turbine Art Fair (RMB TAF) is a uniquely South African art fair, as it presents a space for the showcasing of established and new talents in an environment that is immersive, accessible and inclusive.

RMB TAF 2020 presented visionary new projects during this online fair, including Tactile Visions-- an exhibition of specially curated textile-based artwork from a range of established, mid-career and emerging contemporary artists. RMB TAF 2020 also showcased presentations of digital and new media-based work and highlighted the careers of select mid-career artists.

 Visit the Free State Art Collective website www.freestateartcollective.co.za/turbine.html to find out more or visit the Turbine Art Fair's website to have access to all artworks https://turbineartfair.co.za/.

Caption

Pictured is Zizicelo Sifumba, who completed her BTech Fine Art (majoring in painting) in 2018. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's Degree in Fine Art.