Supporting the Arts
- By: Petru Viljoen
- Short URL: https://archive.backabuddy.co.za/petru-viljoen-5815831376203276948
- Date Created: 20 January 2024
Personal message
In the last two months I've achieved two important breakthroughs in my artmaking practice. A reputable art gallery in Johannesburg, internationally known, accepted my work in cyanotype/mono-printing and the Turbine Art Fair selected my work to be showcased at the Cape Town Art Fair in 2024. These achievements mean an outlay of finances to acquire art materials to produce more work. I've recently had to move into a smaller apartment and need to create a workspace suitable to artistic practices. My personal funds are utterly depleted by now and I'm nowhere near achieving what I need.
My poetry has been taken up in a variety of publications, both in print and online over some years and i am in the process of producing a chapbook with illustrations. My laptop is 13 years old (Windows 7), the keyboard packed up (I had to buy an external keyboard a while ago), Windows 11 won't load on this device and the hard drive is getting full and graphic programme/s still need to be installed.
To produce my best work, to create the circumstances in which to do so, will cost an estimated R15 000. Too large an amount to take out on loan, the prospect of having to pay it back to a willing lender even if I could find such, is counter-productive to the progress of my career.
I therefore appeal to all and sundry for donations in order to continue my work. I am visible on all the relevant social media platforms, not least on Wordpress where both artwork and poetry can be viewed as incentive to support my appeal for funding. I currently survive on a stipend received from a family member who most certainly will not be able to support the request for this amount and I decided to make a broad appeal. Any sales from the art gallery are still some time off as more and larger works were requested, much of which still has to be produced, framed, couriered from the country to the city and introduced to the public via galleries in Johannesburg and Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Once a workspace has been established it can be used in skills transfer workshops.
All funds will go towards art materials and equipment and all records will be kept and made available for inspection on request.
Much regard,
Petru J Viljoen