Jason Reeks, artist Yanga Lingani known as Cool G, Imraan Amla Micheals and Michille Reeks attended the exhibition.
A young Khayelitsha artist, Yanga Lingani, known as Cool G, held an exhibition, Reconcile and Rebuild, at the 6 Spin Street restaurant and gallery in the city centre last Thursday.
Yanga says with each art piece he creates he hopes to leave a lasting impression by touching the heart and soul of the audience.
Yanga, who studied art and design at the College Of Cape Town and completed his studies in 2013, believes an artist’s role is not simply to create images but also to inspire and educate.
Through the exhibition he also aimed to encourage other artists to collaborate.
Talking about his art, he says his visuals are very unique as he does what he calls deep realism art. He says his art contains emotions and has a human element.
He started preparing for the exhibition of 17 pieces in January.
Yanga says he used his own savings on his exhibition and is thrilled to have pulled it off.
He says art is not taken seriously in the township, often viewed as a hobby and not a career, and he hopes his exhibitions can change this. Parents should support their children if they want to be artists, he says.
“If I could do a solo exhibition then that means anybody can do it.
We don’t really need to rely on sponsors and government funds to make it, that assistance must find us on the route busy working as a team. We need more big venues for art in Khayelitsha. It is our responsibility to inspire and encourage other upcoming artists.
“We must pave a way for other young artists.
“We must teach them that one can make a living out of it. We must make art fashionable.
“But we must work together as artists. Khayelitsha has more than 50 visual artists, but it is a huge task coming together as a unit. We must set our differences aside if we are to succeed in life.”
Yanga says towards the end of this month he plans to do another exhibition with dance groups, poets and other artists at the same venue.
Talking about how he discovered his passion for the arts, he says he fell in love with drawing, sketching and sculpture at the age of 5.
Yanga says through his art he is able to show others what he has discovered, experienced and learnt on his journey.
He says his dream is to open his own art gallery in Khayelitsha to support young visionary artists.
For more on the next exhibition at 6 Spin Street, contact Yanga at 073 967 9267.