Nelson Mandela’s election followed South Africa’s first fully democratic, multiracial elections on 27 April 1994, in which the African National Congress (ANC) won a clear majority. Freedom Day commemorates this historic event.

In the spirit of honouring the past and celebrating the Freedom Day holiday on Monday, 27 April, Tyrone Appollis (born 5 March 1957) will share his memories of the wood and linocut workshops he participated in at the Community Arts Programme (CAP). He will discuss the opportunities and technical challenges of printing editions.

CAP emerged in 1977 following the student uprisings of 1976 and was known for its non-sectarian political stance. CAP students learned their craft from visiting UCT lecturers and artists of the calibre of Cecil Skotnes.

Wood and linocuts by past CAP students will be on show. While the aesthetic impact of a piece of art is immediate, it is worth taking time to engage with the artist’s mindset and cultural context, and to pause in order to understand the complex interrelation of form, colour, and content. Slowly, layers of meaning may be revealed.

Each artwork, whether a piece of pottery, sculpture, or painting, is more than an expression of the artist’s identity and intent. It becomes a vehicle that conveys the knowledge, aspirations, beliefs, and values of the society in which they live.