Hundreds of city women honour Artscape in style

THE Artscape is set to unveil a unique 7m rainbow textile artwork hand-sewn and stitched together by hundreds of women from all over Cape Town, called The Everywoman Project, on Wednesday.

It is the contribution to the 50th anniversary of the complex by Woman Zone, an NPO aimed at uniting the women of Cape Town.

The art piece, known as our Blessing Blanket or Singing Skirt, will be on display outside the theatre on the first floor.

“Appropriately created from the shweshwe fabric donated by Da Gama Textiles for the 60th anniversary celebration of the 1956 Women’s March back in 2016, it’s taken some years to complete, but it comes with love, respect and gratitude from Woman Zone and each and every one of the women who helped make it,” the organisation said.

The shweshwe yoyos form the basis of the art piece. Women from Gugulethu and Bonteheuwel to Khayelitsha, Stellenbosch, Langa, Mitchell’s Plain, Sea Point, Southern Suburbs, West Coast, Goodwood and Nyanga have lovingly sewn these at community workshops or at the Woman Zone Library over the past few years.

With more than 4 000 yoyos made, Woman Zone enlisted the help of craft designer Mara Fleisher, who had originally suggested the small textile item, to take the design to completion.

Adding recycled products to the design and inviting participants to insert a blessing into their yoyo, the design has earned several names.

“Collaboration with Zeitz MOCAA has been a highlight in completing the project. In providing a safe working space during this lockdown period by hosting the final 12 workshops in their Education Department their expertise has been freely shared. An added bonus has been their assistance with the installation of this extraordinary art piece, thus creating a valuable partnership,” Woman Zone said.

Cape Times