Annual Art Exhibition Returns

The St David's Marist Inanda Annual Art Exhibition returned in all its splendour after a near-three year hiatus. From 18 - 20 October,  the Champagnat Hall was transformed and enlivened with colourful creativity from the vibrant nature drawings from our youngest Inanda boys in Mini-Marist all the way to the final IEB artworks exhibited by our Matrics. 

The Annual Art Exhibition is the culmination of a year's hard work by both the students and their teachers. It is an opportunity to celebrate the creativity and artistic talent of all our boys, and to appreciate the standard of work produced across the school.  

This celebration of the Arts was cemented by opening events held for both Mini-Marist and the Preparatory on Tuesday, 18 October, and an opening event for the College on Wednesday 19 October. Both opening events reflected the standard of work and sheer talent of our students, with music performances from our student musicians, enhancing the entertainment to be had on each evening. 

This year's Preparatory School Art Exhibition was inspired by the colour wheel, and it was with this resonating idea that the Prep Art Department and all the Junior Prep teachers embarked on a journey to showcase all the creative abilities of each young artist. 

The Mini-Marist boys used hand-prints and brushes to portray beautiful trees, bees, and flowers found in Spring Gardens, while the Junior Preparatory boys set their canvases ablaze with a riot of colours portraying insects and nature scenes. The Senior Preparatory boys created an intriguing array of drawings and paintings depicting self-portraits, landscapes, city-scapes and animals.

Though mother nature threatened to bring the first rains, the Prep School Art Exhibition opening event was a great success. St David's parents eagerly squeezed into the music classrooms to enjoy listening to the hard work and dedication of both the boys and the music teachers, which were showcased in the music performances we were so fortunate to watch. 

Thereafter, the boys and parents could appreciate the Art displayed in the Champagnat hall at their own pace. Headmaster Nick Clogg welcomed the parents and led a small award ceremony by handing out the Certificates of Achievement in the subject of Visual Arts.

Mrs Marguerite Meiring

Head of Subject: Preparatory Art

This year marked the first time in three years that St David’s was able to hold a full art exhibition. The two years during which COVID-19 prevented large gatherings resulted in us moving the work online in 2020, and exhibiting almost outdoors in the school corridors in 2021. So, it was with much excitement that we showcased our students’ incredible work in October 2022.

From the dazzling creativity and enthusiasm of the work from the Mini-Marist school, through the wonderful painting, drawing and craft work done by the Prep School, to the intensity and artistic rigour of the work made by the High School boys, there was something for everyone at the exhibition.

Many visitors from within the school community and from outside, remarked on the progression and development one could see. In fact, we are proud of the fact that our school is one of the few in the Johannesburg education community to hold such an expansive showing of art.

In particular, I would like to mention the work of three of our Grade 12 boys – Lorenzo Cianfanelli, Kumbirai Nenguke and Divine Odiley. These three young men put their hearts and souls into their works, and some well-placed observers spoke about their ability to combine high-level concepts with amazing technical skills. We in the art department hope that the quality of their work, and that of so many other boys through the High School grades, sets a trend that will endure for years to come at St David’s.

We also need to mention the wonderful Mrs Marguerite Meiring, our Prep School Head of Art: this was the first year Mrs Meiring participated in our exhibition process, and she very clearly is running a tight ship in the junior art department! The Prep work was amazing, and Mrs Meiring obviously has an incredible ability to connect with the boys and draw out of them some very creative work. Well done!

A huge thank you must also go to my colleague in the High School art department, Mrs Monique van Rooyen, for her great work this year. Her skill at teaching and care for the boys was palpable in the work they produced.

Mr Michael Smith

College Head of Subject: Visual Art