CHAPTER 30 SOUTH AFRICA ARTS

When we entered the bus, everyone kept on staring in our direction and some were even murmuring of only God knows what but since the art centre wasn't far from the main building we got there soon.

"Your name is Jessica. Right?" A classy girl approached me when we were out of the bus.

"Yes and You? I don't think I have ever seen you. Are you in another depo?" I asked

"My name is Zia and I am in science class. We have been hearing a lot about you and today I am happy that I finally got to meet you and I admire you for what you did back there, you are worth all your praises" She smiled and I was surprised for a moment cause to me I didn't do that much but here I am getting praised for the third time.

"You have been hearing about me?! Who told you about me?!" I asked in total disbelief and surprise

"Me" A voice echoed from behind and it was Gabriel.

"Hey... it's been long...I have missed you" I smiled surprised to see him.

"I just found out that you came. I thought you weren't going to come since the bus left you. You are popular now due to the great thing you did" He smiled pleased "And I am proud to be one of your friends"

"Please don't be like that at least not you. I just did something really little and I am getting this praised?! ooh no!"

"Here have one" Cami passed an ice cream to me and Danny {the girl who was about to get stripped}.

"Have this" She also passed it to Zia and Gabriel but they passed it back.

"Hey, we are not like that. if you don't take it we will feel that you don't trust us. Am I right Jessica?" She asked as she passed it back.

"Yes...We can't buy something without considering you guys. So please have it" I told them when Cami passed it back to them.

"Okay" They both chorused.

"So, can I have your number since we are going on holiday after this the espectaculo, camping and all those stuff," Zia asked

"Really? Why is it that I am usually left out?" I asked confused cause I have realised that things usually got to me late.

"Cause you don't belong to the school gossip group" She smiled

"School gossip group??"

"Yep, that's where information is passed before they are even released" Gabriel responded this time.

"Are boys also there?" I asked addled

"No, we usually hear the girls talking about it" He snickered

"Oooo but Cami aren't you there?" I asked Camella who also looked as surprised as I was.

"No, and I have never even heard of it" She frowned slightly

"I could add you if you want" Zia offered.

"Well...sorry to say but I don't really like all those kinds of things. So, I guess I would have to decline your offer" I said politely to prevent disagreement

"Me too...." Cami chattered

"It's okay but hope I can still get your number" She sneered

"Of course" I smiled

"Okay, I think we need to go in now. We have been out for a long" Gabriel spoke and that was when I realised that we were meant to be in the art centre like everyone else.

"I forgot about that!.... Geez!! let's go" I said and then we made our way in

As my eyes gazed around when we were already inside, my mouth fell wide open as I saw all the artworks and also because of the number of people present, I didn't expect us to be this much in a class.

"Welcome to the Moyin art centre but please remember not to touch anything if you are not told to and don't talk while I am talking" A woman dressed in native wear spoke and we all gazed at each other one last time before our gaze resumed back to her.

"I am Zola, I will be showing you some of South Africa Art and I will briefly discuss their origin. Hope you enjoy learning about them" She said and then she went to stand in front of a stone which was uniquely in a glass.

"The art of the people of South Africa is the oldest known art in the world, dating back over 100,000 years. The archaeological discoveries there help scholars to date the evolution of cognition and intelligent progression.

South African Art in the modern era is influenced and moulded by the trials of the South African people under apartheid and the years of European involvement in the area expressed in the found art of Africans making sense of modern traditions, and the Dutch influence on both white and black artists" She began and then she touched the glass carefully

"This is an ochre plaque found from the Blombos cave more than 70,000 years old that is engraved with an unmistakably geometric motif," She said and a boy raised his hands.

"Ma sorry for the interruption but what is Blombos cave?" He asked and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Blombos Cave is an archaeological site located in Blombos Private Nature Reserve, about 300 km east of Cape Town on the Southern Cape coastline, South Africa. It is estimated to be 73,000 years old. it was first excavated in 1991–1992 as a part of Professor Christopher S. Henshilwood's (1995) doctoral thesis. at the University of Cambridge: Holocene archaeology of the coastal Garcia State Forest, southern Cape, South Africa. Does anyone have any questions on this before I proceed to another one?" She asked and no one raised their hands so she moved forward to a set of baskets spiralling in vivid bright colours.

"These are the Zulu baskets, they look like they are made from highly dried materials but they are just made from wires," She said as she touched them and then she showed us other artworks like the

•San Bushmen Rock Paintings by Drakensberg Mountains

•Elephants Charging over Quartos Country by Thomas Baines

•An Extensive View of Farmlands by JH Pierneef

•Pretoria Mural by Walter Battiss

•Song of the Pick by Gerard Sekoto

•The Rice Lady by Vladimir Tretchikoff

•The Conservationists Ball by William Kentridge

•The Butcher Boys by Jane Alexander •Ndebele Beadwork.

Then it was finally the last one and the best for me.

She showed us the Bosveld painting by Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef which I found very pretty.

"Bosveld is an oil painting produced in 1945 by South African painter Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef

Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef, a very talented painter, was an expert in producing landscape paintings based on a series of geometric structures by using lines, colours and flat surfaces" She said and then she finally turned.

"Thanks for visiting, it has finally come to an end. Have a safe journey" She smiled for the first time.

"You are welcome ma" We chorused and then Mr Micheal told us to get ready to leave as he headed toward Zola {the woman who thought us about SA arts}

"Do you guys want to come along? We want to go out to have fun" I asked Gabriel, Zia and Danny and we made our way out of the art centre.

"Of course" Gabriel and Zia replied

"Well.....no. You saved me, It's not right for me to start collecting favour from you. And thanks for the offer" Danny replied befitting

"No, don't be like that. Yes, I don't know you. That's why I want to hang out with you so that I can get to know more about you" I smiled pleadingly

"But....." She wanted to protest but I made a more pleading face so she gave in.

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