Influenced from a young age by South Africa’s socio-political discourse, this year’s National Arts Festival featured artist Mamela Nyamza has been giving provocative performances, pushing audiences to look retrospectively at their own lives.
The struggle of any artist is to achieve recognition for their talent, while yearning for acknowledgement for their efforts, Nyamza says.
“As a dancer you do feel marginalised but we are also artists performing not only for entertainment but to speak to society and bring a message across,” he says.
For the first time in its 44-year history the National Arts Festival (NAF) is celebrating the artistic talent of a celebrated dancer and choreographer by honouring Nyamza with the title of featured artist.
This, says Nyamza, is a great opportunity to highlight the difficulties experienced by dancers.
“You can have all the knowledge and qualifications [as a dancer] but sit at home because there are few spaces for us.
“Finally getting the acknowledgement at home is a great privilege and honour – it has put dance as an art on the map.”
Nyamza’s politically charged work tackles issues which challenge societal norms while taking her audience on a personal journey of reflection.
“I am more than happy to be known as an artist who is active for the good cause, to ensure that black artists in general are not put in, or confined, to the periphery, but that they are also given equal, empowering opportunities to grow and excel in their respective genres of art.”
One of Nyamza’s confirmed performances, Hatched, is punted as a sequel to her previous work Hatch, which she performed 10 years ago alongside her then eight-year-old son Amkele. Hatched will feature Amkele at 18.
It continues to explore and reflect on her personal life as a mother and artist while examining deeply personal and challenging issues of culture, tradition and a woman’s evolving sexuality within the customary rites and rituals of marriage.
“I dream of a day when I showcase my work and audience members will watch the work without judging it and swearing to never go back to the Baxter Theatre if ‘such vulgar and savage work is being shown’,” Nyamza said.
She sees her performances as a means both to express herself and to make people think.
“I want people to watch and think – everyone has their own individual perceptions and everyone will take away something different from the experience.”
The driving force behind her work – the need to bring about change that will give black artists equal, empowering opportunities to grow and excel – underpins her tenacity to be an arts activist.
“Everyone is hungry for the cake but not all are willing to share. Funding remains a huge problem, some of us end up leaving dance because we are not getting paid.
“Although this is a great honour and privilege [to be named featured artist] it is only a moment and then it is gone.”
NAF 2018 Dance Programme Curator David April notes that Nyamza’s work remains politically charged, tackling issues which challenge societal norms including religion and gender discourse.
“It is quite fitting that audiences far and wide will be given the opportunity to witness her work,” says April.
“Nyamza encapsulates what Nina Simone once articulated – that an artist’s duty, as far as she is concerned, is to reflect the times, might they be painters, sculptors, poets, musicians.”
Mamela Nyamza is performing in three different productions: Hatched, Phuma- Langa and Black Privilege. Although the first two have ended, Black Privilege is on Saturday and Sunday at 6pm, at Alec Mullins.