The oldest artworks in Africa are those made by the San and found in caves. I suspect that they painted on rocks in the open air as well, but the natural materials they used did not last outside. But, as it goes with excellent genes, the artistic talent of the San people is in full flourish today! Yay for all the wonderful enduring paints they now have access to!
As this is a blog where I have to paint (I have to, seriously!), I painted this passage which is the start of the hiking trail, the indigenous plant garden and the tour of the farm. How cleverly the builders have once again made use of the idea of "anticipation", leading us towards the outside areas through this story-corridor! I liked the hollow window where we could gaze to the sea in the distance....that is my beloved next-door neighbour, the ocean, just visible from !Khwa Ttu.
Now look at these wonderful wall paintings done by current San residents of !Khwa Ttu! They have such interesting schema (formulas) for doing trees. They are not daunted by branches and show the best side, like the Egyptians did. Can you see that picture where "dreams" in the form of multi-coloured dots find their way back to a large tree, symbol of the artist's "birthplace"?Don't we all treasure our past and our childhood? These walls gave San artists the means of expanding their love of story-telling and personal history.
If you are interested in more San paintings, please visit fellow blogger Roger Brown who has also been to a San Centre, the one in Botswana. He gives a link where more art can be seen. I am not going to say " to be continued" today. The Cape is suddenly cold and stormy with winter upon us. So, I will do a "second season" later, as they say on TV!
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