FynArts kicks off on Friday June 9, 2023 in Hermanus with the 11th edition of the annual festival. A big draw-card of FynArts is its Winter School which includes presentations, workshops and demonstrations.  These sessions are intimate, with limited tickets. Ditch the podcast, earphones and interact with people in real time. There is bound to be spirited conversation and dialogue. FynArts is on June 9-18, 2023 – 10 days. Here is a quickie look at some of the sessions:

Conversations/presentations:

Browse the extensive programme here: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/discipline/presentations/

Presentations:

On June 10, in I’ve Seen That Face Before, Dr Kathryn Smith will talk about the art of forensic facial imaging and her work. Dr Smith is an artist, curator and forensic facial imaging expert and she will introduce the history of Forensic Art and demonstrate “the impact that facial reconstructions can have on forensic identification and archaeological research, from contributing to the investigative process, to restoring a sense of personhood to the unknown or unidentified.” Book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/event/ive-seen-face/

On June 12, in Mandela and South African Freedom, Sidney Luckett is talking about involvement in the Anti-Apartheid struggle “and the role he played in the formation of the United Democratic Front in the 1980s” and he will provide insights into the “UDF’s vision of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic South Africa and its key activities, including the important role of the media (especially photography) and symbolism, with two focal points: the person of Nelson Mandela and the Freedom Charter.”  In his talk, “the Anti-Apartheid struggle will also be compared with contemporary Climate Change campaigns – both their strengths and weaknesses.” Book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/event/mandela-south-african-freedom/

Book talks:

On June 17, Tan Twang Eng will be in conversation with Christopher Hope and they will be taking about his new novel, The House of Doors – inspired by Somerset Maugham’s visit to British Malaya.  I am reading the novel and loving it. Twan was born in Penang, Malaysia and now lives in South Africa. His first novel, The Gift of Rain, was longlisted for the 2007 Booker Prize and his second novel, The Garden of Evening Mists, won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and was adapted into an award-winning film. He has been doing book launches of The House of Doors on the international book festival circuit, so get to Hermanus and see him in conversation with South African writer, Christopher Hope, who resides in France. Click to book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/event/in-conversation-4/

On June 17, Tan Twang Eng, will be in conversation with Lodewayk G du Plessis, discussing his novel which was published in 2018, when he was 80. It was his debut novel and won six prestigious Afrikaans literary prizes and has been translated into English by Michiel Heyns as The Dao of Daniel. Click and book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/event/in-conversation-3/

On June 15, in a presentation, titled, The Talk of The Moon, Christopher Hope is talking about and reading from celebrated poems by the late Stephen Watson and talking about the book, Talk of the Moon- “narratives of the /Xam branch of San ‘Bushmen’” which “were originally recorded by Dr WH Bleek when, as prisoners, they were brought to live and work in his garden in Mowbray in the 1870s.”  Click here to book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/event/return-of-the-moon/

Workshops

Workshops are as popular as ever. Fully booked workshops include Knife Skills 101, Cellphone Photography and Charcoal is Fun (two sessions sold out). Hobbies is a hot pursuit of millennials in the UK and has been tagged as Obby so get with the trend and nab a last-minute-ticket and learn a new skill or up-skill. Click to book: http://hermanusfynarts.co.za/discipline/workshops/

Facial recognition: Dr Kathryn Smith will talk on June 10, about the art of forensic facial imaging and her work at FynArts 2023. The talk is titled: I’ve Seen That Face Before.

✳ Images supplied. Featured image- Dr Kathryn Smith will talk about the art of forensic facial imaging and her work at FynArts 2023. The talk is titled: I’ve Seen That Face Before.

Related coverage on TheCapeRobyn: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/festival-news-the-2023-fynarts-festival-is-an-epic-fusion-of-arts-festival-and-winter-school/