WATCH | Exhibition gives children a chance to express themselves

The Mark Jeneker foundation partnered with two other non-profit organisations to host a children’s art exhibition at the Town Centre Library.

The exhibition, on Friday 19 September, was one of several across the city and was done in collaboration with the Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECD) and the Cape Town Museum of Childhood.

Kirsty Johnson of CECD said the aim of the exhibition was to give children a safe space to express themselves.

“Today we just wanted to celebrate the artwork done by your children,” Johnson said.

The exhibition was done in two parts. The first part gave children 90 minutes to make an art piece using clay or paint.

“The children had just an hour and a half to learn how to do the art and put it together,” said Navarne Weeder, the visitor experience officer for the Cape Town Museum of Childhood.

The second session exhibited the work and the children’s parents and caregivers were invited to see it exhibited in the Town Centre Library’s hall.

“This is our second exhibition. We had another one in Vrygrond and we will be rolling out another one now,” Weeder said.

He said the museum worked to uplift children.

“This is our way of celebrating children, by giving them something, empowering them,” he said.

The programme aimed to target 480 children.

“It was such a big number of children that we targeted but it was so interesting to see the interest from the children,” he said. “You never know what a child is capable of unless you give them the tools to express themselves.”

Art therapist Mark Jeneker added: “Not all the children will talk to their mommy or their teacher about a small problem or a big problem. You will beg them and they still won’t say anything. Especially where bullying is concerned because that is what is breaking the spirit of our children. But art gives them a way to express themselves. Art brings people together. Art brings communities together. We don’t know if any of the children sitting here will be the next president. My child is your child and your child is my child. And that is how this country will come right.”