100 Tiles, One Message: Art speaks out against GBVF

by Gerrit Bester

As the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) unfold from 25 November to 10 December, the Faculty of Arts and Design at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) unveiled a powerful message: there is no room for violence against women and girls.

A campus collage brings to life 100 tiles painted by delegates at the Faculty’s GBVF symposium, Canvas for Change: Creative Pathways to Eradicate Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, held earlier this year, energising conversation, deepening awareness and sustaining education to end GBVF in our country.

Attendees at the symposium were invited to participate in a collaborative ceramic-tile project addressing GBVF through creative practice.

The 100 hand-painted tiles were created by participants in response to this critical issue, aligned with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) to end GBVF (100-day challenge GBVF South Africa).

Viola Greyling, lecturer in the Department of Fine and Studio Arts, demonstrated ceramic underglaze techniques and offered visual inspiration. Participants were encouraged to express themselves freely, through words, images, or symbols, reflecting their thoughts and experiences of GBVF and its impact on South African society.

Asked about the significance of this project and her thoughts on the relevance of the 16 Days of Activism against GBVF, Prof Nalini Moodley, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design and leader of the TUT Research Niche Area on Artivism as a Tool to Combat Gender-Based Violence(s), responded as follows: “Research shows that focused campaigns can strengthen public awareness and support behavioural change. This tile project will be a constant reminder of the role that art plays as it enables communities to express trauma, challenge harmful norms and build empathy through a shared cultural experience. These 100 tiles are part of the national 100-day challenge against GBVF and will assist in creating awareness on the Arts Campus.”

The collage can be viewed adjacent to the stairs leading to the cafeteria from Building 5 on the Arts Campus.

A campus collage brings to life 100 tiles painted by delegates at the Faculty of Arts and Design’s Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) symposium, Canvas for Change: Creative Pathways to Eradicate Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, held earlier this year.

PHOTOS: Didintle Morudu, Calvin Mashabela, Thato Sephai and Yibanthi Goniwe