My first visit to South Africa I made in 2001, and against all negative advises I decided to stay in Umlazi, a huge township near Durban.
During the three weeks I stayed, the people around me where warm and welcoming,teaching me a lot about the township life. The way people live there is very social with togetherness - called UBUNTU in isiZulu - but also a tough life with real poverty around the corner.
Singing and dancing help them to make the world go round - listen to the many beautiful choirs like Ladysmith Black Mombazo, The Soweto Gospel Choir, and many others.
Falling in love with the inspiration through the smiles and good vibes, I started to give my share back to paint for fun with the children. Looking at the real Xynergy (synergy by creating art together, a kind of Ubuntu) that arose, I was invited to come paint with groups of children in schools. So there I was, staying in AA section, but painting together in B-section and S-section schools, and singing and dancing in the streets and shebeens, learning to express in a natural way like them.
South Africa got me and this grew into more and more travels and projects and in 2002 Xynergy Foundation for Art, Culture & Education in South Africa was born, based in the Netherlands. By several sponsors and team building painting sessions I organised in my studio in the Netherlands, money came in for schools in South Africa, where I organised the art projects. The projects became bigger; wall size canvas painted by hands and face with large groups of children, to sometimes minimusicals with drums and choirs -
Projects:
- in the Drakensberg in 2004;
- with orphan kiddies in Valley of 1000 Hills in 2005;
- with deaf and blind children in Qua Qua;
- with Drakensberg Boys Choir in 2007;
- a major performance painting and dancing in an Art Gallery in Durban in 2008;
- music and art projects at various schools in Drakensberg in 2009, 2010 and 2011;
- nature awareness connected to art with lions-project in 2012 and 2013.
From 2014 there I took a sabbatical pause, to digest the booming years with the kids, and to gain new money for the future. One way to do that, is the selling of Art Cards of lion drawing by the children and by me…..soon available at various selling points and a web-shop on this site.
But already available by sending me a request by e-mail: xynergy.chimara@gmail.com.
More info & photo’s on www.xynergy.nl/south-africa