THE DEAL
At the beginning of February, the Wanted team attended the Rolex Arts Weekend in Cape Town. This two-day celebration was the culmination of the current cycle of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts programme. This initiative pairs an international mix of master artists with emerging artists for a period of creative exchange and, as the name suggests, mentoring. The two-day festival was a chance to see the programme and its participants in action.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
There are few global projects that provide this level of backing and freedom for visual artists, dancers, film and theatre makers, architects, and writers. Rolex offers the protégés financial support, guidance, and the opportunity to work with the finest in their fields. The knock-on effect for the protégés’ communities, their families, and peers is significant too. Plus, our lives are made richer by the magic the mentors and protégés create together.
Report Back
Report back: Why you should care about the Rolex Mentor and Protégé programme
Wanted editor Sarah Buitendach reflects on the Rolex Arts Weekend — the cultural initiative you’ve got to be clued up on
Image: Supplied
THE DEAL
At the beginning of February, the Wanted team attended the Rolex Arts Weekend in Cape Town. This two-day celebration was the culmination of the current cycle of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts programme. This initiative pairs an international mix of master artists with emerging artists for a period of creative exchange and, as the name suggests, mentoring. The two-day festival was a chance to see the programme and its participants in action.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
There are few global projects that provide this level of backing and freedom for visual artists, dancers, film and theatre makers, architects, and writers. Rolex offers the protégés financial support, guidance, and the opportunity to work with the finest in their fields. The knock-on effect for the protégés’ communities, their families, and peers is significant too. Plus, our lives are made richer by the magic the mentors and protégés create together.
Image: Supplied
WHO WE SAW
The dancers: Senegalese protégée and street dancer Khoudia Touré and collaborated with mentor Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite. We were treated to some of When the night comes, the dance they worked on together.
THE WRITERS
Under the tutelage of Irish literary guru Colm Tóibín (he of Brooklyn and Nora Webster fame), protégé Colin Barrett completed his first novel, The English Brothers — an extract of which was performed at the weekend.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
THE MUSICIANS
American protégé and drummer Marcus Gilmore debuted his composition, pulse, with former Rolex literature protégée Tracy K Smith and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performed with his mentor, the legendary tabla player, Zakir Hussain.
THE ARCHITECTS
The brilliant Niger-based protégée Mariam Kamara and her mentor, Ghanaian-born British architect Sir David Adjaye presented their plans for a new cultural centre in Niamey, Niger’s capital.
Image: Supplied
Next up: The seriously impressive mentors for the 2020-2022 cycle are:
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Cape Town to host the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts celebration
• From the March issue of Wanted 2020.