The South African Government through the Department of Arts and Culture, and the Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation will participate in the Traditional Costumes and Design Exhibition to be held from the 6th of March until the end of May 2018 at the All Russia Decorative Art Museum in Moscow, Russia.
The exhibition serves as an expression of inspiration in the form of traditional costumes and contemporary fashion designs and accessories. The garments, artifact and accessories will be samples accessed from cooperatives, cultural groups and local designers. The Exhibition will also display selected beautiful objects from South Africa as
identified by the National Department of Arts and Culture.
The visitors to the exhibition will also have an opportunity to purchase souvenirs similar to some of the items and accessories, which will be on show in the exhibition. The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation will use the “Pop-Up Store” concept at the museum shop to create a sustainable profitable market for local crafters and designers in Russia. The Pop-Up shop will be operated until May 2018 and it will sell various artistic products including Neck Pieces, Hand Bridal Beads, Ponchos and Ndebele Dolls from selected crafters and designers from Cooperatives across the country.
The programme also includes participation in the Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week from the 10th – 16th of March in Russia which is expected to be attended by fashion designers, buyers and manufacturers from across the world. The National Department of Arts and Culture will support four designers from South Africa - Maxhosa, ERRE, Rich Mnisi and Ekta who will be part of the Fashion Week. They will be provided with a platform to showcase
their work which will be a collection of contemporary designs; which will give them great international exposure and opportunities.
The SA Designers show will take place at 18:00. After all other designers have showcased their collections, at 22:00
the South African designers will have the opportunity to meet with buyers and discuss further about their collections
and possible business ventures surfacing.
The last leg of the programme in Moscow will be the participation of Human Museum Scientists from South Africa and Russia in a Museum Collaboration Workshop. This capacity building and idea sharing workshop is aimed at encouraging sustainable long term collaboration between South Africa and Russia in the following areas among others: Performance Management and Governance, Preservation and Conservation Programme, Exhibition, Experts and Expertise/Knowledge Exchanges, New media and Technology in Museum Management and
Presentation, Audience Development and Educational Programmes.
All these activities are part of the South Africa and Russia Cultural Seasons, which are aimed at displaying, promoting and sharing artistic expertise and excellence between the two countries in a quest to strengthen cultural and people to people relations and expand cultural trade and cultural tourism. The government of South Africa and the Russian Federation signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of Arts and Culture on the 29th of April 1999 which was
ratified in 2008. Areas of focus for the agreement include Heritage, Film, Music, Theatre, Exhibitions, Festivals, Song and Dance, Cuisine, Cultural Economy, Institutional Collaboration and other Multidisciplinary Activities.
The Director General for the Department of Arts and Culture, Mr. Vusimuzi Mkhize, will lead the South African Official Opening Ceremony themed: Africa Explosion: “Traditional Motifs in Fashion and Design from South Africa on the 6th of March at the All-Russian Decorative Art Museum in Moscow, Delegatskaya, 3 at 13h00. The attractions for the South African exhibition will include traditional costumes created by different cultural groups in South Africa from monochrome San Clothes to multi-coloured sets of Ndebele people.
Issued by the Department of Arts and Culture
Author: Anna Dorozhkina