Artist Proof Studio
I was the Special Projects Coordinator at Artist Proof Studio from 2014-2017.
Artist Proof Studio was founded in 1991 by Kim Berman and Nhlanhla Xaba as a community printmaking centre that reflected the spirit of a healthy democracy and the ideals expressed in the new South African constitution. Printmaking was seen as a democratic medium and a counterforce to the suspicion and division left from the apartheid years. APS became one of the pioneering community art centres in what would eventually become the cultural hub for the city of Johannesburg: Newtown.
During the last 25 years, APS has grown from a small, rudimentarily equipped printmaking studio to one of the largest and most vibrant community and professional printmaking facilities in Southern Africa, accommodating up to 60 students per year and also hosting, publishing, and providing print edition facilities and collaborative project opportunities for many artists each year.
Paper Prayers
Artist Proof Studio has realized the enormous impact creativity has on healing. The concept of Paper Prayers originates from the Japanese custom of offering painted strips of paper as prayers for healing the sick. Participants made two prayers: one was kept and one was donated. Addressing issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, this process of producing small works of art creates a supportive environment for participants to express their messages in their artworks. I ran the Paper Prayers workshops for Artist Proof Studio for five years. These photos show a workshop tailored for third year students, creating prints with messages of love and appreciation for their teachers and fellow artists. The students created a time capsule and the prayers were placed into them for their teachers to read and the students to reflect on in the future.
