Contagious Creativity

The Studios at Lifestyle Centre, Ballito: 5 Feb – 9 March 2021
Opening – day-time Friday 5 February
The new Gallery in Ballito’s Lifestyle Centre is opening its second exhibition, titled “Contagious Creativity”, on Friday 5 February 2021, running till 9 March 2021 featuring mixed media work by some of the most interesting new creatives of all ages from every corner of KZN.
To navigate around Covid protocols and to ensure limited number of guests at any one time in the gallery space – the opening will be staggered throughout the day on Friday – with pop up performances, happenings, installations, a fashion / modelling show and music taking place at intervals throughout the day (Friday 5 February).
A wide range of arts, design, creative writing and music will be showcased, including paintings, drawings, print, mixed media, photography, sculpture, multi-media, fashion, furniture, an award-winning architectural project, woven ware and a few installations made by our youth in the community, especially for this exhibition.
The Gallery at The Studios at Lifestyle Centre has been open for just five weeks and has taken the KwaZulu Natal arts scene by storm. According to Jane Digby, local artist and the driving force behind The Gallery, the first exhibition received an incredible response from the local community on the North Coast, as well as the holiday makers that visited the area during the festive season. “68 artworks were sold across 20 artists, which is a fantastic result. This is a magnificent, contemporary gallery that is conducive to optimally displaying art as well as browsing,” she said.
A ‘Call for Artist’ was distributed in December, calling on creatives to apply digitally for selection and inclusion in this new exhibition, showcasing the talent KwaZulu Natal has to offer. “We are selecting artworks that will create a visually exciting exhibition experience, with the intention that it will remain a lasting memory that will create engagement in the arts, as well as bring hope at this time of adversity,” explained Jane Digby.
The experiential mezzanine area has been hugely popular during The Gallery’s first five weeks, with the public making their mark on the ‘Interactive Walls’ relating to topical /pertinent social issues. “New interactive walls will be installed for the second exhibition to take it further, encouraging creative writing and much therapeutic doodling,” said Digby. “We invite anyone to come along and let their voice be heard.”
The Gallery also has many exciting workshops lined up after 15 February, once restrictions have been lifted and only when it is safe to do so. These will include oil painting, drawing, figure drawing, linocuts, creative writing, cell phone photography, digital SLR photography and many more. In the meantime, the public are welcome to paint, draw, build puzzles, read, work and enjoy the creative Covid-safe space, along with excellent coffee from The Coffee Lab, brewed personally by owner and barista, Sbusiso, within The Gallery. “We have a number of regulars who enjoy their morning fix in the company of a huge selection of arts. You can also find the finest range of the latest Ardmore homeware designs at our neighbour, Ardmore boutique. We have so much to offer during these extraordinary times,” enthused Digby. “Our team, including myself, David, Lynda, Tamsin, Simo and Winnow are on hand to welcome and assist art lovers, browsers, or anyone who enjoys a beautiful space.”
The plans for The Studios, opposite Weylandts, to host a number of smaller bespoke line shops and fitness studios, were unable to be brought to fruition due to the impact of the Coronavirus and lockdown earlier in the year, but owner of Lifestyle Centre, Bruce Rencken, came up with the idea to utilise the space to showcase the work of the local art community.
“Bruce Rencken has offered local artists the most incredible opportunity to exhibit in The Gallery, a magnificent, industrial space of about 600m2, ideally positioned opposite Weylandts and close to the many restaurants on Eat Street,” Digby excitedly explained.
The Gallery is situated opposite Weylandts at Lifestyle Centre. Opening hours are 9am till 5pm.
For a full list of creatives participating in the “Contagious Creativity” exhibition, go to www.ballitolifestylecentre.co.za/thegallery or follow The Gallery on Instagram or Facebook: @thegallerylifestyle.