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SA painting takes centre stage at Art & Diplomacy exhibition in New York

Art and sport serve to unify communities and nations

Sandy Esau's '2010 Soccer World Cup' was one of the highlights of the Society of Foreign Consuls' Art and Diplomacy exhibition at the Moroccan consulate-general in New York, US.
Sandy Esau's '2010 Soccer World Cup' was one of the highlights of the Society of Foreign Consuls' Art and Diplomacy exhibition at the Moroccan consulate-general in New York, US.
Image: Supplied.

A South African oil and acrylic painting entitled 2010 Soccer World Cup was one of the highlights of the Art and Diplomacy exhibition at the consulate-general of the Kingdom of Morocco in New York City.

The event was held on Friday in collaboration with the South African consulate-general and the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York (SoFC). South Africa and Morocco serve on the executive committee of the SoFC, representing Africa.

Award-winning artist Sandy Esau was born in Darling, Western Cape, in 1968 but died in 2021. In 2007 one of his works was auctioned for R55,000 at the Greeff Road of Hope Gallery, where then-finance minister Trevor Manuel was the host. In 2002 Esau won a national art contest at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

“I paint my community around me, the houses, the dorp with its ‘stoepsitters’, the shop fronts, the dancers, Nguni cows, Cape [minstrels], children, my family and friends, and the everyday life around me,” Esau told The Cape Gallery website before his death.

South African consul-general Simon Cardy said the artwork was selected for its vivid depiction of everyday life in SA.

South African consul-general Simon Cardy in New York.
South African consul-general Simon Cardy in New York.
Image: Supplied.

“We chose one of Esau’s paintings from the consulate-general’s artwork collection to display at the diplomatic art festival because it is a good example of South African people-centred art that is accessible to everyone,” he told TimesLIVE.

“Esau developed a reputation for capturing through his artworks the scenes and emotions of the everyday life of South Africans, especially those living in poverty. In this painting we see children immersed in their favourite pastime of soccer, but with a reference to the Fifa 2010 World Cup hosted in South Africa.

“The painting is alive with a sense of excitement and determination, as we can imagine that the children see themselves playing not on a dirt path in a shantytown but for our national team, Bafana Bafana, on the greatest world stage. A year from now, that stage will be here as the US, Canada and Mexico co-host the next Fifa World Cup.

“South Africans viewing this artwork would no doubt also recall our first democratic president Nelson Mandela’s observation: ‘Sport has the power to change the world.’ The painting was therefore also selected with the view to recognise the importance of sport, in this case soccer, in inspiring transformational change, improving people’s lives and bringing together local and global communities.

Diplomats gather at the reception to kick off 2025 for the Society of Foreign Consuls' Art and Diplomacy exhibition.
Diplomats gather at the reception to kick off 2025 for the Society of Foreign Consuls' Art and Diplomacy exhibition.
Image: Supplied.

“My personal highlight from this event was seeing the diplomatic community, including representatives of the US federal government and New York as our host nation and city, coming together to celebrate the unifying power of art and culture.

“On the occasion of the centenary anniversary of the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, we wanted to send this message of unity and hope at a time when international co-operation is needed more than ever.

“We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences and best wishes to those affected by the devastating fires in Los Angeles. This follows other natural disasters here in the US in recent months, such as the floods in the Carolinas and Kentucky.”

The Art and Diplomacy exhibition is the first in a series of events planned for 2025 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the SoFC.

Amir Farid Abu Hasan, president of SoFC and consul-general of Malaysia in New York, said: “This exhibition is a testament to the power of art as a unifying language. It bridges divides, celebrates diversity and strengthens the bonds between nations.”


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