17 Jun 2021

Thapong Visual Arts Centre in collaboration with Empire Arts Consultancy will hold a 10-day art exhibition and panel discussion dubbed Shimmie Solo Exhibition.

In an interview in Gaborone on Wednesday, Empire Arts Consultancy founder and director, Obed Mokhuhlani said the event themed Raising The 21st Boy Child,  would be held at Thapong Visual Arts Centre from Saturday until June 29.

Mokhuhlani said the exhibition would feature an emerging young male artist, Boemo Lunga to showcase his art works both his drawings and paintings.

Mokhuhlani said ‘Shimmie’ was coined from the Setswana  word mosimane, which denotes a boy child looked down upon, saying social narratives had over the years, dwelt on the girl child and mostly as a victim of the boy child.

He said the exclusion had been detrimental to the progress of addressing some social discourses such as gender based violence.

The organiser said the pattern excluded and neglected the boy child, therefore  Shimmie Solo Exhibition and the panel discussion, intended to engage a dialogue and visuals  to address and raise awareness about some of  the challenges.

“This is the second exhibition by Empire Arts Consultancy. The event seek to bring in a new dimension to infuse an immersive experience with didactic session where the public engage  on social discourses meant for nation building,” he said.

Mokhuhlani said the panel discussion would be facilitated by Botswana Organisation for Fathers and Children founding chairperson, Dr Lesedi Mashumba, while some community leaders and influential individuals from the business and education sectors would be featured in the panel discussion. ENDS