Canvas 2020: a night of creative art and fun

Canvas, which started in the early 80’s as decorative art in the Duikweg on the North-West University Potchefstroom campus for the winners of previous RAG events, has over the years progressed into a public showcase of artwork in the amphitheatre for all to see. 

Canvas is hosted annually by the SCC: Arts Council. It involves students from residences painting a canvas (artwork on a blank wall) based on an annual theme. 

On Thursday, February 13, the 14 “sleep“ residences started to get ready for the event.

Weeks of planning involved preparation work and sketching their artwork. Residences were permitted to start at 18:00 and had to finish at 06:00 the next morning. 

The finished products were viewed and graded by external judges based on the following criteria: use of space, representation of the theme, authenticity and colour usage. The winners will be announced in August.

This year’s theme was “not all is as it seems”, and residences had the opportunity to interpret this term and incorporate it into their artwork.

This broad theme was interpreted differently by students based on everyday life. These interpretations were presented to the judges to explain the concepts. 

Rian Retief, a third-year BCom Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations student and Veritas House Committee (HC) member: Arts, said he is particularly fond of creative arts.

He said it allows him to express himself and that Canvas provides everyone with the same shared space to express themselves. The theme of this year’s Canvas did just that by encouraging students to think outside of the box.  

The theme required students to have a more abstract idea of what everyday life entails.

“How certain are we that we are experiencing actual reality. For all we know we could be constantly monitored by mathematicians or scientists as part of an experiment,” said Retief. 

Theunis van Wyk, Student Campus Council (SCC): Art Council, said: “This year we went bigger.” He said that live entertainment is what made this year unique. For the first time in Canvas history, entertainment was provided with music by groups Glimpse and Gospella, and the dance group Dysfunctional Beat. 

Activities such as “Guess the Artist” and “Speed Sketch” took place to keep the spectators involved. “Speed Sketch” revolved around House Committee members drawing their Primari. 

This was accompanied by the “Puk soek stuk” event where each residence had to nominate an individual to be auctioned off to the crowd.

Those who were auctioned off were obligated to engage in a speed date and answer various “never had I ever” questions.

Erasmus Esterhuizen, Master of Ceremonies (MC) for “Puk soek stuk”, said the evening was eventful.

He added that due to the busy student calendar the collaboration between these two events provided much laughter and amusement for the spectators.

All funds will go to the Secretary-General portfolio.