“When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said,” or so says Catherine Murdock.
How true. And so, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is doing its bit to stimulate conversation around a topic key to South Africa’s future – democracy, a subject that might otherwise not be discussed, debated or even reflected upon.
Enter Talking Heads and Talking Walls.
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| Talking Heads artwork of NMMU staff and students |
Both are initiatives to get staff and students thinking, talking and sharing about democracy, especially South Africa’s 20-year democracy and the role that higher education can play.
It is part of a bigger campaign within NMMU, and part of a national campaign being championed by Higher Education South Africa (HESA).
NMMU’s Talking Heads are large cut-out profiles of actual NMMU staff and students who also share their thoughts on democracy within the artwork silhouettes (see photograph above).
The Talking Walls are large Corex white boards on which staff and students are invited to share their thoughts on democracy. These have been positioned in busy areas on all six of NMMU’s campuses, some having several boards.
And so far so good … the conversation is flowing.
The HESA project, which is being rolled under the banner of the Common Campaign Days, is underway at all 23 institutions of higher learning throughout South Africa.
At NMMU, we have also introduced a democracy webpage, hosted a book launch, an environmental justice exhibition, an education seminar and a high profile discussion – called the Big Debate – around the post-school market. The latter was particularly successful with students tweeting their thoughts and opinions with the panelists.
But the Talking Heads and Talking Walls are ongoing – a welcome innovative addition on the NMMU landscape.
The number of profile artworks featuring NMMU staff and students will be increased and will travel from campus to campus, while the temporary Talking Walls will be joined by permanent, larger Talking Walls throughout NMMU. These walls will host other interesting discussions and will, in future, form part of the university’s public art.
So please join the conversation.
What does democracy mean to you? Go to http://intra.nmmu.ac.za/Soapbox/May-2014-(1)/20-years-of-democracy
It is part of a bigger campaign within NMMU, and part of a national campaign being championed by Higher Education South Africa (HESA).
NMMU’s Talking Heads are large cut-out profiles of actual NMMU staff and students who also share their thoughts on democracy within the artwork silhouettes (see photograph above).
The Talking Walls are large Corex white boards on which staff and students are invited to share their thoughts on democracy. These have been positioned in busy areas on all six of NMMU’s campuses, some having several boards.
And so far so good … the conversation is flowing.
 |
| NMMU student Khanya Mdlankomo shares her thoughts on the Talking Wall. |
The HESA project, which is being rolled under the banner of the Common Campaign Days, is underway at all 23 institutions of higher learning throughout South Africa.
At NMMU, we have also introduced a democracy webpage, hosted a book launch, an environmental justice exhibition, an education seminar and a high profile discussion – called the Big Debate – around the post-school market. The latter was particularly successful with students tweeting their thoughts and opinions with the panelists.
But the Talking Heads and Talking Walls are ongoing – a welcome innovative addition on the NMMU landscape.
The number of profile artworks featuring NMMU staff and students will be increased and will travel from campus to campus, while the temporary Talking Walls will be joined by permanent, larger Talking Walls throughout NMMU. These walls will host other interesting discussions and will, in future, form part of the university’s public art.
So please join the conversation.
What does democracy mean to you? Go to http://intra.nmmu.ac.za/Soapbox/May-2014-(1)/20-years-of-democracy
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