Karnagie Sharp's diary Day 4
The name Philamon is not familiar by any means…Degas, Monet, Picasso are artists we identify with. Their works of art are recognised the world over. I’m not an artist, not a painter so my perception of what good art is, could easily be contested.  | | Philamon's makeshift bathroom. |
Today, I was exposed to the art works of Philamon, which I considered to be quite a talent. Philamon is a pupil at Nonhlevu Secondary. He is a self taught artist. He is in his final year at school, with a vision to one day become a professional artist, but his dream is challenged by the way in which he exists. He lives in one of South Africa’s post apartheid "developed" residential areas; a squatter camp…his situation is desperate. On leaving school, he will probably strive to try and get into tertiary education to make his dream become a reality but chances of that success story taking place are slim…Philamon paints without being taught how to. He has what people consider to be "raw talent". One of his recent paintings was chosen by the Kwa Zulu Natal’s tourist board to be part of one of their official calendars. He showed me the calendar, his most prized possession, with immense pride and joy. "I want to be an artist one day", he said. I told him he was already an artist. He said, "Yes, but I want to do this professionally, I want to go to college".  | | Philamon's painting of an African Kraal. |
I didn’t respond to him, I wasn’t sure how to, I just nodded my head and smiled and hoped that this young lad for all his enthusiasm and passion will one day become the man he wants to be. Away from this poverty and this life he will step into something more promising, more meaningful, more fulfilling…if he ever gets the opportunity to do so. He will after all be given a fair chance to do what he really wants to do. There are many Philamons here at Nonhlevu, with dreams big enough to pull at the heart strings of any individual. I’m amazed that this child gets the inspiration to do the type of work he does irrespective of his desperate conditions. The one thing that he does have is hope, a hope that’s being fuelled by this project, where six Berkshire schools have taken the time to pay attention to situations like these.
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