The Thami Mnyele Foundation proudly brings to your attention the Thami Mnyele and Medu Art Ensemble Retrospective Exhibition. From 30 November 2008 until 30 March 2009, Johannesburg Art Gallery presents this exhibition in honour of the memory of Thami Mnyele, the South African resistance artist who died at the hands of apartheid security forces in the 1980s. The exhibition will cover various aspects of Mnyele's life and work alongside archival material. There is a special room dedicated to artists that have been guests artists at the residency program of the Thami Mnyele Foundation in Amsterdam. The exhibition will be complemented by a three-day conference on the 2nd, 3rd and the 4th of December. Themes covered by the conference include: Art and Resistance, a discussion between Medu members, Freedom of Expression and the Independence of the Judiciary. Among the invited participants are Justice Albie Sachs, Prof. Adam Habib and Prof Wille Kgosisitle. Pauline Burmann (Chair person Thami Mnyele Foundation)will take part in the panelits of the "The Role of Arts in Society through Education" session, together with Mike van Graan, David Koloane and Benjy Francis.

Thami Mnyele was a talented artist from Alexandra. He was committed to bring about social change in South Africa through art. This led him to exile in Botswana, where he became a cultural worker with the Medu Art Ensemble, co-founded by his friend Mongane Wally Serote. Medu had units dedicated to the anti-apartheid struggle, dealing with music, theatre, visual arts, graphics and cinema, and counted among its ranks Deputy President Baleka Mbete as well as musicians Hugh Masekela and Jonas Gwangwa.

Participating artists: Dineo Bopape, Nicholas Hlobo, Sue Williamson, Senzeni marasela, Moshekwa Langa, Jeremy Wafer, Alinah ndebele
Clifford Charles, David Koloane, Pat maultoa, Dominique Tshabangu
Stephan Maqashela.