FNB Premier Banking has unveiled a commemorative art piece inspired by the tributes received for its "A tribute to 21 years of freedom" campaign. South African celebrities gathered together to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela at an event held at the Killarney Country Club.
The work of art, entitled Ndiwelimilambo Enamagama- a Thembu expression meaning "a great man that has crossed many rivers", was created by Andy Roberston from Glyph. The piece is a monumental landscape that depicts a personal portrait of who Mandela is. His shirt and much of the landscape are a translation cleverly incorporating many of the tributes that were sent in from South Africans countrywide.
"As a person who shares in Nelson Mandela's awe of our beautiful country, I felt it was important to set a scene he would approve of," said Robertson. "I wanted to paint a potentially treacherous landscape in the most serene way, in order to show how Madiba's amazing outlook makes everything seem surmountable.
Making the piece a "mindscape" as much as a landscape also allowed me exaggerate wide rivers and high mountains, but still echo the familiar look of the Eastern Cape; a place I understand is close to Mandela's heart," he explained.
One Africa, one people, one destiny
Ndaba Mandela, (Nelson Mandela's grandson) who accepted the painting on behalf of Madiba said: "It is with great pride that I congratulate the people of SA on 17 years of freedom - one Africa, one people, one destiny."
"We hope that the painting will become part of Nelson Mandela's personal collection as a treasured memento of this incredible milestone that is 21 years of Freedom," said Lezanne Human, CEO of FNB Premier Banking.
