By Nangamso Mabindla
25 May 2007

IT'S an exhibition with a difference at the East London Ann Bryant Art Gallery.

The Anything but Painting exhibit opened at the East London gallery on 24 May, and will run for two weeks. The official opening was attended by the MEC for finance, Billy Nel.

The exhibition invites artists working in different media to showcase their works to local art lovers.

"We have artists from Mdantsane doing work with wood, and then we have ceramics, poetry and other forms of art – as long as it's not painting," explained Amitabh Mitra, chairman of the East London Art Society.

Adding to the excited air at the opening, young learners from Clarendon Girls Primary School performed a musical programme. Mitra said he wanted to include music from Babita Babu and Shubho Shree Mitra to show that music and art were not separate.

"We wanted to bring more life into this opening and we thought we'd take these youngsters with their pipes to entertain the MEC and the guests."

Mitra added: "We also want to create an awareness of these young musicians and hopefully inspire them to fuse their music with art."

Nel, commending the society for their work, said he would like to see the provincial government involved in developing art. "The next time the gallery has an exhibition, I would like the society to invite the MEC for sports, recreation, arts and culture Noxolo Abrahams-Ntantiso so she can see the kind of work you are doing," said Nel.

The Anything but Painting exhibition is on for the next two weeks. For more information about the exhibition and future exhibitions contact the gallery on 043 722 4044.