FNB VITA ART FNB Vita Awards launched a new fine art award earlier this year, The FNB Vita Art Prize, which is loosely based on the Turner prize run by the Tate Gallery in London.

The FNB Vita Art Prize invited the public to nominate artists who exhibited their work in 1996. Approximately 70 nomi-nations were received. The four selectors have commissioned seven contemporary South African artists as finalists: Willem Boshoff, Peet Pienaar, Tracey Rose, Robyn Orlin and Santu Mofokeng as well as Pat Mautloa and Kay Hassan who are working to-gether. CHOREOGRAPHER Robyn Orlin is more well-known for her 18 years experience in the performing arts as choreographer, performance artist, producer, dancer and teacher. These artists will present new work in October for The FNB Vita Art Prize Exhibition to be held at the Sandton Civic Gallery. At the exhibition, the selection panel will choose one artist as the FNB Vita contemporary artist of the year. This artist will be presented with an award of R20 000.

A WOMAN AT WAR

A Woman At War, a four-part mini-series starting on M-Net on September 19 at 19h00, is directed by Edward Bennett from the novel Inside the Gestapo by Helene Moskiewicz. The cast includes Martha Plimpton, Eric Stoltz, Jack Shepherd, Kika Markham and John Bowler. ICC ART More than R300 000 has been raised by the consultants and contractors to buy artworks for Durban's new International Convention Centre (ICC). Corporate sponsorship has so far added a further R30 000. Development and project managers of ICC, Andrew & Boulle, struck on the idea of introducing local artwork after visiting ICC Birmingham, where this had been done. A competition was established and even-tually commissions were awarded to Andrew Verster (tapestry from oil), Andrew Walford (ceramic murals), Tito Zungu (paintings and pencil) and Walter Oltman (tapestry in metal) as well as Wendy Ross and Estelle Schoeman (fountain design). Wooden statues were commissioned from Sibusiso Maphumulo and Jabulani Mkhize and Ben Nsusha's design for a gate in steel was accepted. DONATE Members of the consultants' team and contractors were asked to donate 0,2% of their income from the project which raised R175 000. ICC Construction donated a further R150 000 with R30 000 coming from Standard Bank. Aside from this Andrew & Boulle donated a magnificent lion, carved by Carl Roberts from a single piece of wild fig driftwood. This sculpture can be seen from the car park entrance into the ICC.

ABASHANTE Well-known kwaito music band Abashante will perform at the BAT Centre's BAT Hall on September 19.

UNTOUCHED

Untouched is the title of a concert to be given at the BAT Hall, BAT Centre, on September 9 by Sunless Ensemble, DJ Derek Hook and guest performance artists.