“Be a sponge for knowledge” says the 2022 Fleur De Cap Lighting Design winner, Gideon Lombard.
Mr Lombard won this prestigious award, among others, at the 58th instalment of the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch, on Sunday March 26.
He also won the award for Best Sound Design, Original Music, Soundscape or Live Performance, 2022.
The awards were won for his work on Karatara, which is one of his current favourite pieces.
Mr Lombard said: “The work I am currently busy with, Karatara, has been one of the most significant journeys in my creative career.”
Mr Lombard who is originally from Windhoek, Namibia, and grew up in America and Holland, has settled and found his feet in Gardens.
“I attended Windhoek High School from Grade 8-10 and finished the last two years of high school in Princeton, New Jersey. I then studied at the University of Cape Town.”
Mr Lombard said he didn’t plan to get into lighting design, the interest grew out of necessity.
“During my theatre studies at UCT, the course required a lot of initiative around making and designing your own work. Lighting was a part of this and gradually the interest grew,” he said
Mr Lombard added that there are many challenges designers face in their careers and projects they work on.
“You often have to work within the confines of what is available at a certain venue of a festival, and this might differ drastically from what the initial design was. I think all designers constantly face the challenge of the compromise between concept and reality. One is often required to make quick practical decisions that won’t compromise the vision of the production as a whole.”
Mr Lombard said he was overwhelmed by winning the awards.
“Awards are wonderful in the moment. It is great to share a celebratory evening with the creative team. I was overwhelmed and thankful. Having said that, I always look forward to getting back to the work as soon as possible thereafter, because that’s the only thing that actually matters.“
Mr Lombard’s future plans include acting in a piece toward the end of the year and he also aims to direct a new piece next year.
For anyone interested in getting into theatre production, he suggests you make yourself available.
“Go to all the theatres and festivals and make yourself available. Suggest an internship where there isn’t one. Ask people if you can help out on productions they are busy with. Stay curious and be a sponge for new knowledge.”
