The Javett Art Centre opens officially on Heritage Day

The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (UP) opens officially on Heritage Day, 24 September, with three ground-breaking exhibitions: a collection of iconic works of South African art; the Javett Family Collection of modern art; and an exhibition of significant pieces from the Mapungubwe Gold collection.

A partnership between the Javett Foundation and the UP, the centre seeks to engage students and the public with the creativity and diversity of local and international art and artists. It is an inspirational space where exhibitions, events and performances will enrich society.

According to Prof Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP, the centre aims to support and enhance UP’s academic programmes relating to the arts and make use of these collections in teaching and research, as well as promote the appreciation of the arts and make the arts accessible to the wider South African and African community.

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“We believe this centre, which will celebrate South African artists, will assist us in our mission of providing quality higher education to our students.”

Before anything else, says director Christopher Till, the centre is a place for people. It’s a place where people can learn about how Africa’s artists express the myriad, complex narratives of the continent and contribute to conversations about Africa’s past, present and future.

“The official opening of the centre is the launch of an extremely valuable and significant resource. It is the culmination of a vision to personalise the art of Africa and make it more accessible,” says Till.

The centre will open with an exhibition of pieces from the prized modern South African art collection of the Javett family. The centre was born from the desire to make the works accessible to the public and in collaboration with the UP, the pieces will be a valuable educational resource.

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Also on exhibition is a collection of more than 100 works of significant South African art: pieces that have been brought to the centre from public and private collections across South Africa – and the world. This is the first time that all these works will be shown at the same time.

They include Irma’s Stern’s Arab Priest; Gerard Sekoto’s Song of the Pick, Johannes Phokela’s Chocolat, Alexis Preller’s Red Angel, Zanele Muholi’s Simthembile I, East London; Johannes Maswanganye’s Jesus is Walking on Water, Jackson Hlungwane’s Crucifix and William Kentridge’s Felix in Exile.

Also on show at the opening is Alexis Preller’s Discovery, a formidable work that hasn’t been seen in 30 years. The painting, which was completed in the 1960s will undergo live conservation in situ as part of the MSocSci in Tangible Heritage Conservation at UP.

The Gold of Africa Gallery at the centre will open with the iconic gold rhino and leopard and many other priceless treasures that offer a unique view of the precious metal that runs through the veins of Africa, and the thriving civilization that served as a sophisticated trading centre from around 1200 to 1300 AD.

“The centre is a place where people can come and relate, through art, to others to learn more about themselves and each other. It’s a place that tells the story of where we come from, where we are now, and why our African-ness matters. This is our Africa, and it’s our art.”

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