Painting of first black UP vice-chancellor to be displayed with others at museum
“I am immeasurably honoured to be the artist chosen to work on a project of this magnitude.”
A portrait of the University of Pretoria’s first black vice-chancellor and principal will be displayed along with several other artistic representations of successive vice-chancellors.
Pretoria resident Malose Pete, the artist commissioned by UP to do the painting of UP vice-chancellor and principal professor Tawana Kupe, said he was honoured to be chosen to produce a piece of history for Pretoria.
The oil painting took five months to complete and shows Kupe seated, wearing a grey suit and blue and red academic robes.
“The university is one of the most prestigious education institutions in the country and the continent; so I do not take it lightly.”
Pete said he wanted to portray Kupe’s dignity and integrity.
He said the painting would form part of the evidence of the transformation UP had gone through as an institution of higher learning.
The project began late in 2021 and was completed in June 2022.
“There were plenty of feedback sessions with the panel assigned to the project, so all corners had to be satisfied before the stamp of approval was put on.”
Pete been creating paintings and sculptures since he was a young man in the village of Ga-Mahoai in Polokwane.
He said he draws his inspiration from moments of solitude that allow him to observe the world in a way that offers a different outlook.
He graduated with a BTech degree majoring in painting and sculpture from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2011 and currently lectures sculpture and painting part-time at the institution.
His works have been celebrated at the 2011 Absa L’Atelier art competition, the 2011 Sasol New Signatures art competition, the 2012 PPC Young Concrete Sculptors Awards and the 2019 Sanlam Portrait Awards.
He has also been commissioned for multiple private and public artworks in both painting and sculpture and holds joint exhibitions and solo shows at Trent Gallery, Art Lovers 1932, the Pretoria Arts Association and the IS Gallery in Franschoek.
Pete said his most notable work is a sculpture of ANC stalwart Sefako Makgatho, which he did for the National Heritage Monument project.
“I am delighted with the portrait and very impressed by the work of this young artist,” said Kupe.
“I thank and congratulate Malose Pete, the UP arts committee, and the UP museums for their work on this project.”
UP Museums collections curator Gerard de Kamper said it was important to the university to capture in art form successive vice-chancellors’ leadership.
“With each VC’s immense contribution, leadership and initiative, their personage exemplifies, grows and develops the university’s various legacies.”
De Kamper said that UP’s art portraiture collection is inspired by the efforts of all former vice-chancellors and rectors, chancellors and faculty deans.
“It was only in 1974 that professor AN Pelzer, the registrar of academic affairs, recommended the collection of portraiture of former vice-chancellors and rectors, chancellors, chairs of councils, and deans to build a foundation and preserve the institutional history of leadership for the UP art collection.”
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