JAG under repairs
Art Gallery closure a necessary resort for the preservation of heritage
Speaking to City Buzz, stakeholder liaison officer for Johannesburg Art Gallery, Kutlwano Olifant, provided an update on the state of affairs following the announcement of the temporary closure of the gallery in Joubert Park.
The gallery was damaged by the unrelenting rain on 30 January and is expected to be closed for the next three months to undergo repairs.
Olifant confirmed that no noteworthy pieces were affected, citing, “No heritage item or work of art was damaged. The flooding has damaged part of the roof and has led to leaks in some sections of the building.
“Whilst the gallery is closed, portions of the collection are being relocated to other sections of the gallery building. The curatorial staff is, in the meantime, focusing on updating the archives and databases. Work on digitising the collection is ongoing and is not affected by the temporary closure.
“There are also preparations for a major exhibition to open in May as well as ongoing outreach by the gallery’s education unit.”
She indicated that the implications for staff at the gallery over the next three months required that they be especially hands-on.
Olifant was unable to provide a sense of the costs the gallery expects to incur. “We are unable to respond to this question at this stage as we are still waiting for the outcome of the assessment.”
She was, however, able to provide an indication of the City’s stance in resolving the matter and said, “The city is committed to maintaining all of its heritage institutions in line with best museum standards. It has already set in motion processes of re-imagining the gallery.”
Read: Johannesburg Art Gallery closed for repairs
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