UPDATE: ‘There is a general lack of appreciation across all heritage institutions,’ says Jag acting chief curator
JOUBERT PARK – The lid was lifted off the three-month temporary closure of Jag on 7 May, with an exhibition titled, South Facing by Mozambican-born artist, Angela Ferreira. Acting chief curator at Jag, Musha Neluheni, believes there is a general lack of appreciation and maintenance across heritage institutions all over the country.
Following extensive water damage in January, a temporary closure due to renovations in February, and an impending exhibition by Mozambican-born artist, Angela Ferreira on 7 May, the Johannesburg Art Gallery (Jag) was finally ready to reopen its doors to the public.
In light of the occasion, City Buzz caught up with Jag’s acting chief curator, Musha Neluheni, who spoke about the importance of the South Facing exhibition. She also gave an update on conservation efforts at the gallery since its temporary closure due to extensive water damage as a result of the leaking roof.
“Angela’s show was a fitting exhibition to open the museum as it dealt directly with architecture. The three new pieces she’d created were a critical response to the Gallery’s copper-roof,” said Nehuleni.
Read: JAG under repairs
“We’ve completely finished our audit. All the works from the contemporary art storage have been moved and have been allocated to a new location that is safely within the building.”
Neluheni said previously that a worldwide call had been put out in order to restore Jag to its former glory and prevent similar destruction to museum infrastructure. Some significant strides have been made since then with the aid of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), Neluheni said.
“The JDA is in the process of appointing a heritage architect, after opening up to bids all over the world for this project. Currently, they are finalising those bids and selecting an architect with the help of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation and the Friends of Jag.”
Read: Jag, one of the city’s historical art hubs
Neluheni said the structural problems documented at Jag were not an isolated occurrence, but rather widespread among heritage institutions across the country. “I think the larger discussion is about heritage institutions all over the country and the lack of appreciation and the lack of follow-up in terms of maintenance across all of them. It’s not just a Jag only situation, it’s actually quite prevalent.”
