Extensive art collection on show at University of Pretoria’s Javett Centre

Pretoria – The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (UP) has forged a 10-year partnership with global mining and metals company South32 to display a large selection of its extensive art collection.

The South32 collection consists of around 1 000 artworks and was first established in 1994, under the name the Gencor Collection.

Part of the collection was about documented political turns, including the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, the 1976 student uprising, and other historical events.

Javett-UP curatorial director, Gabi Ngcobo said the South 32 collection doesn’t suffer from the challenges faced by many collections.

“You don’t look at it and ask, where are the black artists, where are the women? The collection is diverse and dynamic, allowing for various interpretative angles.

“It is a collection that has a potential to strike conversations with the Javett Family Collection, which is already housed at the Javett-UP,” Ngcobo said.

The first works from the collection would form part of the exhibition called Handle With Care, scheduled to open this month at Javett-UP.

Handle With Care marks the first time the works will be publicly shown and made accessible to a wider public.

Javett-UP chief executive Lekgetho Makola described the partnership as an exciting development for the South African art world.

“Corporate collections and support for the arts have a significant role to play in developing the art sector and supporting artists who are doing provocative and ground-breaking work. With this partnership, South32 has also recognised the importance of bringing this collection to public display,” Makola said.

Javett-UP said corporate collections have an important role to play in marking historical turning points, recording art historical discourses and mediating decolonial interventions through our public and educational programmes.

Pretoria News