Museums have always played an integral role in preserving the history of society. Exhibits tell us stories about how our nation, our communities and our cultures came to be; without them, those stories could be forgotten. Our country has a rich history of commitment to establishing institutions, and the first national museum, the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town, was founded in 1825; now called the Iziko South African National Gallery and forms part of the Iziko collection of museums.
This tradition of preserving the history and cultures that shaped who and where we are today continued with the recognition in the 1950s that there was a need for an Art Museum to be established in Pretoria. The Pretoria City Council had acquired works of art for its official rooms and offices in the City Hall from the 1920s, but it was only after the bequest of Lady Michaelis in 1932 that the Council seriously began its collection of art. These early acquired artworks form an important core and point of reference from which the Pretoria Art Museum can approach its story of South African art as it unfolds from around the middle of the 19th century to the present day.
1954 was the year that the City Council decided to build an art museum to house its collection. By 1956 this project was gaining momentum, and the then Town Clerk Henry Preiss, who was the driving force behind the project, set out to Europe for a holiday and a fact-finding mission. He aimed to study museums and make recommendations based on his experiences.
Inspiration was drawn from the German Pavilion of the Barcelona International Exhibition, designed by Mies van der Rohe. The roof rests on walls, placed asymmetrically but always in parallels so that they appear to slide past each other in a space through which the viewer can walk more or less endlessly without ever being stopped within a cubical area. These ideas were incorporated into the design of the Pretoria Art Museum. The building is a low-slung glass and concrete edifice and a fine example of the International style.
The Pretoria Art Museum was officially opened on 20 May 1964. Since other South African art museums had already assembled examples of European art, it was decided to concentrate on establishing a representative collection of South African art. The Art Museum has since been giving more attention to contemporary developments in Southern African art, including urban and rural art, as well as traditional art and new media and techniques to reflect the historical diversity of South Africa.
The Pretoria Art Museum has established a representative, high-quality permanent collection of South African art, past and present, reflecting all genres, art mediums, art movements, influences, and leading figures, supplemented by traditional South African craftwork. Today the collection of works of art includes paintings, sculpture, graphics, textiles, photographic art, ceramics, studio glass and basketry. ‘A Story of South African Art’ is a permanent exhibition showcasing the major artists from the history of South African art. This selection of artworks from the permanent collection briefly reviews South African art. It includes works by early 20th century painters, the Resistance artists of the 1980s and artists of the 21st century. The exhibition is based on the secondary school syllabus, and the artworks are rotated regularly.
Due to present financial constraints, the Art Museum does not presently acquire new artworks.
The Pretoria Art Museum hosts exhibitions showcasing the best South African art from the permanent collection, supplemented by temporary national and international travelling exhibitions. New exhibitions are hosted regularly, with different shows planned in the various exhibition areas. This is done either thematically, chronologically or by medium or artist.
The Pretoria Art Museum strives to develop services and non-formal educational programmes using the Museum and the exhibitions to contribute to the diverse learning needs and interests of South Africans. Writer and philosopher said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” The Pretoria Art Museum tells powerful stories, and these programmes encourage meaningful critique.
Seeing that the Pretoria Art Museum wishes to promote the arts and artists and that many winners of the Sasol New Signatures art competition have entered careers in the visual arts and have made significant contributions to our country’s artistic heritage. The Sasol New Signatures exhibition has become highly significant in our annual programme. During the past two decades, the Museum has given attention to promoting upcoming artists so that they can launch their artistic careers, and the Sasol New Signatures competition has become a major role player in supporting the museum in achieving this goal.
We chatted to Hannelie du Plessis, one of the curators of the Sasol New Signatures exhibition, about her approach to curating the exhibition each year.
As the curator of the Sasol New Signatures exhibition – how do you plan the showcasing of such diverse work, especially as you do not know what you have coming at you?
Knowing your space well makes a big difference in curating an exhibition with diverse themes and mediums. You immediately recognise how some pieces might fit into specific areas in the museum, and you already start seeing the curated product of certain spaces. Other pieces naturally converse with each other or complement each other in theme, format or colour wise. You will always have some artworks that do not fit particularly well, but we always manage to solve these challenges creatively.
Any standout themes, works or mediums for you in 2022?
Moving on from 2021, we definitely have a shift from Covid-related themes to more personal artwork. The socio-political theme is also strong, as it usually is in this competition. I also noticed more portraiture this year. More artists are also exploring digital art, such as augmented reality (AR), as a medium.
Why do you feel the art-loving public should visit the Sasol New Signatures exhibition?
We encourage people to visit the Pretoria Art Museum or the online virtual exhibition, especially young talented artists, to get an idea of the format of this competition. The 2021 Sasol New Signatures winner, Andrea du Plessis’s solo exhibition, is a must-see. A lot of hard work went into creating this outstanding show. The exhibition includes different mediums, such as augmented reality interactive paintings, prints, projections as well as sculptural pieces.
What is your favourite artwork housed in the museum?
I have so many favourites, it depends on the time of day, year and season. Because I work with the ceramic and textile collections, among other mediums, I enjoy the beautifully designed bold ceramics pieces from ceramicist Madoda Fani. Many woven fabrics also get me excited. Regarding two-dimensional artworks on the more traditional side, Peter Wenning also holds a special place.
Which emerging artists are you watching?
With the art industry being slow in the last two years, momentum is only starting to build up again, so hopefully, soon, there will be a new generation of upcoming artists surprising us.
