UCT commits to featuring inclusive artwork in its art collection
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An artwork by Mmakgabo Mmapula Mmangankato Helen Sebidi called "Hoping for the future", 2018, which is one of the works acquired by UCT to reflect the diversity in its art acquisitions.
Cape Town - UCT’S Works of Art Committee wants a new and more inclusive art collection that will work to redress past injustices.
The committee released a statement stating its intention to redress past art injustices through its commitment to feature artwork by both prominent and emerging artists in South Africa in its collection of art accessible to the public on its campuses and soon online.
Chairperson and Associate Professor Nomusa Makhubu, said: “For the committee, transformation is a priority. An institutional art collection maintains historical and cultural value only when it is socially responsive and when there is a measure of self-reflexivity in terms of the institutional practices it engenders.
“We have established a working group, and we are in the process of identifying the key areas that will need to be addressed. We recognise that we need to refine our acquisition strategy, while conserving certain artwork and diversifying the curation and site-specific installations.
“We still have a long way to go to shape our current artwork collection into one that reflects the socio-cultural dynamics in South Africa and beyond our borders.
“There are significant gaps when it comes to race and gender in our collection, which we have been in the process of filling in these past few years.
“We also need to develop an in-depth collection reflecting key historical categories by, for example, acquiring artworks of key African modern artists and African contemporary artists based outside of Cape Town,” said Makhubu.
Art curator Larrisa Mwanyama said that she was pleased to see the university taking such an open initiative and working towards recognising more African artists and featuring art from within South African borders.
Mwanyama said: “It is good to see that UCT is working to diversify its art platform and feature African voices.
“The university is definitely headed in a positive direction, and even though the process might take a while and seem like an idealistic dream,
I believe with hard work it could pay off well for previously over-shadowed African art and recently produced art.”
Cape Argus