STOREROOM SERIES

These are a few of my favourite things! Since the opening of the museum in 2005 visitors were overwhelmed and taken by surprise by a single gallery space filled with an extensive selection of artworks by five prominent South African artists – Irma Stern, Maggie Laubser, Cecil Higgs, Jean Welz and Anton van Wouw. Mrs Huberte Rupert felt a deep connection with this collective group of artists. It left a lasting impression on returning visitors, with many choosing either a favourite artist or work before they left, and an urge to revisit these time and time again.

In the 60s, 70s and 80s the art collection of the Late Dr Anton and Mrs Huberte Rupert was known to travel extensively as part of locally and internationally acclaimed, carefully curated exhibitions. This rich history is now given the opportunity to be celebrated; with the Rupert Family’s collection seen at such institutions as Standard Bank Art Gallery, Javett Art Centre, Norval Foundation, Irma Stern Museum, Kunsthaus Basel and the Royal Academy in recent years. By revitalizing our exhibition content and broadening our audience engagement we provide curatorial freedom to showcase some long-since unseen parts of the collection and engage new conversations.

Yet, since the museum’s reopening in 2019 with interventions in revisiting and interrogating conversations amidst the collection with other artists, collections and visiting exhibitions, one visitor request remained constant – when will these works be on display again?

This request has been taken to heart, and to highlight the artworks not included in selected inhouse and external exhibitions, the Storeroom Series is presented. Not just seen as highlights from the collection but also to showcase the popularity of artists and artworks for visitor’s enjoyment.

On a rotation basis, artworks from the storeroom will be on display.

Currently on exhibition as we celebrate Women’s Month:

Irma Stern – two of her earliest works produced while studying. Highlighting her travels, local and abroad in her search for the indigenous and exotic. One of her last still lifes filled with her favourite flowers, ceramics she created and a selection of fruits to devour after painting them.

Die ewige kind – Rupert Museum

Klipkapper – Rupert Museum

Beddraers – Rupert Museum

Maleier-troue – Rupert Museum

Vissers – Rupert Museum

Stillewe – Rupert Museum

Kinders – Rupert Museum

Zanzibar-seun – Rupert Museum

Maggie Laubser – early studies on the Malay culture as well as farm life and its workers where she grew up.  Iconic and naïve coastal paintings of birds and boats celebrating her pale yet rich palette.

Kleurlingvrou – Rupert Museum

Landelike toneel – Rupert Museum

Drie eende / Three ducks – Rupert Museum

Koeie – Rupert Museum

Herder met skape – Rupert Museum

Cecil Higgs – from figurative to still to microscopic views on sea life, all executed in her impasto palette knife layers of colours and master strokes in white.

Sea-anemones – Rupert Museum

Stillewe met vrugte in glasbak – Rupert Museum

Seated girl – Rupert Museum