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 museum space filled with an extensive selection of Modern South African artists.

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 con-versations 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.

The current rotation celebrates African Modernism, a movement that appeared in the mid-twentieth century and was characterized by its innovative and experimental approach to artmaking. It expresses an exciting, energetic and verified look and feeling upon Africa. Artworks currently featured includes:

Albert Adams (1929 – 2006)

Untitled (Four Figures with Pitchforks), 1950

Walter Battiss (1906 – 1982)

Rotskunstenaars, nd

Peter Clarke (1929 – 2014)

Children eating bread, 1956

John Dronsfield (1900 – 1951)

African Improvisations, 1950

Mslaba Dumile (1942 – )

Mother and Child, 1963

Sydney Kumalo (1935 – 1988)

Helmut II, nd

Maggie Laubser (1886 – 1973)

Rural Scene, nd

Ezrom Legae (1938 – 1999)

Mother and Child, nd

Ernest Mancoba (1904 – 2002)

Untitled, nd

Tony Nkotsi (1955 – )

Kariba, 1993

Marianne Podlashuc (1932 – 2004)

Klonkies (Three Boys), 1960

Alexis Preller (1911 – 1975)

Die Grot, 1946

Lucas Sithole (1931 – 1994)

Begrip, 1977

Irma Stern (1894 – 1966)

Stonebreaker, 1920

Maurice van Essche (1906 – 1977)

Fishers on a beach, nd