The Art Collection of Huberte Rupert

This exhibition and the full-colour publication celebrate Huberte Rupert’s art collection of 20th century South African Art. The book features a selection of 100 artworks from the collection, this includes works by both Modern and Contemporary South African artists.

Art critic and writer Amanda Botha gives us insight to Huberte’s art appreciation journey through her involvement as a student, cultivating friendships with local artists, especially her ‘Big Five’ – Irma Stern (1894-1966), Cecil Higgs (1898-1986), Maggie Laubser (1886-1973), Jean Welz (1900-1975) and Anton van Wouw (1862-1945). The selection of works from the collection showcase the development of Modern Art in South Africa ranging from subtle and delicate to colour evocative works exploring materiality and sociopolitical commentary; we see works filled with experimental techniques, that years later became the trademarks of the now internationally acclaimed artists. The exhibition also gives a glimpse into the time and studios of Modern SA Masters and includes the ‘famed’ artist biography films as produced in the early 1960s under the sponsorship of Rembrandt van Rijn cigarettes.

ROTATION 3
20 August – 6 October 2024

In the third rotation, the selection of works from the collection showcase the development of Modern Art in South Africa ranging from subtle and delicate to colour-evocative works exploring materiality and sociopolitical commentary; we see works filled with experimental and expressive printmaking techniques by the likes of a monumental 7-panel reductive colour woodcut by Philippa Hobbs (b1955) and a combination of photo and aqua etching by John Clarke (1946-2021). The importance of travel, journey and discovery is further marked by painters part of the Grahamstown Group – Josua Nell (1935-2017) and Noel Hodnett (b1949) that place emphasis on nature and the animals within. This route of discovery, wonder and mystery is echoed in the works by Annette Pretorius (b1957); open landscape-like scenes with stranded ships, fragmented objects, all for the viewer to place and attach meaning.  

The satirical approach by both Peter Schütz (1942-2008) and John Nowers (1940-1995) is explored through earthly materials of wood and clay. The animals are quirky, displaced, or shrine upon as trophies, the figures blinded by a state of dreaming. These works were all once part of the Cape Town Triennials (1982-1991) and years later the experimental approaches became the trademarks of the now internationally acclaimed artists

In the second wing (Gallery 3), not all artists in this last rotation are South African-born but have spent most of their careers adding to the rich history of art in the country. The viewer is first confronted by a powerful crucifixion scene by Judith Mason (1938-2016) iconically known for her dark and eerie palette, layered assemblages with suggestive wonder, symbolic and metaphorical meaning. As you view Crucifixion from far and up-close, exploring the metaphorical and literal use of materials attached to the surface, award-winning playwright and novelist Athol Fugard gazes and interrogates with his stark expression Marianne Podlashuc (1932-2006) depicted on him. All three mentioned were active and their works loaded with commentary on the apartheid regime.  

The bold and colourful landscape of the Swartland by Erik Laubscher (1927-2013), compliments the pieces in its surrounds, and depicts the dominance of abstraction during the 1960s in South African art. Two other landscapes by Pranas Domsaitis (1880-1965) and Clement Serneels (1912-1991) depict the same vast, open and endless emptiness of the Bushveld and Karoo, each with its own dramatic highlights.   

The limited palette range seen in the selection of Alfred Krenz (1899-1980), Peter Clarke (1929-2014) and Marjorie Wallace (1925-2004) all places a view on the scapes we find ourselves in. Krenz, with a background in architecture uses line, individual colour range and thick application to depict an already congested Cape Town in the mid-1960s. With Clarke’s strong illustrative style, the boys are set in an open field, finding themselves between the city and flats.   

The artists featured travelled and exhibited vividly both   locally and abroad. Some had temporary stays in Paris    and Greece. Marjorie Wallace as example, would depict    her immediate surroundings from friends to interiors, as would Carl Büchner (1921-2003). Eleanor Esmonde-White (1914-2007) primarily focused on women in her work. With this she earned a place as one of the four artists commissioned to do murals for the South African House in London. 

ROTATION 2
7 May – 16 August  2024

The second rotation in this 9-month exhibition showcases the ‘Big Five’ in conversation with works acquired from the Award Winners of the Cape Town Triennials (1982–1991), a sponsorship to the arts set out by the Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation. The works by Julia Beeton (born 1955), Helmut Starcke (1935-2017), Sandra Kriel (born 1952), Ada van der Vijver (1947-2018), Keith Dietrich (born 1950) and Walter Oltmann (born 1960) set the scene as a start to the conversation. These iconic, standalone pieces chronicle the journey of our patron family’s unique style of collecting.

The exhibition extends into an intimate section of personal, archival documents in honour of the artists’ friendships, inclusive of commissions from publications to artworks and museums. The Rupert family’s appreciation is felt as these documents show a valued opinion and commitment to further and support art in South. Insight is shared in a letter from Jean Welz shown alongside his 1966 commissioned portrait of Dr. Anton Rupert. The Rupert Museum, as conceptualised by Huberte Rupert and her daughter Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg in 2003, involved architect Hannes Meiring to design a space for the community. Years later, with granddaughter Hanneli Rupert-Elias championing the vision of Huberte, the visitor encounters a museum dedicated to its immediate community – providing the space to share in their passion for arts and to contribute to Mrs Rupert-Elias’ philosophy of ‘a museum without walls’.

ROTATION 1
12 February – 5 May 2024

The first rotation in this 9 month exhibition, showcases the ‘Big Five’ in conversation with works acquired from the Award Winners of the Cape Town Triennials (1982–1991), a sponsorship to the arts set out by the Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation, the works by Penny Siopis (b1955), Karel Nel (b1950), Stanley Pinker (1924-2012), William Kentridge (b1955), and Wille Bester (b1956) set the scene as a start to the conversation. These iconic, standalone pieces chronicle the journey of our patron Family’s unique style of collecting.

We have created a virtual walk through of this exhibition which you can view here.

The exhibition extends into an intimate section of personal, archival documents in honour of the artists’ friendships, inclusive of commissions from publications to artworks and museums. The Rupert Family’s appreciation is felt as these documents show a valued opinion and commitment to further and support art in South Africa. Insight is shared in a letter from Jean Welz shown alongside the preparatory work for his 1965 commissioned portrait of Dr Anton Rupert. Buildings such as the John Rupert Theatre, Hester Rupert Art Museum and Jan Rupert Art Centre, each, run programmes and exhibitions for the community. A testament to the dedication to arts and culture by the family in Graaff-Reinet.

The Rupert Museum as conceptualised by Huberte Rupert and her daughter Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg in 2003, involved architect Hannes Meiring to design a space for the community, years later with granddaughter Hanneli Rupert-Elias championing the vision of Huberte, the visitor encounters a museum dedicated to its immediate community – providing the space to share in their passion for arts and to contribute to Mrs Rupert-Elias’ philosophy of ‘a Museum without walls’.

The second wing (Gallery 3) showcases modern works as featured in the book. Rotations from the collection will highlight particular works and over the exhibition period these works will engage conversation and tell the stories of how the collection was lovingly built through handpicked unique pieces.

In the current rotation the viewer gets a sense of the South African landscape from a dry pale Derdepoort, Pretoria depicted by Frans Oerder (1867-1944), to the lushness of forests in the Cape by Nita Spilhaus (1878-1967), and the distinctive style of JH Pierneef (1886-1957) in Rustenburg Kloof. The heads by Lucas Sithole (1931-1994) celebrate materiality – working in stone and wood (patinated and buried in a pit fire, then finished in a high polish); with the almost abstract reliquary figure by Ernest Mancoba (1904 – 2002) – free in spirit, these works exemplify African Modernism. The Three Boys by Marianne Podlashuc (1932-2004) published on the cover of ‘Cry my beloved Country’ by Alan Paton, the Penguin edition of 1983, glimpses the stark realities of the powerless and destitute and the surge of revolt as expressed in the black and white charcoal piece by Albert Adams (1929- 2006). Nonetheless, the sculpture by Ezrom Legae (1938-1999) with mother and child lets us view Maud Sumner’s (1902-1985), Dawn over Galilea as a true celebration of nations, fractured yet reaching to harmony. A sentiment explored in saturated colour of the landscape by Eben van der Merwe
(b1932).

The still is contemplated with abstraction, colour blocking, hyper realism and detail as one observes the everyday, sometimes beyond the ordinary in the works of Otto Klar (1908-1994), Gregoire Boonzaier (1909-2005) and Alexis Preller (1911-1975). A moment in the life of an artist and view of the studio is opened by The Studio by Marjorie Wallace (1925-2004), a self-portrait in her Paris studio, living and working amongst artists such as Mancoba and Sumner taking on residencies abroad.

View the virtual walk through of Gallery 3 here.

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Gallery 1 Rotations
Rotation 1: 12 February – 5 May 2024
Rotation 2: 7 May – 16 August 2024
Rotation 3: 20 August – 6 October 2024

Gallery 3 Rotations
Rotation 1: 12 February – 5 May 2024
Rotation 2: 7 May – 18 August 2024
Rotation 3: 20 August – 6 October 2024

Installation views of works from the collection