ART IN GRAAFF-REINET

www.rupertmuseum.org

Jan Rupert Art Centre

If you are planning a road trip or visiting the Karoo, the small historic town of GraaffReinet will not disappoint with its current art, culture and architectural offering. Herewith three places to put on your what to do list, when next in town.

JAN RUPERT ART CENTRE located in Middle street

Inspired by the Rupert Museum’s permanent collections, this instalment of Nature Morte – A Still from Life is the second part, following the exhibition under the same title that was shown in Stellenbosch, it will be on show till end August 2022.

Still lifes and interior scenes are well-practiced genres in the visual arts. The significance of which is particularly relevant since the start of the pandemic, as we have experienced confinement to our domestic spaces the world over. Through the mediums of drawing, painting and print, the South African stylistic movements of the 20th and 21st century through the genre of stills are recognized, compared and celebrated. Prominent works by artists like Irma Stern, Jean Welz, Cecil Higgs, Alexis Preller, Erik Laubscher, Christo Coetzee, Penelope Siopis, Derrick Nxumalo and Marion Arnold amongst others, are included. A small but very prominent inclusion of 16th and 17th century Flemish still lifes from the Michaelis Collection of IZIKO National Gallery are incorporated with food and still photography by Cape Town based photographers Claire Gunn, Michelle Parkin and Nadine Greeff, for comparison.

Keep an eye out on upcoming events

www.rupertmuseum.org

More on the building: The Neo-Gothic building was erected around c1870 by the London Missionary Society as a place of worship for the so-called Mantatees, a refugee Sotho tribe, which fled across the Orange River in the 1820’s. The building was restored on the initiative of Dr Anton Rupert and named in honour of his brother, Jan. It received National Monument (Heritage Site) status in February 1987.

Willem van Aelst (1627 - after 1683), Vase with flowers, c1660, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of Iziko SA National Gallery, Michaelis Collection Michelle Parkin, The MacAskill, 2016. Courtesy of photographer.

Christo Coetzee (1929 – 2000) Still life with fishes, c1955, Oil on carton, Rupert Art Foundation Collection

Hester Rupert Art Museum

HESTER RUPERT ART MUSEUM located in Church street

Housing a spectacular and focused permanent collection of 126 paintings and sculptures by 106 prominent Modern South African artists. The initial collection of 90 works was bought together in the 1960s by Dr Anton Rupert, who personally wrote to then high-profile artists to donate artworks, in attempt to establish an art museum in Graaff-Reinet. Since then, with various donations the collection grew to its current size. Even though this collection cannot be regarded as representative of 20th century South African art and artists it remains highly significant. To view the collection and exhibition virtually, visit

www.hesterrupertartmuseum.co.za

More on the building:

It was built and consecrated as a Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1821, 35 years after the founding of the village of Graaff-

Exhibition View

Reinet in 1786. The building, being the fifth oldest church building in South Africa, was saved from demolition in 1965 when it became known that a petroleum company was negotiating for its purchase to erect a filling station of the site. The museum was named in honour of Dr Rupert’s mother Hester. It received National Monument (Heritage Site) status on 4 October 1968.

Watercolours from the Richard Townley Johnson Archive.

THE OLD LIBRARY MUSEUM located in Church street

The Rock Art Exhibition a recently reopened permanent exhibition featuring a selection of 26 watercolour tracings of San Rock Art from the Richard Townley Johnson Archive, Rembrandt van Rijn Collection. The re-opened exhibition features new interpretive text, expertly scripted by Dr Graeme Avery. The artworks and cultural artefacts are now not just admired for their aesthetic value but imbued with a deep cultural relevance and importance. Visiting hours, entrance fees applicable:

Jan Rupert Art Centre and Hester Rupert Art Museum

Mon – Fri: 9h00 – 12h30 | 14h00 – 17h00 Sat – Sun & Public Holidays: 9h00 – 12h00

Old Library Museum

Mon – Fri: 8h00 – 13h00 | 14h00 – 17h00 Sat: 9h00 – 12h00 Sun & Public Holidays: Closed