Three Decades of Democracy: South African Works on Paper
Please check the venue or ticket sales site for the current pricing.
CL RECOMMENDS
CRITIC’S PICK: The end of apartheid in 1994 is being commemorated with an installation of South African prints made by artists who toiled under the country’s oppressive regime. Denied the right to attend university art programs, many Black artists at the time were able to find alternative, informal schools in which to develop their talents. One such place was Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre (founded by Lutheran missionaries in rural KwaZulu-Natal province) from which Sam Nhlengethwa graduated in 1978. A lithograph, shown here, depicts his passion for jazz culture. Kay Hassan, Billy Mandindi, John Mufangelo and Ruzani Nemasetoni are among the other masterful artists in this first-rate show. — Kevin C. Madigan__’’
$23.50. Free for members and children under six. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30309. 404-733-4400 high.org
From the venue:
On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected president of South Africa, marking the end of decades of systematic and legalized racial segregation known as apartheid. This installation commemorates the thirtieth anniversary of the end of apartheid through a presentation of South African prints and works on paper from the High’s collection. The eight artists featured make observations about South African social and cultural life, employing their art to resist, witness, and reflect.
Many of these artists attended the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre. Since apartheid policies excluded or otherwise limited Black artists from attending university art programs, informal art schools such as Rorke’s Drift offered an alternative. Founded by evangelical Lutheran missionaries in rural KwaZulu-Natal province, it was renowned for its printmaking program.