Introduction:
Carol Brown,
Director: Durban Art Gallery
During
the 1980s artist and critic, Andrew Verster, wrote a regular column
in the Daily News called "From the Backwater" which was a
tongue in cheek reference to the reputation Durban had always had as
being the Cinderella city of the arts in South Africa. This reputation
which goes back as far as the early 20th century was always an unfounded
one which gained currency mainly due to Durban's distance from the main
economic centres such as Johannesburg and Cape Town. However Durban
and the surrounding areas was always a centre for exciting creative
art production particularly in the days of the Art South-Africa-Today
exhibitions which were major national events.
During
the seventies and even the eighties very little was published about
art and artists and it was only in the eighties that art museums started
to collect work by black artists in a serious and systematic manner.
This exhibition aims to redress some of the balance by providing information
about the veterans of Kwa-Zulu Natal as well as exposing their works
to a wider audience. Fortunately many of those artists are still working
and living in the area and the exhibition, therefore, is not only about
history but also about recognising and giving credit where it is due.
We
hope that this show results in broadening the perspective of Kwa-Zulu
Natal art and placing it firmly in its place in history.
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EXHIBITION
DATES
Durban
Art Gallery
23 July - 7 September 2003
Margate
Art Gallery
October - November 2003
Tatham
Art Gallery
11 December 2003 - 18 January 2004
Carnegie
Art Gallery
February - March 2004 TEACH
Museum, Empangeni
April 2004
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