Javett-UP, a revolutionary new public-private art destination at the University of Pretoria, sets out to explore and probe the question ‘What is the Art of Africa?’
Finally, the landlocked interior of South Africa has an answer to Cape Town’s Norval Foundation and Zeitz MOCAA: Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (abbreviated to Javett-UP). And it’s not in Joburg! Leaping the fence of the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield campus and forming a bridge over Lynnwood Road, the gallery and museum touch down on the university’s south campus, where it will be open to the public.
Like its Cape Town counterparts, Javett- UP occupies the middle ground between being a public art gallery and a private collection and creates a new landmark and destination for the capital city. On the one hand, it houses the collection of a retired businessman, philanthropist, and lead donor Michael Javett, and on the other, the historical Mapungubwe gold collection (often called SA’s ‘Crown Jewels’) – the iron-age artifacts discovered in Limpopo in the 1930s. Included in the offering is the Golden Rhino, one of the items that proved that complex, prosperous early African civilizations predated colonial incursions.
The development of the center has been overseen by Christopher Till, the current director of the Apartheid Museum. Till was the director of Johannesburg Art Gallery in the 1980s and Joburg’s director of culture in the 1990s, and curated the South African Pavilion for the 2015 Venice Biennale – and that’s just scratching the surface.
This story is from the August - September 2019 edition of House and Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August - September 2019 edition of House and Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family
Recently renovated, the historic Cape Town home of Jonty and Melanie Rhodes is an adaptable base for an active, clean-eating clan of six
LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane
Alfresco gatherings are the order of the day at this updated century-old semi – the home of a design-centric sister and brother in Brixton, Joburg
IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family
For Karen Dudley, food informs the family dynamic and her home is as multilayered and as delicious a delight as her colourful personality and cooking style
THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
The perfect piece to pull together a country-style kitchen is a beautiful wooden table that will age with time and hold its place in the memories made around it.
IN THE FRAME
'The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.’
DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant
A dream kitchen renovation meant wine lovers Dave Cope and Donné Bullivant could finally settle down in their wondrously moody City Bowl apartment
THE MODULAR KITCHEN
DECOR TIP Modular elements like these USM Haller systems are a great way to create interesting, non-permanent storage that can be customised to your needs.
SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family
Munich-based interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst transformed the barn at her parents’ farm in Bavaria into an eclectic family retreat
BREAKING BREAD
The pendulum has swung back for this nutritious, crusty staple of flour, yeast, water and time – the much-beloved artisanal loaf
SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis
The traditional Cycladic home of dynamic sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis on the island of Serifos is a reminder of what it means to be a part of a close-knit family
