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This year marks the centenary of the Johannesburg Art Gallery. To celebrate this landmark, a number of exhibitions are on display showcasing the gallery's hundred-year-old collection.
The establishment of this gallery was largely driven by a Florence Phillips who's sole intention was to bring some culture to the crassly commercial gold-rush town at the time.
Its focus was unashamedly Eurocentic. But both that intention and the contents of the gallery have changed over the past century. And the focus has evolved to be more about humanity in general.
"It's about culture, it's about art, it's about heritage - all the important things that people should know and care about. if we can't hold to our cultural heritage then we are nothing," Antoinette Murdoch, head curator of Johannesburg Art Gallery, said.
In celebration of the centenary - six major exhibitions are on display. They are focused on different aspects of the Johannesburg Art Gallery collection. There's South African Art from 1940 to 1975. Encore - which are public favorites and which focuses on the most popular pieces of the gallery.
Historical and classical pieces, And even digital underground, representing new digital media -The last exhibition showcases print collection of the gallery.
"What is nice about this collection is that it really shows similarities kind of worldwide. i hope it creates a sense of connection to not only Johannesburg but cities everywhere," Tara Weber, curator of Johannesburg Art Gallery, said.
These exhibitions are offering the best that South Africa has. Even extremely rare paintings are on display. And the public has free access all year round.
中国公共新闻网摘编：GAN JADE |
