Thirty years of freedom: Transforming UCT’s art collection

“Art speaks beyond what we can say verbally. It allows us to address pertinent, worldly issues that we simply don’t have the words for and view them through a very different lens. So, by transforming the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) art collection, it means we are changing the fabric of the institution – its spaces and places – to communicate our wider willingness and hope to change, to listen and to learn.”

This was according to Nadja Daehnke, the curator and collections manager of UCT’s Works of Art Collection (WOAC) committee. She was speaking on the important work currently on the go behind the scenes to ensure UCT’s collection of art aptly reflects South Africa’s vibrant, culturally rich rainbow nation – a fundamental for redress since the dawn of democracy.

The WOAC committee oversees the display and integration of art into campus life. Currently, the university boasts a vast visual art collection (paintings, photographs, drawings, fibre or textile art, prints, statues and sculptures) – approximately 1 600 artworks across 70 UCT buildings. The committee also plays a crucial role in redressing some of the past injustices through its commitment to purchase art by both prominent and emerging artists in South Africa and Africa.

“This is why, when it comes to transforming artwork, it’s an attempt to acknowledge past injustices.”

“When we speak about redress, we speak about remedying or setting right something that was blatantly unfair, racist, ableist, or heteronormative, for example. And this is why, when it comes to transforming artwork, it’s an attempt to acknowledge past injustices, to allow for decolonisation, to correct the wrongs of the past and reimagine the future,” Daehnke said.

A ‘heavily skewed’ collection

Part of this process, she said, and following the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall student movements, the Artworks Task Team was tasked with reviewing the university’s art collection in 2016. The analysis indicated that the collection was substantially untransformed and was heavily skewed towards white artists (approximately 79%), most of whom were men.

Work to correct these wrongs and address the gaps in the collection started in earnest. And since then, Daehnke said, WOAC has made work of acquiring multiple artworks by South African and African artists and continues to host events, workshops and artistic performances to engage different audiences, allow for a multitude of voices to be heard (both from inside and outside UCT) and to animate campus spaces in a way that is firmly Africa-focused.  

“The focus of the collection is now firmly on contributing to institutional and social transformation, nurturing a sense of belonging and adequate representation through space and place. Now, the collection is also used as a springboard for discussion, especially discourses on important social issues affecting our university and beyond, as well as a tool for more formal teaching and learning,” she said.

Acquiring new art

But acquiring new art is not as straightforward as it seems. She said it’s a multi-dimensional process that involves the WOAC committee and a sub-committee that includes academic and professional, administrative support and services staff (PASS), and students. Their work involves evaluating the gaps in the current collection and highlighting which artists, media approaches and conceptual concerns are missing or inadequately represented in the collection. Thereafter, a rigorous research process gets under way to identify which artists and artwork should be acquired to fill the gaps.

“The questions we ask when acquiring new pieces is whether they will fill necessary gaps in the collection and will it be an asset to enhance its value. And this doesn’t necessarily mean financial value, but rather conceptual value, and making space in place and contributing to our transformation mandate,” Daehnke said.

“We’ve achieved this through acquiring new work and deaccessioning artwork where certain artists were overrepresented.”

“And we’ve already done considerable work with transforming our collection to become more representational and reflective of the interests and concerns of contemporary audiences. We’ve achieved this through acquiring new work and deaccessioning artwork where certain artists were overrepresented. It’s a large and ongoing task.”

Prioritising local artists

Cornerstone to this, she said, is including local South African artists’ work in the collection. She said careful consideration is also taken not to favour Cape Town artists or UCT students and staff. To date, the WOAC committee has acquired many artworks by celebrated South African artists like Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, who received the Order of Ikhamanga (a civilian honour that recognises achievements in arts, culture, literature and music) from President Thabo Mbeki in 2004; and Lady Skollie. In addition, she said, giving young, up-and-coming, lesser-known artists like Thanduxolo Ma-Awu and Letso Leipego, who are producing extraordinary work, a platform to showcase their talents is a priority too.

The committee’s latest acquisitions cover a range of societal concerns, including questioning who gets remembered when history is written (Sethembile Msezane), the complexity of identity (Tania Peterson), and the need for healing (Sangoma Buhlebezwe Siwanu), while work by Alfred Tega celebrates his mother.

“We’ve improved the collection in a way that includes different fields such as photography, paintings, mix media, printmaking and video. Recently, we’ve also started acquiring performances, which is very different, but wonderful because performances shift the collection away from being merely about visuals and brings in time and immediacy,” she said. “We’re also actively working to increase representation from other parts of the continent. That’s a huge focus for us,” she said.

Transforming spaces

When it comes to transforming campus spaces, Daehnke said, the committee is in the process of changing the art display in UCT’s Chancellor Oppenheimer Library – the heartbeat of the institution. The new installation is set to include inspiring, thought-provoking pieces and the project is carried out in partnership with the Library Transformation Committee.

The overhaul demonstrates the university’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and contemporary reflection. And the display won’t just be aesthetically appealing but will reflect the work of artists in communities in South Africa and on the continent. The new art installation will represent many diverse constituencies that work and study in the library, while remaining relevant to various interests and debates.

“This project is a fundamental step in the process to fully transform our collection.”

“We are very excited to be part of this important transformative project, and we’re certain that what we have planned will elevate the library’s status by ensuring that it remains a space that fosters creativity, dialogue and reflection,” she said. “This project is a fundamental step in the process to fully transform our collection, which we acknowledge will take years to complete. But we know we’ll get there.”

To access and enjoy UCT’s art collection, simply walk through public sites on campus like the foyers, passages and lecture theatres or follow WOAC on Instagram uct_woac for updates on their work around the university.