What's On at the Pretoria Art Museum

In January 1991 the Pretoria Art Museum received the first donation from Mr Fernand Haenggi. It consisted of graphic artworks and a large collection of ceramics. Mr Haenggi was dynamically involved in the South African art market from 1961 until 1993, and also the driving force behind PELMAMA, when he decided to settle in Switzerland, his home country. Artworks from the PELMAMA Permanent Art Collection were then donated, or given on long-term loan to existing museums throughout South Africa. In the process the Pretoria Art Museum received another large donation as well as more artworks on loan. These artworks became an integral part of our exhibitions. In January 2009 the Pretoria Art Museum received as donation all the remaining PELMAMA artworks that were on long-term loan to us at that stage. With this exhibition the Pretoria Art Museum would like to acknowledge the generosity of Mr Fernand Haenggi for this tremendous donation.

Sacred Legacy is a unique photographic exhibition created to celebrate the native peoples of the United States and their history and culture. The exhibition illustrates the broad and extraordinary diversity among the North American tribes and pays homage to the famed photographer and ethnographer, Edward S Curtis. The Native American subjects themselves are the principle reason Curtis’s work has stood the test of time. Their powerful presence, dignity and emotional depth are all quintessential underpinnings of Curtis’s photographs. That all these qualities come through so profoundly in his most compelling photographs is not only a testament to his technical and artistic mastery, but perhaps even more so a reflection of the subjects themselves. On exhibition is a selection of sixty of Curtis’s most evocative images. The Sacred Legacy exhibition is a collaborative effort between the Embassy of the United States of America and the Pretoria Art Museum.

A selection of artworks from the permanent collection tells a brief story of South African art from the time of the first San artists. This selection includes the works of early 20th century painters, Resistance artists of the 1980s and artists of the 21st century.

For this exhibition, artworks have been selected from the Pretoria Art Museum's permanent international printmaking collection. Interior and still life scenes are found to be a popular theme for printmaking techniques. This selection includes the works of well-known 20th century artists like Pablo Picasso and Rene Magritte.

A selection from ceramics representing the development of studio ceramics and the work of the rural traditional potters of South Africa over the past thirty years is on display.