A Selection: The SABC Collection
Curated by Koulla Xinisteris
Exhibition opening: Saturday, 25 March 2023
Time: 11:30am
Exhibition run: 25 March – 05 May 2023
A Selection is a curated conversation and a reflection on our shared humanity as South Africans living our lives within the vaster aegis of time and the universe. Encompassing both traditional and new media, the exhibition is not concerned with imposing an interpretation either on the viewer or the artwork. This exhibition forges a bridge of knowledge –experiential, lived and acquired – towards purpose, hybridity, meaningful connectivity, and the sharing of knowledge through exchanges with students and the public at large.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Art Collection is widely recognised as one of the most significant historical and contemporary public art collections in South Africa. The SABC has been acquiring art works for more than half a century. At first, its approach to collecting was informal. Then, following the restructuring of the SABC after the country’s first free and fair election in 1994, the SABC formalised the Collection under curator Koulla Xinisteris and allocated a budget towards the acquisition of art works on a basis representative of our new democracy. Today, many of these works can be seen by staff and members of the public in the foyers, cafeterias, and passages of the broadcaster’s various buildings. The collection has also held several exhibitions including the award-winning Making Waves at Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), National Arts Festival and the Castle of Good Hope as well as COP 17.
Due to the SABC’s financial constraints, a budget has not been made available for the acquisition of new works in recent years.
As a public, parastatal collection, the SABC Art Collection is owned by South African taxpayers. It is a cultural asset and a vital aspect of our heritage that must be sustained, protected, and made widely accessible.
For more information email Eugene on eugene@uj.ac.za
Gallery Hours
Tuesday – Friday 09-00 – 16:00
Saturday 09:00 – 13:00
Closed Mondays, public and university holidays