Listed below are current exhibitions at the South African National Gallery. Behind the scenes are several new exhibitions to look forward to.

Exhibitions that were held earlier this year (2009), but are now over, can be found on the Recent Exhibitions page while a comprehensive list of South African National Gallery exhibitions from previous years can be found on the Past Exhibitions page.

On now...

Cross-Pollination: South African Art 9 June - 25 October
JOL 2 June - 16 August
Dis-Ease 6 April - 28 June 2009
The Sir Abe Bailey Bequest November 2008 - 31 July 2009
Scratches on the face 15 October 2008 - 31 July 2009

Jol
2 June to 16 August

The photographs of Billy Monk, taken in the notorious ‘Les
Catacombs Club’ during the late 1960s, and Graham Goddard at a
youth club in Mitchell’s Plain in the early 1990s both represent a
departure from the politically engaged documentary photography
associated with the apartheid era.
The South African slang word ‘jol’, means ‘a party’ or similar
social occasion, or ‘having a good time’. Jol looks at personal and
light-hearted interactions in public spaces as seen by artists and
photographers at various points in our tumultuous and conflictridden
history. The wider historical context in which the artworks
are framed gives poignancy to the connections implied. In addition
to photography, the work of artists Gerard Sekoto and Johannes
Phokela are also exhibited.

Enquiries: Pam Warne, Tel. 021 467 4660 or email
pwarne@iziko.org.za.
See Press Release for more information.

DIS-EASE, a new generation of video art from the Rijksakademie archives, is a video compilation screening that reflects on the power of the medium, as explored by some 27 artists of 17 different nationalities ranging in diversity from Brazil to Taiwan. The artists produced these works, for the most part, during residencies at the Rijksakademie in the Netherlands. The works carry explicit cultural overtones and idiosyncratic nuances that suggest the artists' origins. But what begins to reveal itself is how globalisation has permeated the very fabric of this so-called 'village'. Gathered under the title 'dis-ease', the videos in this exhibition investigate feelings of unease and disquiet. Durban-based artist and curator, Greg Streak, curated the exhibition on a visit to Amsterdam in early 2008.

Enquiries: pam warne, Tel. 021 467 4660 or email pwarne@iziko.org.za.

THE SIR ABE BAILEY BEQUEST
NOVEMBER 2008 - 31 JULY 2009
Room 3

Sir Abe Bailey's munificent gift to the South African nation is again resplendently on exhibition at the Iziko South African National Gallery. British sporting art, portraits, prints, drawings and watercolours are the major areas of the collection that make up the exhibition. Many newly restored paintings are on display, and there is now a comprehensive new website on the work that has been carried out on the collection.

We are also most proud to announce the publication of the first-ever comprehensive catalogue on the Sir Abe Bailey Collection, written by Anna Tietze. The catalogue is available for sale from the the Iziko South African National Gallery Shop (Tel. 021 467 4664).

Enquiries: Hayden Proud, Tel. 021 467 4676 or email hproud@iziko.org.za.

SCRATCHES ON THE FACE
15 OCTOBER 2008 - 31 JULY 2009
Room 1

This exhibition, which represented South Africa in a cultural exchange with India in December 2007, is an excellent introduction to South African art and history for any visitor. Drawing on the Iziko Art and Social History Collections, it maps out in the broadest terms the major themes in the struggle for liberation and survival and how these have marked the ‘face’ of the country in both literal and metaphorical terms. Works of art from pre-colonial times and examples of South African contemporary art are on display.

A splendid illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition, jointly published by Iziko Museums of Cape Town and the University of South Africa Press.

Enquiries: Hayden Proud at Tel. 021 467 4676 or email hproud@iziko.org.za.