As an important response to 2019’s ‘tenor of the times’, the Iziko South African National Gallery will be foregrounding its recent acquisitions in an exhibition titled Filling in the Gaps. Works in Filling in the Gaps, some on view at the Iziko South African National Gallery (ISANG) for the first time, reflect recent developments in painting, sculpture, photography and installation – representing works acquired since 2014. As a cross section of the diverse practices pursued by artists from around the world, this exhibition reaffirms the ISANG’s long-standing commitment to collecting and exhibiting the art of the past and present.
Filling in the Gaps promises to be surprising in its diversity, and points to the continued relevance of the institution as a national showcase of excellence in the visual arts – especially as the gallery edges towards its 150th anniversary in 2022.
Filling in the Gaps features important historical acquisitions – addressing both neglected histories and works by cutting-edge artists such as Moses Tladi – the first black artist to exhibit at the Gallery in 1931, soon after the present building was inaugurated, John Koenakeefe Mohl, Ephraim Ngatane and Peter Clarke – all concerned with contemporary issues. The acquisition of their artworks assist in building a national collection that is inclusive and more representative of the overlooked and marginalised artists of the past.
