A grand Indian – South African cultural event
An exhibition of art works by Indian and South African artists
This year, the arrival 150 years ago of the first Indian settlers in South Africa is commemorated.
To mark this event, the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA) in collaboration with the Centre for the Exposition of World Arts and Culture in Hyderabad, capital of the Indian state of Andra Pradesh, exhibited selected South African artworks together with works by Hyderabadi artists in the magnificent Chowmohalla Palace, Seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and private property of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The exhibition, held at the end of July this year, was a tremendous success and aroused much media and public interest.
To reciprocate, SANAVA in conjunction with the Association of Arts Pretoria, now brings the Hyderabad exhibition to Pretoria. This exhibition of Indian and South African art works runs from 4 to 16 September 2010 in the Association’s Mackie Street art gallery and is opened on Saturday 4 September 2010 at 18:30 for 19:00.
Three participating and distinguished Hyderabadi artists, Hanumantha Rao Devulapalli, Aziz and Bhairu Raghuram will be in attendance. Works by the venerable Dr Kondapalli Seshagiri Rao, famous for his Chinese “wash technique” as well as works by other well-known Hyderabadi artists are on display.
The Hyderabad works depict a wide variety of subjects, mythology, epics, historical events and also daily life. They represent images of modern Indian art rarely to be seen in South Africa.
The theme of the South African exhibition is “Land: Diversity and Unity”. It was co-curated by Gwen Miller from Unisa. These works, by some of our foremost artists are on sale and demonstrate the diversity of the South African terrain, including geographical, industrial and urban sites and the identities of the people who inhabit them. Since they all embrace the same land and are inspired by a shared sense of place, they engage with a notion of unity. Ilona Petzer took part in this wonderful event!