Event information
Vice-chancellor Prof Sibusiso Bengu once called The University of Fort Hare’s exceptional art collection: a reflection of what is most authentically human. The collection, which was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 1998, was started in 1964. It features works by over 170 outstanding black artists, including Gerard Sekoto, George Pemba and Gladys Mgudlandlu, and houses a collection of traditional African art including beadwork, utilitarian objects, costumes and a variety of other artefacts.
In addition to the gallery’s significant works by contemporary South African artists, it also houses archive material on Steve Biko, Black Consciousness and the African National Congress.
Mining corporation De Beers donated funds for the construction of a dedicated building to house the collection in 1988, and the De Beers Centenary Gallery opened in 1989 amidst the teargas and unrest of that period.