Norval Foundation, situated in Cape Town’s Steenberg area, has reopened its galleries with a series of four exciting new exhibitions.

Having temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the art centre has once again opened its doors to the public, with social distancing measures in place. “The health and comfort of our staff and visitors is our main concern – all health and safety measures have been implemented in line with government regulations to ensure a safe reopening,’ says Norval Foundation’s Chief Executive Elana Brundyn.

The exhibitions feature works by renowned South African artists Athi-Patra Ruga, Zanele Muholi and Jackson Hlungwani, as well as new acquisitions added to the Foundation’s Homestead Collection.

“The transformative and enriching power of art is even more significant in times like these,” says Elana. “While we have all adapted to our new virtual lifestyles, it is hard to replicate the feeling of seeing a great work of art with your own eyes.”

The Alt and Omega: Jackson Hlungwani exhibition aims to pay tribute to the sculptor’s work and the way in which he integrated his heritage with global influences and thought systems from the Old and New Testaments.

Jackson Hlungwani – The Angel Gabriel (II) (1983)

In the Atrium, you’ll find Athi-Patra Ruga’s iiNyanga Zonyaka — The Lunar Story Book. The window vinyl, which is inspired by the stained glass seen in churches, is described by Norval as a translucent film depicting a visual narrative that “cross-pollinates through various time zones”.

In Gallery 1, visitors will find And then you see yourself: Zanele Muholi. “The exhibition follows a path leading from intimate snapshots, betraying personal notions of identity, to visually refined portraits of a shapeshifting, mythologised subject located in the public imagination,” states the Foundation. “It is a journey from private domain into public sphere. Throughout the exhibition there is a consideration, not just of Muholi’s identity, but of our own identities and the ways in which we construct them and change them based on who is looking.”

Zanele Muholi – Qiniso, The Sails, Durban (2019)

Divided into four thematic groups, Recent Acquisitions by the Homestead Collection showcases a new selection of pieces by artists from across the African continent, including Georgina Gratrix, Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga, Gerhard Marx, Pierre Fouché and Cinga Samson.

Visitors will need to purchase timed tickets, available online or upon arrival. For more information, visit norvalfoundation.org.

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The Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art in Prato recently opened as the only public museum in Italy after undergoing an extension that sees the construction of an entirely new wing with a unique architectural impact.

The centre was originally conceived by entrepreneur Enrico Pecci and serves to promote sensitivity to emerging art through the hosting of temporary exhibits, didactic activities, shows and multimedia events. The extension provides the pre-existing structure designed by Italo Gamberini with new functions and doubles the surface area to facilitate the establishment of new relationships between the museum and the city.

The enlargement project began in 2006 under Dutch architect Maurice Nio; founder of Rotterdam-based studio NIO Architecture. Nio’s project entitled Sensing the Waves intends to connect the centre and the area in which it is located to make contemporary art more accessible to the public.

The new wing of the building is shaped in a golden ring that traces over the contours of the surrounding garden. Once complete, the complex will cover a surface area of 10 000 square metres and feature an archive, specialist library, open-air theatre, cinema/auditorium, performance space, bookshop, pub/bistro, restaurant and various workshop/meeting rooms. The highest point of the complex features an antenna-like structure that signifies the centre’s function as a receptor and transmitter for the vibrations of the present time.

The Municipality of Prato is currently in a time of great design creativity and OBR with Michel Desvigne has just won first prize in the international competition to design the new Parco Centrale (Central Park).

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WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring PHOTOS Iwan Baan and Todd Eberle

Says Arnault, “We wanted to present Paris with an extraordinary place for art and culture, and demonstrate daring and emotion by entrusting Frank Gehry with the construction of a building that is emblematic of the 21^st century.”

The aim of the Fondation is to encourage constant creation and innovation and make modern and contemporary art accessible to everyone. Essentially an art museum, it will be home to permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and installations, as well as performances and educational talks.

Located next to the Jardin d’Acclimation in the Bois de Boulogne park in Paris, the building is made up of 12 glass sails (comprised of 3 600 panes) supported by wooden beams and a collection of large white blocks, which has earned it the nickname, the “iceberg”.

“The 13 500 square metres of glass roofing is made up of unique panes, developed with the aid of innovative technology,” says Gehry. In fact, the entire project was brought to life thanks to one digital program from Gehry Technologies.

Despite its strikingly progressive design, the building still manages to tie in with its natural surroundings, not only via rooftop gardens and its ability to collect and recycle rain water, but in the way that it literally reflects the nearby trees and specially built water garden. Sustainability was an important part of the design process. “The environmental targets of the Fondation are so high that it has been chosen as the pilot project for the preparation of a new HQE (High Environmental Quality) standard dedicated to cultural buildings,” explains Gehry. | fondationlouisvuitton.fr.

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