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UP bridging the art gap

Ultimately, the initiative aims to ensure that African art and heritage takes its rightful place among the great global artistic traditions.

August 14, 2017

The University of Pretoria (UP) is bringing art to the people.

This initiative saw a distinctive new feature being added to the Pretoria landscape on Saturday. A series of massive beams was installed by a special crane to create a new bridge on Lynnwood Road.

The bridge forms part of the new Javett Art Centre at the university (the Javett-UP), creating a link between the Hatfield and south campuses. This bridge signals another step in the establishment of the Javett-UP, due for completion by the end of 2018. Commencing at 4 am, seven massive beams, each 33.55m in length and weighing 71 tons, were installed to construct a bridge across Lynnwood Road.

This forms part of a major new development in the Tshwane metro – the Javett Art Centre at the Javett-UP. The Javett-UP at the entrance to the university’s cultural precinct will be open to the public, linking the campus to the Tshwane metro. The centre aims to engage students and the public with the creativity and diversity of local art and artists. The Javett-UP was established around the Javett family’s South African art collection. This was made possible by the Javett Foundation and will include the iconic Mapungubwe collection.

It will become a focal point for the art of Africa, providing a valuable resource for academic study and research while inspiring interest and provoking discussion, debate and appreciation amongst the public, students and learners. This development signals a new era in the conservation and education of the art of Africa in the country. Among other things, it is enabling the introduction of a Master’s degree in tangible heritage conservation – a first for South Africa.

Ultimately, the initiative aims seeks to ensure that African art and heritage take their rightful place among the great global artistic traditions.