Currently running in the KZNSA’s Park
Gallery is exhibition by Jannie van Heerden in which he attempts to reflect the
spirit and the times of the remarkable pioneer that was Olive Schreiner. His artist’s
statement reads:
“The concept for the exhibition The
Story of an African Farm commenced in early 2012 after a visit to my
hometown Cradock and the Schreiner House Museum as well as the Schreiner grave
on Buffelskop. This history was part of my childhood as my father took me to
all these places. Upon rereading The Story
of an African Farm and Karel Schoeman’s two volumes on Olive Schreiner, I
became inspired by Olive’s descriptions of the Karoo landscape around Cradock
and commenced with a series of Schreiner specific works, based either on actual
sites or quotations from her writings.
“In this exhibition,” he continues, “I have
attempted to reflect the spirit and the times of this remarkable pioneer. In
her time, women had no rights and she had to publish The Story of an African Farm
under a pseudonym. As already mentioned, she was also a remarkable freethinker
and a fighter for the underdog. She was misunderstood by many of her
contemporaries and the general Cradock public considered her as eccentric and a
bit crazy.”
The Story of an African Farm runs in the KZNSA’s Park Contemporary Gallery until July 21. The KZNSA Gallery is situated at 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood,
in Durban. More
information on 031 277 1703, fax 031 201 8051 or cell 082 220 0368 or visit www.kznsagallery.co.za
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