The Visual Arts Festival

A visual arts exhibition runs for the duration of the festival at Rust & Vrede Cultural Centre in Durbanville and at the St Georges's Cathedral in the city of Cape Town

The Visual Arts Festival - two exhibitions of the works of established artists - Ronald Harrison - whose Black Christ and Albert Luthuli Series will be showcased at St Georges's Cathedral, in the city, from March 6 to 24 and Tretchikoff, whose exhibition runs at Rust & Vrede in Durbanville from March 14 to 24. Free to public.

The Black Christ Foundation and the Spirit of Albert Luthuli Collection at St Georges's Cathedral
The historically controversial painting by Ronald Harrison called the Black Christ is displayed together with a series of eight other paintings depicting the Spirit of Albert Luthuli. The Black Christ depicts former African National Congress leader Chief Albert Luthuli being crucified by former Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd and his Justice Minister John Vorster.

Painted in 1961 it was viewed as blasphemous and subversive by the Apartheid Government who tried to have it destroyed. Anti-apartheid activists managed to smuggle it out of the country where it toured Europe and the UK to raise millions for the victims of apartheid.

In the wake of the painting leaving the country, Ronald Harrison was arrested by the South African authorities and repeatedly tortured and interrogated. This important work documenting a dark time in our social and political history was returned to South Africa in 1997 where it is stored in the National Gallery.

Surrounding the Black Christ is a series of eight other paintings by Harrison depicting the spirit of Albert Luthuli. These eight works articulate the legacy of Albert Luthuli that irrespective of the darkness of our past and the turmoil of the present, hope always springs eternal.

Tretchikoff Exhibition at Rust & Vrede in Durbanville
The artwork of well-known Russian-born artist, Vladimir Gregoroevich Tretchikoff, will go on exhibition at the gallery at Rust & Vrede between March 14 and 24.

Vladimir Tretchikoff (1913-2006) was a self-taught artist who painted realistic figures, portraits, still life and animals, with subjects often inspired by his early life in China and Malaysia, and later life in South Africa. Tretchikoff's work was immensely popular with the general public.

It is estimated that at least half a million prints of the 1952 painting titled Chinese Girl has been sold worldwide, making it one of the bestselling prints of all time. Regardless of his incredible popularity worldwide Tretchikoff was dismissed by art experts. Lately, however, his work has enjoyed a revival among fans of realism as well as the emerging retro-art market.

It is easy to discount any artist's work, but few artworks can define an era more vividly than the Dying Swan or Lost Orchid. In his lifetime more than two million people viewed his exhibitions worldwide. With this exhibition viewers can again see the colour saturated canvasses that Tretchikoff called symbolic realism.

This exhibition comprises of original paintings and objects from his studio. A wide selection of prints will be for sale.

The Visual Arts Festival
Where: Rust & Vrede Cultural Centre in Durbanville and at the St Georges's Cathedral in Cape Town
When: Ronald Harrison 4 - 24 March 2007; Tretchikoff 14 - 24 March
More Info: Contact Gert du Preez on 021 465 9047 or 082 787 1707 or Neliswa at the Cape Town Festival offices on 021-465 9042


Molo says: "Read about the rest of the highlights of the Cape Town Festival 2007 including the In Touch Community Festivals and The Hip Hop Festival, amongst others.

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Find all information on the 2008 Cape Town Festival Events.