UEA Hosts Art Exhibition Celebrating 30 Years Since Apartheid’s End

UEA Hosts Art Exhibition Celebrating 30 Years Since Apartheid’s End

(IN BRIEF) UEA will host an art exhibition from 30 September to 18 October, showcasing works by South African artist Norman Kaplan, who used his art to protest apartheid. The exhibition, featuring Kaplan’s linocuts and cartoons, will mark the 30th anniversary of apartheid’s end and explore the role of art in the anti-apartheid movement. Accompanied by talks and workshops, the event is part of a national commemoration program and aims to engage local communities with the history and legacy of apartheid.

(PRESS RELEASE) NORWICH, 14-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — A new exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa is set to open at the University of East Anglia (UEA). The exhibition, featuring works by renowned South African illustrator and cartoonist Norman Kaplan, will run from 30 September to 18 October at the university’s Enterprise Centre.

Kaplan, born in Port Elizabeth in 1947, played a significant role in the anti-apartheid movement, using his art to protest the regime while living in exile in London. His work, which includes linocuts and cartoons, was often published anonymously in anti-apartheid journals such as Sechaba and The African Communist.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is Kaplan’s linocut “All Shall be Afforded Dignity,” created to celebrate South Africa’s new constitution in 1996. This artwork is engraved in the windows of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, symbolizing the promise of dignity for all in the new democratic nation.

The exhibition, curated by JMC Anderson in collaboration with CreativeUEA, also explores the broader history of the anti-apartheid movement in the UK, with accompanying talks, performances, and workshops aimed at engaging local communities and schoolchildren. It forms part of a national program marking three decades since the end of apartheid.

Commenting on the exhibition, Dr. Nicholas Grant, Associate Professor of International History at UEA, emphasized the importance of Kaplan’s work in the fight against apartheid and expressed excitement at bringing his powerful imagery to new audiences in Norwich.

Caroline Kamana, Director of The Liliesleaf Trust UK, highlighted the enduring relevance of the artwork, noting that while apartheid may have ended, the shadows of injustice still linger. The exhibition, she added, serves as a reminder of art’s ability to inspire action and uphold human rights.

The exhibition is part of ongoing efforts to commemorate and reflect on the global solidarity movement that helped bring an end to apartheid, with the UEA partnering with organizations like The Liliesleaf Trust UK to promote education and awareness of this pivotal period in history.

Media Contact:

Tel: +44 (0) 1603 456161

SOURCE: University of East Anglia