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NMB Art Museum reopens under strict Covid-19 protocols

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The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is once again open to the public. Art lovers can visit the museum between 9:00 and 16:00 on weekdays, however they must note that the museum is closed on Tuesday mornings for cleaning. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, only 20 people will be allowed to enter the venue at one time. Larger groups can book in advance in order for proper adherence to COVID-19 safety regulations to be implemented and visitors are reminded that they must always wear a mask during their visits at the museum.

WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON SHOW:

REFLECTING ON LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID

20 January to end March 2021

Youth from across the City with different artistic mediums reflected on their experiences over the past year. The exhibition includes poems and images from the Helenvale poets, sketches made by youth art groups from New Brighton, Joe Slovo and Motherwell. At the center of the exhibition is an interactive Wishing Tree and craft table. We are inviting you to write a message of hope or a wish for a loved one that can be added to the tree.

THROUGH OUR EYES:

Celebrating 25 years
Journey to South Africa / Journey to America

20 January to end March 2021

Through Our Eyes is an annual exhibition coordinated by the RITZ THEATRE AND MUSEUM in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2018, this annual exhibition turned 25 and local Jacksonville artists were invited to make works in response to the theme “Journey to South Africa: Struggle & Resistance” as part of the International Partnership between the Cities of Nelson Mandela Bay and Jacksonville.

Through Our Eyes: Journey to America – Local Eastern Cape Artists were invited to participate. Both exhibitions were exhibited separately last year at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum. Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the American exhibition did not return and the South African exhibition was unable to travel to Jacksonville. We have exhibited the separate shows as one exhibition this year. The rehanging has allowed for dialogue between the two groups of works and have created a dynamic exhibition. We look forward to these works making their way to the USA this year.

You can view our online VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS on our webpage: www.artmuseum.co.za

REFLECTING ON LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

On 12 December 2020, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, opened an exhibition in which youth from across the City used different artistic mediums to reflect on their experiences of what life has been like over the past year.

The exhibition is made up of three components:

1. IMAGING THE VOICE: A PHOTO AND POEM PROJECT BY HELENVALE POETS
2. SKETCHBOOK: LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
3. WISHING TREE

1. IMAGING THE VOICE: A PHOTO AND POEM PROJECT BY HELENVALE POETS

IMAGING THE VOICE is an exhibition of poems and images created by the HELENVALE POETS. The project was funded through the Nelson Mandela Bay Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture small grant programme and combines poetry and photography. Poet, mentor and project leader, Brian Walter, assisted the group by collating over 100 poems and images into a poetry book and visual exhibition. The poems reflect the experiences of 19 young people living in Helenvale. The poems describe the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting on life in the Helenvale community and celebrating the beauty we can still find around us. Contributors, Leonie Williams, Shenesia Booysen and Charné Williams were team leaders and assisted the younger members of the group to make the project possible.

The project, administered by the Southern Africa Development, Research and Training) SADRAT Institute, received additional support from Volkswagen Community Trust, Dryad Press and members of the community who donated pre-owned phones or cameras. The Swiss TPH Support Group provided equipment and the Nelson Mandela University CCT helped with T-Shirts which were printed by Goshawk Printers. Silke Heiss provided proof-reading and language advice, and Mike Barwood did design and layout.

2. SKETCHBOOK: LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

Over the past six months, the Friends of the Art Museum in conjunction with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum sponsored art journals to art groups across Nelson Mandela Bay. Participants in these groups have used their journals to draw and reflect on life during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last month the groups visited the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum to produce large scale sketches.

The four participating groups are:

HAND IN HAND STUDIO founded by Sakhumzi Nyendwana and his brother, Mzindsi as an art gallery and tourists’ attraction in Motherwell township.

ARTWORKS FOR YOUTH based in the community of Joe Slovo. Artworks for Youth is facilitated by John Lombardo and provides free visual art instruction, academic support and mentoring to students in Nelson Mandela Bay.

IZ’KOLI ART was founded in 2019 by a group of young artists from Red Location, Anele Zephe, Makhonsandile Molose and Theo Zonke. They aim to uplift local New Brighton youth through various community projects including creating murals and organizing street cleanups.

RAW NATIVE KREATIVES was founded by six young creatives who share a passion for community development. Mhlehi Hallom is the managing director. The goal of the group is to help equip township youth with acquiring life skills through art education.

The Friends of the Art Museum is a non-profit organisation that has supported the Art Museum for over 40 years. In recent years this organisation has assisted to bring underprivileged kids to the museum for art workshops. When the museum was closed between March and September 2020 due to COVID-19, the Friends decided to support local NGO’s who use art to uplift the lives of children from our most impoverished communities.

3. WISHING TREE

An interactive exhibit where we ask the public to participate. Visitors to the exhibition will be invited to write on a piece of paper and add messages of hope on our wishing tree.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.