The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (Javett-UP) is inviting the public to engage with the complex relationship between the individual and the collective through its upcoming “One and the Many Conversation Series” this February.
Supported by the Australian High Commission in South Africa, this series features artists, scholars, and cultural thinkers in a dialogue that deepens the themes of the exhibition currently housed at the centre.
Event Schedule and Highlights
Part 2: Residues and Reveries (Feb 27, 11:00-13:00)
Artists Katlego Tlabela and Stephanie Conradie will engage in a panel discussion moderated by Javett-UP’s Keneilwe Chuene. The conversation will explore the tension between Tlabela’s focus on Black visibility and aspiration, and Conradie’s material excavations of domestic life and colonial residues.
Part 3: Pedagogy, Monumentality, and Sound (Feb 28, 10:00-16:00)
This day-long event features three dynamic sessions:
- Towards Other Pedagogies: University of Pretoria lecturers will discuss how the exhibition functions as a living pedagogical space, transforming from a place of display to one of co-production and experimentation.
- Monumental Gestures: Artists Ledelle Moe, Inga Somdyala, and Goldendean will discuss their large-scale works, interrogating how scale transforms narrative, space, and memory to amplify marginalized histories.
- Sonic Reflection: The series concludes with a live performance by composer Gabi Motuba, interpreting the exhibition’s “Altar” theme through sound, exploring the ecological footprint of “violent sonics” on our perception of the sacred.
About the Exhibition
Open since July 2025, the One and the Many exhibition showcases diverse narratives of South Africa’s history through 82 artists drawn from the Bong Dhlomo Collection, the Javett Family Collection, and the South 32 Collection, alongside six invited contemporary artists.
To attend these free events, visitors can RSVP on the Javett-UP website.
