Leading South African curator to speak in Auckland

By LINDA HERRICK

Leading South African curator Marilyn Martin is in town this week to give two lectures at Auckland Art Gallery, and take part in a series of seminars at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design. Martin was appointed director of the South African National Gallery in 1990, which became absorbed in 1994 into the 15-site Iziko Museums of Cape Town where she is arts collections head. During that time, she has seen extreme political changes which have forced a rethink on the significance of art in the post-apartheid context.

Reputed to be a lively, provocative speaker, Martin will talk about the national gallery's troubled history, which included many years of financial neglect and erratic acquisition policies. Much of the permanent collection was sold off in the late 40s. Presumably because of South Africa's isolationist apartheid policy, the gallery had difficulties adding modern European art to its collection. However, during the 90s the Iziko Museums have embraced the nation's artistic pluralism. Still, funding remains a barrier in a country which, Martin points out, spends NZ$6.4 billion a year on arms and a mere NZ$188 million on arts, culture, science and technology collectively. And, she says, "government is nervous and intolerant of criticism and attempts at censure and censorship are re-emerging".

Martin's first lecture is on Multicultural Art in the Global Economy on Wednesday; Collecting under the Cultural Microscope is on Thursday, both at the Auckland Art Gallery from 7-9pm.