As part of the 16 Days of Activism for non-Violence Against Women and Children, the Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein unveiled several new additions to the museum.
One of the new additions to the museum, is an art gallery from the museum’s vast collection including pieces by masters like Erich Meyer and Frans Oeder as well as contemporary artists like Diane McLean, Anton Smith, Lemohang Andries Sekeleoane and Pauline Gutter.
Two spaces were allocated to showcase art works. The first gallery was curated with an exhibition called “Hope” with some excellent pieces. The second exhibition is curated under the title “Tea Time War” and showcase some very special art works.
The two spaces can be made available for short-term exhibitions ensuring that the museum can keep on providing the public with fresh views on thought provoking art.
After excavations to unearth valuable information of black concentration and forced labour camps during the South African war, visitors to the museum can now see a brand new scale model of the camp called Dry Harts near Vryburg in North West, in the Sol Plaatje Hall.
Another work that brings the museum closer to people with visual impairments, were also unveiled.
A relief artwork with Braille inscriptions of the terrain of the War Museum and Women’s Memorial, were funded by the National Lottery and unveiled at the event.
Puseletso Kopa, orientation coach at the Society for the Blind in the Free State, said this is a wonderful gesture to include people with visually impairments.
Two wonderful editions to the collection of books published by the War Museum, was also introduced.
The first is Dr Garth Benneyworth’s book Work or Starve: Black concentration camps and forced labour camps in South Africa, 1901-1902.
The book is a unique study of the internment of approximately 150 000 black civilians during the South African War and supported by nearly 30 years of research.
Bennyworth says it is not know how many casualties there were in these camps. “Officially the death toll was around 24 000 women and children, but it is widely accepted that it could be much higher,” he said at the launch.
Bennyworth is also a board member of the museum.
Another publication, Prisoners of War in the South African War was compiled by Dr Vicky Heunis. This one-of-a-kind book, published in English, Afrikaans and SeSotho was published in collaboration with the National Lotteries Commission.
The publication is supplemented with beautiful photos of life in the camps and showcases handmade items the prisoners of war produced to keep their longing for their families at bay.
