National Art Gallery of Namibia

The National Art Gallery of Namibia formally came into being with the promulgation of the National Art Gallery of Namibia Act 14 of 2000. Hitherto from 1947, the administration of visual art and crafts at a national level was done by the Arts Association of Namibia (AAN) operating under a Constitution that considered it as a branch of the South African Arts Association. From the time of independence in 1990, efforts were underway to have a National Art Gallery of Namibia.

The process began on 25 April 1990 when the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, convened a meeting of interested people to discuss various proposals regarding a national Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN). The Committee set up to push the process forward submitted its Report, “The Foundation and Operation of national Art Gallery of namibia” on 17 October 1990 to the mentioned Ministry. Among its recommendations was the sitting of the NAGN premise “so that it was readily identifiable, in easy reach of the public, in a central location accessible to all ... including access for handicapped visitors should not be neglected”. The Permanent Collection was to reflect the NAG character of “the highest, impartial excellence representing the spectrum of Namibian artistic endevours” with collection policy guided by “art and cultural appreciation”; “non-formal art education” “historical understanding” and “documentation and research”. Guiding principles for collection included “character and quality” “incentive for artists of the country, to encourage rising talents ... to inspire the public'.

The collections were to comprise: Namibian art (past and present); “neglected Namibian art” African, especially Southern African art; traditional crafts with artistic merit and works for study collection. Based in Windhoek, “NAGN will endvour at all times to make its services, programmes, exhibition etc available to communities living outside Windhoek”.

A Hisotry of the Namibian Arts Association and the NAGN

1947
Founded by Emma Hoogenhout, Joseph 'Pep' Reiter and Otto Schrdöer as a branch of South African Association of Arts.
First exhibition by 14 artists in the Zoo Café (11 July 1947).
First general meeting (3 November). Nine committee members selected and 34 people became members.

1948
Paintings and African Arts and Crafts Exhibition at South African Gallery in Cape Town.
Music society affiliated to the Arts Association.

1948-49
Youth and Arts Centre.
Art Classes by Otto Schrdöer and Joshua Hoabeb.
Violin classes by Jaap Emner.
Ballet classes by John Cranston.

1948-50
Many famous European artists, musicians and performers visited the country.

1949
First art work acquired by SWA Administration- today the GRN Coll.

1951
Arts Association pioneered the first safari business which proved a useful source of revenue to develop the arts.

1953
Zoo Café established as an Art Centre.
Film club established.
Exhibitions from foreign embassies.

1955
Arts Association became a member of the International Youth Art League. Exchange of child art exhibitions to and from the United States and Europe.

1957
Olga Levinson was elected the Arts Association’s president. Sir Ernest Opperheimer donated £20,000 to build a theatre.

1959
Windhoek Theatre group affiliated to the Arts Association.

1960
Contact with artists from Eastern Europe.
Lease of Zoo Café terminated.
Theatre built and opened.
Swakopmund Branch activated.
First public sculpture: Kudu, Professor Fritz Behn – sponsored by Ernst Behnsen

1960-61
Inclusion of Namibian artists in the Quadrennial and Biennale in Munich, Germany and Venice, Italy.

1961
African art exhibition from French Equatorial Africa and Belgian Congo.

1962
Poet and artist Peter Clarke exhibitions.
Sculptures by leading African artists from Workshop School, Zimbabwe.
Exhibition from China (Professor Bok Chen)
Exhibition by Namibian artists (South African Gallery, Cape Town).

1963
First music library in Namibia initiated by Ruthilde Hillig, the only living founder member of the Arts Association.
Behnsen Foundation (Study Fund) initiated. (All major artists benefited from this).

1965
Opening of the Art Centre: Dr Erich Lübbert Stiftung Contributors:
Dr Lübbert - £58,000
The SWA Administration - £42,000
The Merensky Trust - £3,000
Business management of the Art Centre was entrusted by Dr Lübbert to the Cultural Centre Foundation which still administers it today.

The Arts Association premises now comprise:

The National Theatre
The gallery
Studios for teaching
The National Ballet School

1965
Adolph Jentsch officially started the Perm Coll. Of the NAGN / Arts Association when he donated his painting: ‘Waterhole at Fram Kowas’, 1958.
Helena Brandt and Nico Roos give the first lectures at the art school.

1966
Exhibition of Namibian artists. Artists from the whole country were invited to participate.
Other exhibitions included:
                                Rodin and his Contemporaries.
                                British Lithographs.
                                German artists.
                                Belgian Newspaper Cartoons.
                                SWA / Namibian Women’s’ Exhibition.
                                Blaue Reiter Exhibition, Germany.
                                French Graphic Art.

1967
First solo photographic exhibition: Helmut zur Strassen.
Memorandum drafted for the founding of a national music conservatoire by the Arts Association and committee member Gerald Fainsinger, in the hope of establishing a youth orchestra.

1970
SWA / Namibian administration builds a new theatre around the old one, spending more than R1 million. Control of the theatre handed over to a newly formed management: SWAPAC, with a very substantial subsidy. The Arts Association were informed to confine themselves only to the visual arts.
1970-72 Music recitals by famous artists and orchestras from all over the world, exhibitions, etc.

1972
Metje Trust established by the Metje family, which still today assists the Arts Association to safeguard our national visual heritage.

1974
Very little support from the SWA / Namibian Administration – gave financial worries in spite of a very full programme and art classes.
John Ndevasia Muafangejo’s first exhibition at the Arts Association.
Spotlight Gallery: short plays, lectures, concerts, poetry readings and chamber music.

1975
Conversion of ballet and dance rooms into a gallery for the Perm. Coll., which meant a loss of revenue but satisfied a need for art education, for tourist, and for conserving art works.
Stamp series: Adolph Jentsch, Otto Schröder, Fritz Krampe.
SWA / Namibian Administration takes practically all funding away from the Arts Association and gives it to the theatre and SWAPAC, and makes the theatre open to whites only.

1976
Arts Association refuses SWA / Namibian Administration demand to operate for whites only. Converted all art studios into galleries to try to earn own income.
Nana Wagner was elected the Arts Association president.

1977
Exhibition of famous black artists from South Africa, Lucas Sithole and Lucky Sibiya.
Lecture demonstrations: African Music – International African Music Library.
Exchange of exhibitions with National Gallery, Zimbabwe. Living Arts and Crafts Festival; participants from all regions in Namibia.
Donation by Ruthilde Hillig to acquire more works by John Muafangejo and other artists for collection.
Decision to acquire photographs for archive.
Financial assistance to Helena Marais Art School.
Peter Downing and a Zaïrian refugee, Biby Lewis Spark, receive bursary.
First grant from the Municipality of Windhoek to the Arts Association.
Demonstration by women to open the theatres to all Namibians.

1978
Ruthilde Hillig initiates the first successful Christmas market.

1979
Peter Strack was elected the Arts Association’s president.

1980
Helena Brandt and Annaleen Eins were elected vice-presidents.
Namibian Arts and Crafts Symposium with State Museum: demonstrations of Nama house building skills, Ovambo pottery, weaving. Lectures and slide shows; Kavango, Caprivi, Bushmen etc dancers.
Sponsored by CDM and many private companies and individuals.

1981-83
Ruthilde Hillig was elected the Arts Association’s president.
Independent Art Association SWA / Namibia registered with new constitution.
Lectures and demonstrations at black and white teachers’ seminars for black schools on art and art education. Workshops for adults and children.

1982
Pavement art for all schools in Windhoek. Many local exhibitions, concerts and films. Adult art education workshops by Dörte Berner.

1983
Renovation of the Art Centre. Enlargement of the Permanent Galler. Exhibitions, films, etc.

1985
Annaleen Eins was elected the Arts Association’s President.
First national competition sponsored by Standard Bank.
Between 18 and 24 exhibitions a year.
Enlargement of Permanent Collection.
Namibian Arts Association registered.

1987
Tragic death of John Muafangejo.
Exhibition by Joseph Madisia.
Annaleen Eins appointed as curator.
Judge President Berker was elected the Arts Association’s president.

1988
John Muafangejo was the first black Namibian artist to be presented at the Grahamstown Festival, South Africa.
John Muafangejo Art Centre in Katutura established.

1988-89
Potters’ Association Namibia founded.
Cape Town Triennale in Windhoek.

1989
Tragic death of Olga Levinson.
Shell Child Art competition.

1990
Renovations and alterations to galleries and premises.
Scientific Society moves to new premises – whole building once more an art centre.
The Namibian Arts Association officially designated as the appropriate National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN) by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport on 17 October 1990.
Art workshops in rural regions.

1991
Standard Bank Namibia Biennale.

1992
André Strauss was elected the Arts Association’s president.

1993
Cultural exchange programmes with many foreign partners, embassies and diplomatic missions.
Officially registered as the National Art Gallery (NAGN) although legislation has not yet been completed.
Initiated first art education programmes for schools, with appointment of an art education officer.
Commenced first Collection Management programme with the aid of UNESCO and the Ministry of Basic Education and Culture to manage and curate all public collections of the NAGN and the GRN Coll.
By appointment of consultant Jo Rogge.
Redesigned and relocated John Muafangejo Art Centre with Jo Rogge, Patti Hayes, the Ministry of Basic Education and Culture and the help of many artists and private individuals.
Workshops in rural regions.

1994
Caprivi Cultural Museum Project Katima Mulilo.
Oshana Environment and Art Centre, Oshiko, Oshana Regional Workshops.
São Paulo Biennale, Brazil, with Joseph Madisia, Peter Strack and Hercules Viljoen.
Africus Johannesburg Biennale with Trudi Dicks, Walter Amadhila and Hercules Viljoen.
Tulipamwe International Artists’ Exhibition.

1995
Exhibition of Namibian Art and Craft – London, England and Bonn, Germany.
National and international exhibitions.
Tulipamwe International Artists’ Exhibition.
Initiation of project for artists to teach art directly at schools to alleviate the lack of trained art teachers.
Standard Bank Namibia Biennale initiation of accreditation programme for artists and art students, professionally managed by the Centre for Visual and Performing Arts, UNAM.