News
In this news section you will find Archival Platform announcements. You can also download Archival Platform newsletters.
Share
SAHRA the Qatar Orientalist Museum and Irma Stern’s ‘Arab Priest’
Irma Stern, 'Arab Priest',1945
Irma Stern’s Arab Priest artwork is set to go to Qatar’s Orientalist Museum after a meeting of the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA). The deadlock between SAHRA and Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) over the export permission of exporting Irma Stern’s “Arab Priest” that sold for R26.6 million at Bonham’s earlier this year, seems to be broken, with SAHRA set to grant QMA a temporary permit application after the meeting in Cape Town.
The appeal process that the QMA was to embark after the painting was banned from leaving the country has been suspended pending the outcome of the temporary permit application. The outcome of the application is expected shortly, stated the SAHRA press release.
In this landmark case, SAHRA has played its strongest role in exercising its mandate to have the ability on preventing the export of cultural items more than 60 years old from South Africa. The case is being followed by overseas auction houses selling works of South African art that are still in the country. Previously Bonham’s was granted a temporary export permit to show Stern’s Arab Priest in London. The work then sold for a record breaking R26.6 million to an undisclosed buyer which later transpired to be the Qatar Museum.
Source: Bizcommunity website
Monday 14 November: SAHRA declines export of ‘Arab Priest” a painting by Irma Stern identifies as a heritage object that forms part of the national estate.
Bonhams auction house in London has created an international interest in South African art. The first dedicated sale of South African art was held on 23 May 2007. Prior to that, South African art had been included in bi-annual sales entitled “Exploration, Travel and Topographical Pictures”, which included art from New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan,
the Philippines, Africa, the Americas, etc.
South African art that forms part of the National Estate also has a commercial value is highly desirable internationally and is traded as a commodity. Bonhams now holds two annual sales of South African art. For their October 2011 sale they applied for 30 permits to export South African works of art. Of these, 24 permits were issued and six permit applications were denied, thereby prohibiting artworks from being exported.
On 13 December 2010, SAHRA received an application for a permit to temporarily export Irma Stern’s painting “Arab Priest” (1945) to London and New York from the auction house in London. Bonhams gave their reason for applying for a temporary export permit as an intention to exhibit the work in their galleries in London and New York.
On 23 December 2010, SAHRA issued the temporary export permit under certain conditions, one of which being that the painting must be returned to South Africa. Bonhams complied with all of these conditions and the painting was returned to South Africa on 7 March 2011.
Following the issue of the temporary export permit, the Irma Stern Trust indicated that they would object to the permanent export of “Arab Priest”.
On 20 May 2011, Elliot International applied for a permanent export permit for “Arab Priest” to Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) who was cited as the new owner of the painting. This was the first time that it became known to SAHRA that the work had been sold to a foreign buyer.
The SAHRA Art Panel, made up of art historians, professional curators and historians, appointed by the SAHRA Council, advises the SAHRA Permit Committee on the significance and heritage value of art works and whether they should be exported or not. Based on the advice of the Art Panel, the Permit Committee decided to refuse a permit for the permanent export of the painting. The reasons for the declining of an export permit are as follows:
1. Irma Stern’s work and this painting in particular, is a valuable artistic document by a much travelled South African artist whose activities and artistic journey transcended and crossed boundaries of religion and culture. As such it serves as a valuable document for South Africans of mutual respect between diverse cultures and religions.
2. “Arab Priest” was a significant centre-piece in the UCT Irma Stern Museum for many years, even though it was only on loan. Its standing as an important heritage object is affirmed by this.
3. The pool of outstanding cultural treasures of such quality in South Africa is small and such objects require protection for the benefit of future generations.
4. To allow such a work of quality to leave the shores of this country will diminish the national estate and make it all the more difficult to argue for the retention of similar examples in future.
In terms of the NHRA, the applicant has the right to appeal against SAHRA’s decision. On 21 July 2011 SAHRA received a letter from the Collections Director, Orientalist Museum of the QME in which it is noted, inter alia that the QMA would like to appeal against the decision and that it is not interested in a re-purchase by a third party.
The date for the appeal hearing has been set down for 16 November 2011. Members of the public, who are interested to attend, may contact Azola Mkosana on 021 462 4502 or e-mail him on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), established in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, No 25 of 1999 (NHRA), is responsible for identifying, managing, promoting and conserving South Africa’s heritage resources.
Queries can be directed to Mrs. Regina Isaacs, Heritage Objects Unit Manager, SAHRA, Tel- 021 462 4502 /or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Source: South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)
SAHRA is an Agency of the South African Government whose mandate includes the identification, conservation, protection and promotion of South African heritage for the present and future generations.
Comments
I followed this story on the public media and having read the decisions by SAHRA not to allow this master piece from leaving the country permanently I begin to understand not only the economic value of art but most important the politics of art collection. I am an art collector myself and I came to realize after attesting a number of actions that the money put to the art works are largely driven by cultural orientation. The works of Gareld Sekoto sold very well lately and with this work beating the all-time record it shows how politics of collecting that is driven by cultural orientation at times use citizenship/ patriotism and geopolitics as motive to set the price high. South Africans should begin to appreciate art and buy it themselves to avoid a situation like this one. But then who will put R26m to a piece of work? We have lost invaluable heritage to those who can put the price higher than the rest. The other thing is that very few South Africans are into art collection let alone art appreciatio in order to understand the investment value attached to it. The last issue takes me back to geopolitics and ownership as well as control of material produced in Developing countries by the rich of the world. We should not wait until the works are worth millions of rand at auctions and then try to buy of protect. South Africa should have an audit of art works that falls in the over 60 years list and make them go on tour and made the public know about them but most important value them not only from the pure monetary terms. Lets see if money rules the world better than aesthetics!