Newsletter 3/21

Dear Friends,

And here we are in November, and thoughts are starting to turn to holidays and festivities. We at Team ISM are, of course, convinced that there is no better way to spend time away from work or experiences with friends, children and grandchildren than to visit the UCT Irma Stern Museum. The garden is in full bloom, so remember to bring your picnic along to soak up the late-spring atmosphere. Visiting details can be found here: Visit – Irma Stern Museum.

And when you visit, do have a look at the newest exhibition titled ‘Memórias da Madeira’. Stern visited Madeira as a child and then again three times as an adult to paint, draw and sketch. The Irma Stern Trust Collection holds some outstanding works from these periods, including two works where we have not only the final oil painting but also the preparatory ink on paper sketch that the painting was based on. At the museum, we were particularly honoured to host a group of Madeiran-born Capetonians, who generously shared not only their memories and experiences of the island but also wonderful traditional foods. Have a look at more information on the exhibition here: Memórias da Madeira – Irma Stern Museum and a video of the visit here: Sharing Madeiran Memories – Irma Stern Museum.

And this month, a very special thank you goes out to William Kentridge and the patrons who joined us for a fundraising screening of two new Kentridge videos. The generosity of Kentridge and our visitors will make it possible for the ISM to host children and their foster mothers from “Home from Home” community foster homes for holiday workshops at the museum. These workshops will be facilitated by artists from the Orange Art Project and will bring joy, learning and creativity during what is often the loneliest part of the year for these children. Good news for those of you that were on our waiting list or missed the event: there was such a demand for tickets that we will re-host the event on 10 December at 14:00, with cake and treats served on the veranda between the two showings. Tickets are R 500, and you can book or get further information by contacting Lucinda at irmastern@uct.ac.za or 0608270787 / 021 650 7240.

Talking of fundraising – in this gifting season, why not gift something that will bring joy and also support the UCT Irma Stern Museum? We now sell beautifully designed gift admission vouchers for the museum, so think of us when considering what to give to your family and friends.

All the best, stay safe and see you soon.

With best wishes from the ISM Team