This is a champagne Sunday morning. Perfect in every way, and one of those rare days that sends any thoughts of moving away from Durban temporarily to the back of one's mind.
Some time back I wrote an article in my "Thoughts from my Studio" series asking if South Africans at large took their artists seriously? After a recent questionnaire and some questions, as well as some information was passed to me I am now wondering if we as a nation take our heritage, treasures and art seriously. Works of art it appears, are no longer, (or at least very seldom) being bequeathed to the country, and collections are being moved off-shore as a whole, or being broken up and moved overseas to be auctioned there. No wonder auction houses in London are doing so well dealing in SA Art, especially our most treasured works. Why would this be? Is it avarice by those who would have previously bequeathed, and that people now want cash and are no longer compelled to leave valued treasures to this country and its peoples for posterity. Or is it political, or that those that have collected these wonderful and prized collections no longer have any faith in a stable future here? Even though nature blesses us so in every way, we must so often these days 'cry the beloved country'
Till later....
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