Top Cape Town gallery honours legendary Bra Hugh
THE second floor of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town has been named the Hugh Masekela Gallery as part of honouring the late legendary jazz musician and activist.
Multi-talented performer and Design Indaba 2018 speaker Lebo Mashile made the announcement during the final day of the Design Indaba Conference yesterday.
The three-day event showcased the best in design and creativity by bringing together people using design and innovation to create a better world.
For the unveiling, “Bra Hugh” was represented by his sister Barbara Masekela. She was invited on stage to accept the tribute to her brother on behalf of the Masekela family.
The newly named “Hugh Masekela Gallery” is now officially open to the public.
Design Indaba founder Ravi Naidoo said: “I believe it is fit- ting that a cultural icon such as Hugh Masekela is honoured by yet another cultural icon such as Zeitz MOCAA, which has rapidly garnered global renown and several awards for architecture since its launch. The Design Indaba has been at ground zero in growing the creative industries in the new democratic South Africa. We want to be relevant to our city, and its challenges and needs,” said Naidoo.
The event organiser said the gesture was both a tribute and a call to action, citing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address in which he urged all South Africans to be the catalyst for social change in the country. “Send me,” the president had said, referencing Masekela’s Thuma Mina.
David Green, V&A Waterfront chief executive and co-founder of Zeitz MOCAA, said: “Hugh Masekela was a giant within the arts and culture space. Hugh’s songs and music told the world who African people were and it is entirely fitting that this, the museum whose main purpose is to tell African stories through African art, should name the gallery after Hugh Masekela.” – Staff Reporter