Cape Town celebrated the Heritage Day and explored the history by joining the community event, ‘The Attic Exhibition’. People visited there via a virtual tour of historic objects and art, or several community recreation and sports events.
The exhibition was managed by the Arts and Culture Branch. They used some of the unique, valuable and important art and objects from the Civic Collection of Movable Heritage Assets of the City of Cape Town. With those items they narrated the story of the history and development of Cape Town.
The art and objects in the Civic Collection are the heritage of the people of Cape Town. Some items to collections were from dates back to hundred of years, while others spoke of the recent history.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham said that the heritage should be celebrated every day, but September explains their legacy of past and present.
While it helps in shaping their identities as individuals and as a people, it provides a connection to the shared history and helps them in understanding how they got to this point.
Higham said that it also lays a foundation for the future so that they can build better and stronger communities.
The Attic Exhibition stays open from Monday to Friday, on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for people who prefer to let their fingers do the walking, the Digital Vault offers them an opportunity to access and explore the interesting artworks, objects, monuments and memorials that make up the collection of the city.
The Attic Exhibition, at the City Hall, tells the story of the development of Cape Town, through art and artefacts. Reflect on the past and present of Cape Town at the Attic, a Cape Town Civic Collection Exhibition.
For more info: https://t.co/ICi7ABe03b#HeritageMonth #CTInfo pic.twitter.com/F2ul5UApxX
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) September 12, 2023
The Attic Exhibition – Digital Vault
Digital Vault is an online tool to manage the art and heritage objects that are owned by the City of Cape Town, to make these items accessible to everyone.
Notably, each item in the vault is listed with high quality images, descriptive information and some of the stories that make the item valuable and important. Artists and the public can also apply for a Public Art Permit via the Digital Vault. This makes the process much more convenient for both the applicants and city officials.
The rich and varied history of the City of Cape Town is reflected in its collections which include paintings, sculptures, memorials, murals, antique furniture, medals, Mayoral Regalia and other interesting artefacts.
Also, the Digital Vault can be accessed and explored by visiting its official website.
Councillor Francine Higham said that they commemorate the heritage to honour the diverse cultures, traditions and history, to celebrate the present and promote the contributions of everyone to better future.
If they cannot join in one of the community events, they want to encourage the residents to mark the day in their own way.