Published January 13, 2021
At the end of 2020, Javett-UP was invited to participate in a video series on “Art in Biodiversity” for the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria.
No other feature on our planet is as complex or dynamic as biodiversity and humans are forcing dramatic change. Art can raise awareness of the beauty in biodiversity which otherwise is too easily overlooked.
The partnership between the University of Pretoria and the Javett Foundation highlights the value of art. While remaining academically oriented, the Javett-UP looks at making the art of Africa accessible, relevant and engaging.
One of the most prominent themes that can be found in Javett-UP is diversity, whether it is from a cultural point of view or a focus on the diversity of the natural world.
What makes the work in Javett so unique is how often biodiversity is closely related with humanity. This connection also leads to the realisation that we as a human race are causing the destruction of nature but also have the means to preserve it.
Featured artwork: Johannes Meintjes, Swazi Landscape (1951). Oil on board.
View 5 part video series below: