INTRO
A major exhibition exploring 100 thousand years of South Africa's history through art is taking place in the UK
And South Africa's National Treasure, the Mapungubwe Golden Rhino is on its first outing abroad for the occasion.
As our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.
IN: The Mapungubwe Golden rhino
OUT: SOC
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SCRIPT
The Mapungubwe Golden rhino is the symbol of pre-colonial civilisaltion in South Africa.
It's 800 years old just 6 inches long.
Now the gold object is on display at The British Museum, having left South Africa for the very first time.
And while it may only be small, it's a major piece on loan for the museum's latest exhibition on South African Art
As JOHN GIBLIN, the LEAD CURATOR of the SOUTH AFRICA: THE ART OF A NATION exhibit at the British Museum, explains
"We're very privileged to have the gold rhino and the other gold sculptures from Mapungubwe, it's extremely important because these are the sculptures from the first southern african kingdom, they were recognised in 1999 as South Africa's treasures and then in 2002 South Africa created the award of Mapungubwe with a platinum award with the gold rhino at its centre, the highest reward, which it awarded to Nelson Mandela"
Some of the objects here are on loan, while others have been collected by the British Museum for over 20 years
And this exhibition aims to be a journey through time of South African art… dating back around 100 thousand years right the way up to modern day
And it attempts to tell the story of South Africa's complex history, through some 200 exhibits.
The contemporary art works have been chosen to provide new perspectives on South Africa's past.
One of those pieces is by former political prisoner Lionel Davis
GRAB: LIONEL DAVIS, ARTIST
"For me it's a nostalgic journey to remember the playground of my youth and the other wing of that, the other side is a partial map of Robin Island."
By juxtaposing contemporary and historical works of art, this exhibition helps promote the long and rich artistic heritage of South Africa, which has gaining a growing global reputation.
SOC