CAPE TOWN - The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation will open a new thought-provoking permanent exhibition entitled “Truth To Power: Desmond Tutu and the Churches in the Struggle Against Apartheid” later this month.
Curated in partnership with the Apartheid Museum, the state-of-the-art exhibition celebrates the life and legacy of Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu. It will be housed at the historic Old Granary building, the home of the foundation and the Tutu IP Trust, and will be a welcome addition to Cape Town’s popular cultural heritage precinct from March 25.
The exhibition forms part of the foundation’s Knowledge Legacy Programme and supports its mission of ensuring that the uncompromised bravery and values of its founders are celebrated, communicated and curated for posterity.
Despite the Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s profound impact on South Africa and the world, there has been no single permanent exhibit solely dedicated to Archbishop Tutu. The exhibition begins to acknowledge his massive contribution and serve as a basis for addressing the distinct deficit in school and university curricula of material about the multi-faceted life and legacy of this global icon.
The exhibition also aims to be more than an ode to the past or a monument to the Arch, as he was fondly known. It will be a place where people, young and old, are challenged and inspired to take up the baton of courageous and ethical leadership and emulate the unwavering values that he demonstrated throughout his life.
“We need to have the courage to speak out against injustice, just as the Arch did. In South Africa, we are seeing deeply troubling trends, such as the resurgence of xenophobia, attacks on whistle-blowers, as well as a relentless assault on our democracy due to rampant corruption. We are also living in unprecedented times where a pandemic has exposed the deep inequalities that continue to plague our global landscape,” said Foundation chairperson Niclas Kjellström-Matseke.
“Our young democracy has not had the chance to fully heal. Healing is not an act of turning a blind eye to the issues, but acknowledging and confronting them in a constructive and peaceful manner. Healing requires introspection, it requires us to learn from the past so that we do not end up making the same mistakes. Learning is part of healing and that is part of what this exhibition hopes to do,” he said.
Just three months after his passing, the exhibition will remind the public of Tutu’s courage to speak out against injustice, his bold activism and his attempt to bring healing and reconciliation to a divided society. It brings together well-researched text, powerful photographs, film footage, as well as documents and other artefacts related to significant moments in his life.
There is also a special room celebrating the relationship between the Arch and his beloved wife and anchor, Leah Nomalizo Tutu, and another dedicated to his relationship with President Nelson Mandela.
“The foundation has done a great job in drawing on the founders’ rich archive to represent the Arch’s important contribution in a sensitive and responsible manner. We look forward to more such initiatives in the years to come to make sure that the Arch’s legacy lives on”, commented Dr Mamphela Ramphele, chairperson of the Tutu IP Trust.
The “Truth To Power” exhibition officially opens to the public for self-guided tours on March 25.
Cape Times