A work of art on display.
Photo: Nokuthula Zwane/News24
News24 attended the launch of Google Arts & Culture and the Phansi Museum’s new partnership titled ‘I am because you are: a celebration of South African creativity’.
Google SA has announced its collaboration with the Phansi Museum in Durban as part of its initiative to digitize museums.
The new association is titled ‘I am because you are: a celebration of South African creativity’.
This is the largest collection of Google SA in South Africa, bringing more than 5,000 artifacts to an online space for the first time using advanced technology similar to that used in its Street View app.
The online collaboration includes not only the Phansi Museum, but also eight other institutions in South Africa and took more than three years to complete.
Dr Alistair Mokoena, Country Director for Google South Africa, welcomed that the public can now access, explore and discover the stories behind the museum through immersive tours and curated online exhibits, especially as South Africans celebrated Heritage Day this Weekend.
“Our goal has always been to bring the culture of the world online for everyone, allowing people to experience it in new ways. This project has been three years in the making and we are delighted to be able to bring over 5,000 high-resolution images, five views of the museum and 10 online exhibits digitally to the public through the Phansi museum’s personalized page on the Google Arts & Culture website,” he said.
Mokoena added:
We are excited to see how this latest project is received. South Africa has a deep and varied history. It remains our primary goal, as with other cultures around the world, to continue to preserve these treasures, making them accessible to anyone, anywhere.
News 24 you were invited to experience the rich heritage site.
One section that sparks conversation is the ‘Identity Installation’ consisting of twenty life-size puppets dressed in regional garb, showcasing the incredible inventiveness of the people of southern Africa.
“Musical instruments provide a rhythmic backdrop to this collection of body art,” said museum founder Paul Mikula.
Mikula has traveled the world for many years, collecting some of the artifacts that are part of the collection. He is happy to see that all the hard work is finally paying off.
“It’s been a long journey to get this project to this point; three of those years have been working with Google, and we’re proud to be partners. We hope this allows Africans in the diaspora to see and enjoy our work, but also because of the world at large,” he said.
A piece from the exhibition.
A piece from the exhibition.
A piece from the exhibition.
A work of art from the exhibition.
A work of art from the exhibition.
A work of art from the exhibition.
Mathabo Kunene, the executive managing trustee of the Mazisi Kunene Foundation in Durban, said it was exciting to see such an initiative in our time. She is looking forward to the ongoing work that still needs to be done to preserve South African heritage.
“This is an incredible moment. Of course, it is exciting. How else can we preserve it? If you visit our museums, you will see that digitization must happen now. Because Durban is hot and humid,” he said.
Established by the Mazisi Kunene Foundation, the Mazisi Kunene Museum houses the Poet Laureate’s years of work during his exile.
“Part of his political struggle was never writing in English. So all his work was to write in isiZulu,” she said.
Mathabo added that the museum had also started its process of digitizing artifacts and books.
“On the same day, Google went to the Phansi museum, it was the same day they visited the Mazisi Kunene Museum. They came and we signed an agreement, but we didn’t get the funds we needed. We applied for Lotto, but we never got it. We worked with Google for three years to digitize 55,000 pages,” he explained.
Amit Sood, Director of Google Arts & Culture, was delighted with the partnership with a South African organization.
“Thanks to our digitization effort with the Phansi Museum, this center will help us bring cultural treasures, inspiring stories about art and crafts to the people of South Africa and, in the process, help further develop the art scene in the country,” he said.
