New Exhibition at WAM: 1976 at 50: 'Silent Witness' and 'Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ 76'
| When: | Tuesday, 19 May 2026 - Saturday, 20 June 2026 |
| Where: | Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Art Museum Braamfontein Campus East |
| Start time: | 18:00 |
| Enquiries: | For more information on teh show and museum, please email: Julia.Charlton@wits.ac.za |
| Cost: | Entrance is free and all are welcome. |
Join WAM for the opening of ‘1976 at 50’ on Tuesday 19 May 2026 @ 18:00 for 18:30.
The event will include short addresses by filmmakers Kevin Harris and Paul Laufer, and by Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Emeritus Professor Yunus Ballim. We look forward to welcoming you to this special evening of art and reflection.
16 June 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto uprising and presents an important opportunity to reflect on the events of that time and their impact on our lives today.
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Art Museum presents two bodies of work as part of this reflection, a short film by independent South African filmmaker Kevin Harris, and a photographic essay by cinematographer Paul Laufer, the Chief Photographer in 1976 for Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Student newspaper.
Kevin Harris's film ' Silent Witness' is comprised of footage from his extensive archives and is structured through historical interviews with people who witnessed the devstating events of 16 June 1976, featuring photo-journalist Peter Magubane; student leader Murphy Morobe, Rand Daily Mail newspaper editor Raymond Louw; family members and colleagues of social worker Dr Melville Edelstein; Hector and Antoinetter Pieterson's mother Mrs Dorothy Molefi; Mbuyisa Makhubu's mother Mrs Nombulelo Makhubu; and John Rees and Peter Storey from the South African Council of Churches (SACC).
'Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ 76' is a substantial photographic essay by Paul Laufer, the Chief Photographer at the time for Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Student newspaper. The essay comprises images of schools in Soweto taken for a newspaper assignment in late May 1976, and photographs taken a few weeks later in Braamfontein of Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ students protesting in suport of the Soweto school students: mass gatherings on campus; crowds being addressed by anti-apartheid activits; poster demonstrations on the streets; protest marches; student spies and government informers; counter protesters; the police reaction and the university's official response.
Together 'Silent Witness' and 'Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ 76' offer additional perspectives to existing narratives of that time.
The exhibition is curated by Julia Charlton.
Free parking for the exhibition is available in the garage beneath the museum.
The last day to view the exhibition is Saturday 20 June 2026.
Museum hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 -16:00
Entrance is free and all are welcome.
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