Heritage Cases

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Special Notice

Following comments received on the proposed Revised Schedule of Fees for applications made to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), made in terms of Section 25(2)(l) of the National Heritage Resources Act No. 25 of 1999 (NHRA) and published in the Government Gazette of 22 July 2022, SAHRA hereby publishes the final Revised Schedule of Fees for Applications made to SAHRA. Applications for provision of services submitted to the South African Heritage Resources Authority (SAHRA), in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, No. 25 of 1999 (NHRA) must be accompanied by a payment of the appropriate fee, taking effect from 1 January 2023

Revised Schedule of Fees for Applications made to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)

Nomination of the Owl House as NHS

CaseViews

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ProposalDescription: 

The Owl house is in Nieu Bethesda, a small town in the Eastern Cape between Middelburg and Graaff Reinet. The house is in New Street with an unobstructed view of the river and the mountains. Helen was born and died in this house. She later named it the Owl House and started to transform the house in a magical dream world of glittering glass particles, lamps and mirrors, stars, moons, spires and cement statues. Helen’s world, her mecca, all created and placed according to her creative ideas to bring forward a message that was beyond the understanding of most of the people of the town. Some time after Helen Martin’s death in 1976 the property was acquired by the Municipality of Graaff Reinet and the house and yard was opened to the public. Initially a small entrance fee was charged and the local town clerk escorted visitors through the Owl House. This situation changed rapidly after Athol Fugard achieved acclaim in 1985 for The Road to Mecca, a play based on the life and work of Helen Martins. The film version of The Road to Mecca was released some years later and put Nieu Bethesda in the spotlight. Growing concern about the deterioration of the house and yard led to the formation of The Friends of the Owl House. In 1996 the Friends of the Owl House and the local government established The Owl House Foundation (OHF). The OHF was established to manage and protect the The Owl House.

Expanded_Motivation: 

The Owl House and Camel Yard represent South Africa’s foremost example of outsider art. The Owl House and Camel yard were created by Helen Martins and her assistants, most notably, Koos Malgas; and became well-known after the internationally recognised Athol Fugard play, ‘The Road to Mecca’ in 1984, a play that is still performed worldwide. It was after this play that visitors started looking for the Owl House. Helen Martins is internationally recognised as one of the top ten female and top 13 outsider artists in the world and the Owl House has become a significant tourist destination for the Eastern Cape and South Africa. The Owl House, Camel Yard and context of Nieu-Bethesda form a coherent unity and cannot be considered separately. On the property is the concrete manifestation of the strange and unique world that outsider artist Helen Martins and her assistants (most prominent among them, Koos Malgas) created. The site also acknowledges the role that Koos Malgas played in the making of the sculptures and the collaboration which he shared with Ms. Martins and stands a testament to artistic practice during a time where this sort of collaboration between members of different race groups which was not encouraged.

ApplicationDate: 

Tuesday, October 19, 2021 - 15:38

CaseID: 

17360

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