Still-life - three pots, Spears, Frank

The Building grows Wings

Still-life - three pots, Spears, Frank

In search of more space

The Building grows Wings

Published On: November 10, 2022
By: Rosemary Holloway

It soon became apparent that the existing building would not be large enough to accommodate the rapidly expanding collections. The first of the additional wings was added in 1956. Built to accommodate the English paintings, a stained-glass window depicting Gainsborough’s Blue Boy was imported from Lancaster in England and incorporated in the east wall of the new building. This extension only temporarily relieved the desperate need for space, and in 1960 a second wing was added with considerable financial assistance from Mr Harry Solomon after whom the wing was named.
In time the art gallery’s increasing activities and expanding South African collection called for further extensions which could accommodate temporary exhibitions, lectures, film shows, and concerts. With characteristic enthusiasm and determination, Basil Humphreys, who in March 1961 had succeeded his father as chairman of the council, embarked on raising the required funds for the building which the department had agreed to finance on a rand for rand basis. Once again, De Beers Consolidated Mines came to the aid of the institution and guaranteed half of the funds which the gallery was obliged to fund. The South African Permanent Building Society contributed a quarter, and the reminder was donated by citizens of Kimberley.
The new wing was opened by the Secretary for Education, Arts, and Science, Dr J.J.P Op’t Hof, on 21 May 1965. In his opening address, Dr Op’t Hof referred to the fact that the people of Kimberley have done more than their share in developing such an institution as the art gallery. ‘In doing this,’ he said, ‘Kimberley has set an example of public spiritedness which will be very difficult to match by even some of our larger cities. Not only had they contributed generously to building costs, but above all had contributed artworks to be exhibited and enjoyed by all the visitors.’
Unfortunately, little provision was made by the planners of the gallery for such essential facilities as storerooms, workshops, offices, and library. Storage space in the basement was after some years found unsuitable because a spring on which the gallery had been built subjected the area to intermittent flooding.