Local Attractions at PMB

I’d say that the most interesting local attraction here in Pietermaritzburg is the Tathum Art Gallery that’s right in town. It’s about a 10-15 minute ride from campus in a Kombi bus. My encounter with the art gallery really started when I decide to feel adventurous during registration week, and register to take art history. I never took an art history course back in the US, nor did I pay a lot attention to fine art. After visiting the Tathum, I don’t know why I didn’t appreciate fine art more. The Tathum Art Gallery consists of various arts and crafts of the artists from Pietermaritzburg and from neighboring provinces. The works of craft in this museum are very different from the kinds I’ve seen in New York, in places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art . One piece that was most memorable to me was titled Chandelier; the work hung in the Contemporary craft exhibit at the Tathum. The materials it was made out of were beads, wire, and waste material. The use of lighting, with a great mix of colors, made it look like a chandelier you’d see in a house on a tropical island. This work hangs at the entrance to the gallery and does a great job of inviting visitors. In town, the Tathum Art Gallery is not openly visible. It is a local attraction that is quiet in its outer appearance to the public. In that sense; I think this art gallery overall shows that Pietermaritzburg is quiet on the surface but beautiful when you get to really explore it.