Artist Joe Turpin explores memories of his North-West heritage through the history of a bottle found in the cornerstone of the synagogue his great grandfather built in Rustenburg. He joins Mid-Morning Magic’s Nolwethu Dyonase in the OFM Art Beat to talk about this unique exhibition. 

In February 2022 the foundation stone of the Rustenburg Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in North West was removed, as the building was finally being sold – there has not been an active worshipping congregation or Jewish Community in over 20 years. After removing the stone, a time capsule was found. Dated 1924, the bottle contained documents serving to preserve the history of the community, and the opening of the synagogue. 

The synagogue and congregation was founded and built by Turpin’s great grandfather, Philip Wulfsohn, and his brothers, after they arrived in South Africa as refugees fleeing the anti-Semitic pogroms of Eastern Europe in the late 20th century. They were originally from Zhager, in what is today Lithuania. It was not uncommon for Yiddish speaking Lithuanian Jews to then leave time capsules. 

At that time, their community was precarious, and they did not know what would happen to them or their temple in the future. The capsule was evidence of existence. The discovery of the bottle is the point of departure of this work, which addresses memory about the bottle; these places; its’ history. Turpin deals with identity and history, but also a strong theme of mourning. 

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