Arts
Handbags and heritage collaborate at Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein─── 09:00 Thu, 25 Sep 2025
The exhibition “On the arm of every woman”, running until 16 November at Oliewenhuis Art Museum, offers a fresh curatorial lens by pairing historical handbags with classical and contemporary artworks.
Curated by three women and drawing from the collections of Oliewenhuis Art Museum, the Art Bank of South Africa, and the National Museum’s textile archives, the show explores the handbag as both cultural artefact and artistic muse.
The exhibition features a thoughtfully curated selection of beautifully crafted artefacts and artworks, overseen by three female curators.
The selection draws from the prestigious collections of Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Art Bank of South Africa, and textile collections from the National Museum’s Collections Management and Library Departments. Yolanda De Kock (Acting Project Manager, ArtbankSA) joins Yolanda Maartens in the OFM Art Beat.
On the arm of every woman employs a dual narrative strategy that captures the essence of female evolution and empowerment.
The central focus – handbags ranging from delicate historical reticules to bold contemporary designer statements – demonstrates how this accessory has transcended its practical origins.
Initially reflecting women's domestic roles, the handbag has transformed dramatically in the post-war era, establishing a new relationship between women and their possessions: Power became something to be carried, not merely worn.
The exhibition walkabout at Oliewenhuis Art Museum.
Complementing the exquisite handbag collection, carefully selected artworks from Oliewenhuis Art Museum and Art Bank South Africa's contemporary collections explore compelling concepts of female identity and the systematic empowerment of women.
This tri-institutional collaboration thoughtfully addresses broader discussions surrounding domesticity, consumerism, liberation, and female agency.
The exhibition invites visitors on a transformative journey, exploring how a simple accessory came to carry the profound weight of identity, independence, and social change.
The title reimagines a familiar saying with new significance: A woman no longer needs a man on her arm – she carries the tools, symbols, and truths of her own journey, with the handbag serving as a marker of her success and autonomy.
