19 The Chair’s research continued to align closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Much of the work engaged with questions of gender equity, poverty alleviation, sustainable cities and communities, and quality education. Projects such as the Mapula Embroidery initiative demonstrated how visual representation intersects with lived experience and socio-economic conditions. The Chair also supports the goals of South Africa’s National Development Plan by contributing to the training of postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers. Alumni engagement was another important aspect of 2024’s work. Public events provided platforms for alumni to participate in exhibitions and seminars. In one example, senior research associate Philippa Hobbs collaborated with former master’s graduate Vanessa Tembane on a co-authored book chapter, featured in a publication co-edited by Professor Schmahmann and colleagues. The Chair benefited from core funding provided by the National Research Foundation (R2.95 million), as well as additional financial support through awards and partnerships. Melissa Gerber’s Westrup Prize carried a monetary value of £750, while Everjoy Magwegwe received a $1,000 travel grant to attend the ACASA Triennial, although visa issues meant she only accessed part of the funding. Professor Schmahmann’s trip to Sweden for SASUF 2024 was fully covered by Karlstad University, including travel and accommodation costs. Looking ahead, the Chair is preparing for a major international conference on vernacular photography in November 2025, with an associated publication to follow. Other projects in development include ‘Needlework in Africa: Weaving Histories from Below,’ an edited volume co-curated with scholars from Wits and the University of Toulouse, and ‘Contemporary Approaches to Commemorative Public Art: Monumental Developments,’ which is also set for publication in 2025. Both Professor Schmahmann and Professor Bronner have submitted abstracts for upcoming conferences, and new special issues of De Arte and Public Art Dialogue will feature contributions from SARChI Chair staff and fellows throughout the year. The Chair continues to cultivate a research environment that is not only academically rigorous but also socially responsive, collaborative, and deeply engaged with the cultural and historical questions shaping South African visual culture today. FADA
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