Collection GNW - Newlands, Gerald

GNW

Newlands, Gerald

Collection

Collection of artifacts

Rock Art Research Institute

Background of the Recorder:Gerald developed an interest in photography during his teenage years, but this quickly escalated into a lifelong passion. During his training and the subsequent pursuit of an academic career as a biologist, photography became an essential aid to illustrate many documents, books and lectures. Many special photographic methods were developed and perfected in order to record many objects of interest, from micro to macro.
Gerald’s first exposure to rock art was in the National Cultural History Museum, which was affiliated with the Transvaal Museum, where he was employed in the 1970’s. A later career move took him to the South African Institute for Medical Research, in Johannesburg, which brought him in contact with the S. A. Rock Art Institute. His interest in rock art is mainly its unique qualities as an ancient art form, and how to make accurate photographic reproductions thereof. Gerald immediately recognized the challenge of producing clear and colour correct photographs of this art form, which was on a rock background, especially engravings. Special techniques with regard to lighting, were developed in order to produce photographs of high quality.
With the cooperation of various rock art specialists, Gerald has photographed collections and sites in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Cape Town, Drakensberg and Cederberg areas, as well as numerous sites in Namibia.
Exhibitions of his work were staged in Pretoria, and at the University of Calgary, Canada a large exhibition formed part of an International Conference on Rock Art. A variety of his photos have been used over the years in books and other publications.

Collection owner image: GNW.jpg

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