‘This unique exhibition,’ says narrative producer Steven Swaby, ‘goes beyond the well-known "Mandela myth" and reveals the inner stories of a remarkable life lived with remarkable courage, conviction and compassion.’
One of the many outstanding events marked in this exhibition is Mandela’s receipt of the Isithwalandwe Zesizwe, the ancient Xhosa honour. Before it was bestowed on Mandela, it hadn’t been awarded for 200 years. The traditional headdress Mandela received on this occasion is on display in Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition, as is his presidential desk and chair, and the suit he wore to the 1996 opening of the South African parliament.
Many of these items are being curated for the first time, and have never been displayed outside of South Africa. ‘They accompanied him through his life, says exhibition advisor Lizzy Moriarty, ‘and through them, we can speak of his extraordinary life and his contribution to reconciliation.’
The exhibition is taking place at brand new event space 26 Leake Street, a stone’s throw from Waterloo. It is presented in collaboration with The Royal House of Mandela. Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela has stated that his grandfather, ‘would have given his stamp of approval to staging this exhibition in London’, a city that ‘was home to many South African exiles and activists in the anti-apartheid struggle’.
Being conscious of this fact will allow visitors to actively engage with Mandela’s legacy in an exhibition that allows us ‘to get close to the man himself, as a family man, as an activist and as the peacemaker of his time.’
| What | Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition, 26 Leake Street |
| Where | 26 Leake Street, 26 Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Waterloo (underground) |
| When |
08 Feb 19 – 08 Apr 19, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Price | ££15 |
| Website | Click here to book |
