January 10, 2026

Unveiling Shadows: A Curator's Bold Stand Against Deceit

16 minutes

Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Unveiling Shadows: A Curator's Bold Stand Against Deceit
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/af/episode/2026-01-10-23-34-02-af

Story Transcript:

Af: Die son het helder oor Johannesburg geskyn, swart tar gemerk met ligte gedeeltes van skaduwees.
En: The sun shone brightly over Johannesburg, black tar marked with light portions of shadows.

Af: Binne die Johannesburgse Kunsgalery het Elmarie, die pas bevorderde kurator, deur die galery se mure gestap.
En: Inside the Johannesburg Art Gallery, Elmarie, the newly promoted curator, walked through the gallery's walls.

Af: Die galery was 'n plek van rustige skoonheid, met hoë plafonne en helder ligvloei wat elke kunswerk verlig.
En: The gallery was a place of serene beauty, with high ceilings and bright light flowing to illuminate each artwork.

Af: Die seisoen was somer, en die hitte het soos 'n onsigbare kombers oor die stad gehang.
En: The season was summer, and the heat hung over the city like an invisible blanket.

Af: Elmarie het haar gewoonte rondte gedoen, elke skildery met 'n noukeurige oog beskou.
En: Elmarie made her usual round, inspecting each painting with a keen eye.

Af: Dit was haar passie, haar werk.
En: It was her passion, her work.

Af: Alles moes perfek wees, veral met die komende uitstalling.
En: Everything had to be perfect, especially with the upcoming exhibition.

Af: Tussen die kunswerke, 'n spesifieke skildery wat onlangs aangekom het, trek haar aandag vinnig.
En: Among the artworks, a particular painting that had recently arrived quickly caught her attention.

Af: Dit was blykbaar 'n werk van 'n beroemde kunstenaar, een wat 'n fortuin werd was.
En: It was apparently a work of a famous artist, one worth a fortune.

Af: Nogtans, iets het nie aangespreek nie.
En: Yet, something felt off.

Af: Elmarie se twyfel was soos 'n geheim wat geduldig gewag het om ontdek te word.
En: Elmarie's doubts were like a secret patiently waiting to be discovered.

Af: Johan, haar baas, het haar vroeë waarskuwings afgevee.
En: Johan, her boss, dismissed her early warnings.

Af: "Dit is net jou verbeelding, Elmarie," het hy gesê met 'n swak glimlag.
En: "It's just your imagination, Elmarie," he said with a weak smile.

Af: Die galery kon nie 'n skandaal bekostig nie, en hy het geglo dat haar vrees ongegrond was.
En: The gallery could not afford a scandal, and he believed her fears were unfounded.

Af: Maar Mandla, haar kollega, het stilweg 'n ander storie gespin.
En: But Mandla, her colleague, quietly spun a different story.

Af: Sy oë het skelm geflits toe hy na die skildery kyk, soos 'n kat wat saam met sy melk ontsnap het.
En: His eyes flickered cunningly when he looked at the painting, like a cat that had escaped with its milk.

Af: Elmarie moes 'n besluit neem.
En: Elmarie had to make a decision.

Af: Sy het geweet die waarheid moet uitkom, maar wat as dit haar loopbaan kos?
En: She knew the truth had to come out, but what if it cost her career?

Af: Sy het begin om diskreet bewyse te versamel, iets wat die geheim van die vervalste kunswerk kon oplos.
En: She began discreetly gathering evidence, something that could unravel the secret of the forged artwork.

Af: In die stilte van die nagte na ure, het sy die skildery ondersoek.
En: In the silence of the nights after hours, she examined the painting.

Af: Sy het gemerk wat ander nie kon nie - die klein onvolmaakthede, die fyn besonderhede.
En: She noticed what others could not - the small imperfections, the fine details.

Af: Die aand van die groot uitstalling het aangebreek.
En: The evening of the big exhibition arrived.

Af: Die galery was vol mense, 'n geselskap van belangstellendes en borge.
En: The gallery was full of people, a gathering of interested parties and sponsors.

Af: Dit was nou of nooit vir Elmarie.
En: It was now or never for Elmarie.

Af: Met vino en geselskap wat die atmosfeer vul, het sy haar kans gegryp.
En: With wine and conversation filling the atmosphere, she took her chance.

Af: Sy het voorgegaan en die bewysstukke openbaar gemaak.
En: She went ahead and revealed the pieces of evidence.

Af: 'n Gejaagde stilte het die vertrek gevul, gevolg deur geskokte fluisteringe.
En: A hushed silence filled the room, followed by shocked whispers.

Af: Johan het verstar gestaan, sy gesig wisselvallig tussen vrees en verslaenheid.
En: Johan stood paralyzed, his face fluctuating between fear and dismay.

Af: Mandla was duidelik geërgerd, sy geheime nou oop en bloot vir die wêreld.
En: Mandla was clearly irritated, his secrets now laid bare for the world.

Af: Die skildery is onmiddellik verwyder, en kort daarna was Mandla opgeskort terwyl 'n ondersoek geloods is.
En: The painting was immediately removed, and soon after, Mandla was suspended while an investigation was launched.

Af: Die volgende oggend het Elmarie se veld begin blom.
En: The next morning, Elmarie's field began to bloom.

Af: Haar reputasie, eens op die spel, is nou versterk.
En: Her reputation, once at stake, was now strengthened.

Af: Johan, hoewel teësinnig, het haar vermoëns begin erken.
En: Johan, albeit reluctantly, began to acknowledge her capabilities.

Af: Sy het die vertroue gevind wat sy altyd hoop om te besit, 'n krag wat vanuit 'n plek van waarheid en eerlikheid kom.
En: She found the confidence she had always hoped to possess, a strength that comes from a place of truth and honesty.

Af: Elmarie het 'n warm glimlag aan haar eie refleksie verleen, wetende dat sy haar drome en die galery se integriteit gered het.
En: Elmarie gave a warm smile to her own reflection, knowing she had saved her dreams and the gallery's integrity.

Af: Johannesburg het voortgegaan onder die somerson, net soos Elmarie voortgegaan het met haar werk, sterker as tevore.
En: Johannesburg continued under the summer sun, just as Elmarie continued with her work, stronger than before.

Vocabulary Words: