ART WWW.BUSINESSMEDIAMAGS.CO.ZA
DECEMBER 2023
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ART The gallery organises meaningful exhibitions and events on a monthly basis.
ART GIVES BACK Art@Africa has one of the largest indoor collections of sculptures.
INVESTING IN AFRICAN ARTISTS DIRK DURNEZ, owner of Art@Africa, shares why investing in South African art and artists makes sense
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Images: Supplied
nvesting in, supporting and nurturing young artists, their talent and potential is vital for the future of the arts. And today, arguably more so than at any other time in our history, South African contemporary art is finding itself enjoying global popularity. So there really is no better time than now to invest in South African art and artists. Piqued interest and curiosity around African art and the number of African art exhibitions and auctions are increasing, and the prices for these works are also rising. This all bodes well for the vibrancy of the local market and provides the impetus for a growing number of emerging new-generation African artists who are producing high-quality works that are attracting more attention from art collectors and museums around the world, At Art@Africa, we have been solely focused on providing a space that displays an entirely South African artist line-up, hoping to provide a platform where our extraordinary South African talent can be recognised on an international level. Art@Africa gallery uses its unique setting to celebrate the diversity of South African art where new artists and the established crème de la crème artists’ works are showcased together. Thanks to Art@Africa’s extensive network, we are able to connect South African talent with local and international investors. Art@Africa gallery is not just a visual browsing space, but as Nadine Froneman states, “apart from building artists’ profiles via expert marketers and an onboard lawyer, Art@Africa
also brings 31 years of international experience in themed construction to the table and assists clients, architects and interior designers to select the correct artwork for their homes, offices, gardens, hotels or any development.”
Kunye Colab “For an artist to buy canvas and paint is easy,” says Katlijn Durnez, “but for sculptures and 3D works, the bar is much higher. They have no access to expensive materials and the equipment needed to create sculptures.” That’s why, she adds, Kunye was started. It is a collaboration between young emerging artists under the direction of Dirk Durnez, who – in the final phase of his career – decided to transfer his 38 years of international experience and know-how in themed construction, edutainment and art to a team of young, emerging artists. “Kunye assists young and promising sculptors to create a career for themselves by offering them a stocked and equipped studio,” says Katliijn. “We celebrate one of the most diverse countries in the world, and Kunye is an opportunity for us to give back to the country that has given me so many creative opportunities throughout my time here,” says Dirk.
Art@Africa focuses on positive messages by South African artists reflected through the gallery.
Art@Africa’s owners invest in Kunye Colab , an art residency for talented sculptors.
There is always something interesting to discover.
ART@AFRICA GALLERY USES ITS UNIQUE SETTING TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICAN ART WHERE NEW ARTISTS AND THE ESTABLISHED CRÈME DE LA CRÈME ARTISTS’ WORKS ARE SHOWCASED TOGETHER.
The Kunye Colab studio assists with ideas, materials, know-how, technology, logistics, financial support and equipment.
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ADVERTORIAL
STRAUSS & CO
HIGH-VALUE WORKS BY RENOWNED ARTISTS TO BE AUCTIONED
FOR THE LOVE OF THE LAND
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flanked by whitewashed buildings framed in the distance by the Witzenberg Mountains. Many of the buildings in Pierneef’s tour de force of architectural observation were destroyed in a 1969 earthquake that ravaged the historical colony settlement of Tulbagh. Fortunately, the building on the right, previously named de Wet Huis and now Monbijou still stands. Dated 2017, Cinga Sampson’s Hliso Street V (estimate R2–3-million) depicts a costumed figure centrally posed in a verdant landscape emotionally linked to the artist’s youth. Part of a small series of portraits paying homage to the artist’s deceased mother, this breakthrough painting cemented Sampson’s enigmatic, magical-realist approach to describing place and history. It was first exhibited at the 2017 edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair.
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“Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present will showcase collectable art by pioneering modernist and trailblazing contemporary artists occupied with portraying the land,” says Jean le Clus-Theron, joint head of sale, Strauss & Co. “Our headline offerings by JH Pierneef and Cinga Samson showcase how the landscape theme is dynamically open to interpretation. These works not only explore the continent’s physical representation, but also delve into cultural and sociopolitical themes rooted in African history.” Painted in 1929, when the artist was at the height of his public acclaim, JH Pierneef’s Church Street, Tulbagh (estimate R1.5–2.5-million) shows a gravel roadway
Cinga Sampson’s Hliso Street V
“Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present will coincide with the 2024 edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair and will be broadcast globally through our auction platforms, such as Invaluable,” says Leigh Leyde, joint head of sale, Strauss & Co. “This offers an unparalleled opportunity to reach a wide and influential audience precisely when the world’s attention is focused on Cape Town. Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present is a platform for both established and emerging artists, allowing them to showcase their work and garner attention for the fair.” In the build-up to the auction, Strauss & Co will once again be hosting an international symposium focused on current art debates in Africa during Cape Town art week. Says Leyde: Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present is a necessarily ambitious initiative with an objective to unite across continents. Our vision for this annual project is to present a compelling auction around a robust theme that is attractive to collectors, as well as provide an educational platform that is the source of lively debates from an African perspective. Our vision is to strengthen our local art ecosystem, emphasising the extraordinary power and beauty of African art.”
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trauss & Co is delighted to announce details for Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present, the second instalment of its annual live-virtual auction showcasing collectable art from the African continent. Scheduled to coincide with the 2024 edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair (16–18 February 2024), this themed auction will be held on Monday 19 February in Strauss & Co’s newly renovated exhibition room at Brickfield Canvas, Woodstock, Cape Town. Two compelling works by acclaimed painters JH Pierneef and Cinga Samson, both identified by street addresses, will lead a strong consignment of works by Owusu Ankomah, Zander Blom, William Kentridge, Tusevo Landu, Thameur Mejri, Thierry Oussou, Durant Sihlali, Cecil Skotnes and Alfred Thoba, among others.
JH Pierneef’s Church Street, Tulbagh.
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Paintings by acclaimed artists JH Pierneef and Cinga Samson will headline the second instalment of STRAUSS & CO’S Africa-focused auction in February 2024
“THESE WORKS NOT ONLY EXPLORE THE CONTINENT’S PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION, BUT ALSO DELVE INTO CULTURAL AND SOCIOPOLITICAL THEMES ROOTED IN AFRICAN HISTORY.” – JEAN LE CLUS-THERON 2
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A R T E XHIBI T IONS
SAVE THE DATE Love art, want to buy art? Here’s a roundup of art exhibitions to diarise
Investec Cape Town Art Fair
TRAVEL FOR YOUR ART …
Zanele Muholi, Thathu I, The Sails, Durban, 2019; collection of Pamela and David Hornik. © Zanele Muholi
TO THE USA The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announces the first major exhibition on the United States’ West Coast of African artist Zanele Muholi. On view at SFMOMA from 18 January to 11 August 2024, Zanele Muholi: Eye Me brings together over 100 of the artist’s photographs from 2002 to the present alongside paintings, sculpture and video. The exhibition provides an opportunity for audiences to experience Muholi’s expansive artistic project to celebrate and make visible their Black queer community in post-apartheid South Africa. Visit sfmoma.org for more information.
Images: Investec Cape Town Art Fair; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Goodman Gallery
Images: Supplied
INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR 2024 The eleventh edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair – Africa’s largest art fair – takes place from 16 to 18 February 2024 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The curatorial theme for the 2024 edition is Unbound focusing on emerging and “unbound” voices. Art becomes a compelling catalyst amid global challenges. It offers individuals a platform for expression, a space where diverse voices can be heard. Unbound serves as a conduit for exploring alternative possibilities and breaking free from constrictive narratives. Set in one of the world’s most unique art capitals, Investec Cape Town Art Fair has proven to be the place where the fast-growing African art market and the international art world meet with over 100 exhibitors, 25 000 art enthusiasts, and 6 500 VIPs all under one roof. Visitors to the fair can expect an extensive public programme both at the fair and in and around the City of Cape Town. Familiar exhibits, such as SOLO, Tomorrows/Today, Main, ALT, Connect and Editions, will return in 2024 with a host of exciting K new sections, such as Generations and a B O O N OW ceramics focus, a retail experience, food trucks and more.
TO SECURE YOUR TICKETS
Marsi van de Heuvel, Shiny shoes, 2023, oil on linen.
TO THE UK Goodman Gallery presents a series of new paintings by Cape Town-based artist Marsi van de Heuvel, titled Skoonveld. For these works, the malleable medium of paint is deployed to explore the act of fading as part of the artist’s broader interest in what it means to belong to a place, a family and a particular culture. Marsi van de Heuvel’s painting practice investigates a personal familial history as part of a broader reflection of the history of South Africa. Her work specifically explores themes related to place and the complexities around a shared sense of belonging. Van de Heuvel graduated with a Fine Art Diploma from the Ruth Prowse School of Art, Cape Town, in 2010. For more information, visit www.goodman-gallery.com
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