Honouring the wealth, depth and diversity of the contemporary Southern African art world will afford us the opportunity to view and appreciate works from 60 artists in Southern Africa.
The main three aims of the foundation is to share art through love and passion, support and promote the contemporary art and artists of Southern Africa and lastly, to participate in linking global to local. Kicking off the first leg titled SEED-1, art enthusiast and manager at SAFFCA, Pierre Lombart explained the meaning behind the title.
“SEED is what you do when you plant, this is for the regeneration of the Eco-system of the art world. So you need to have a fertile ground and nurture those little seedlings that are coming out. “Our passion has always been aimed at emerging artists so those are the ones we need to engage and some we’ve engaged with in the past are big names now so we are using those big names to create a platform for the new up and coming.”
He mentioned that the need to regenerate is high so that these artists get the necessary exposure. “In any system you have to regenerate but to regenerate in the art world you have to have a platform to be seen, so we’ve got open days.
It’s a mini art event, in fact, the whole thing is a celebration of the Southern African contemporary art offering.” The event takes place from 12 to 19 November at the historic Villa Arcadia in Parktown.
The location was carefully selected to follow in the footsteps of Lady Florence Phillips, who raised the funds back in the day to erect the first Johannesburg Art Gallery. Expect SAFFCA SEED art talks with artists of their local and international journeys and an auction on the last evening conducted by Strauss and Co.
Local and global art collectors are welcome to enjoy. Notable artists include the likes of Dr Esther Mahlangu, Andrew Tshabangu and William Kentridge to name a few. Get in touch with your artistic side and enjoy the beauty that is contemporary art this November.
Receiving many accolades worldwide, Dr Mahlangu also received an honourary doctorate by the University of Johannesburg last year in April. A native from the Ndebele nation, she has taken the structured and vivid complexity of isiNdebele art and shared it with the world for all to admire.
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