Wild at Art

WORDS Richard Holmes PHOTOS Ross Couper

Luxury lodge group Singita is championing African Art in the name of conservation.

It is possibly the only time a lodge guest will be thrilled not to see a leopard, a lion or a buffalo on a short safari break. In fairness, there will be plenty of Big Five-spotting opportunities on twice-daily game drives – but in the newly opened art gallery at Singita’s Kruger National Park concession, there’s not a beast to be seen.

The lack of wildlife at the gallery is a bit of a relief, in more ways than one. After all, who wants to look at another procession of dubious animal artworks aimed squarely at a largely overseas clientele? Instead, Singita’s newest gallery – the second, after a similar space opened at the group’s Sabi Sand lodges in 2021 – is focused on showcasing contemporary African art, introducing continental creativity to a captive audience of well- travelled guests.

“At the heart of the project is a desire to find other ways to support Singita’s conservation efforts – but equally, we want to be conservators and custodians of African culture,” explains Kimberley Cunningham, curator of the two gallery spaces. “So many of the guests who come through Singita simply don’t get an opportunity to visit art galleries in Johannesburg or Cape Town.”

Problem solved, then, because Singita’s lodge guests can now spend the quiet hours between game drives exploring the two galleries, each of which has its own character. At Lebombo, a striking black cube of polished concrete dovetails neatly with the design- driven aesthetic of the lodge. In the Sabi Sand space, glass walls and natural light speak to an immersive wilderness experience. And while the Sabi Sand gallery is a place of slow evolution, with individual pieces flowing in and out of the collection, Lebombo is driven by a more curatorial approach.

“The art is completely reflective of the space,” explains Kimberley. “The two galleries are meant to work together, rather than compete, which is why you’ll see very different works in each of them. For example, many guests are attracted to Singita Lebombo because of the architecture, and so they’re likely to engage with more edgy pieces – works by artists who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary African art.”

The works are drawn from both private collections and commercial galleries, including Whatiftheworld in South Africa, and First Floor Gallery in Zimbabwe.

“It’s about a spirit of collaboration in the most genuine sense of the word,” adds Kimberley. “Because we’re working with different galleries as well as independent artists together in one show, we create a really unique experience for guests. Currently, we are focusing on southern Africa, but in time we plan for the project to be a celebration of art from across the continent.”

A schedule of residencies, for artists to create signature works on site, is also planned. “We want to make meaningful connections between guests and the artists by sharing their stories and philosophies directly,” says Singita chief operating officer Jo Bailes. “We want the spaces to be a celebration of the magic of Africa.”

The galleries are also helping to fund conservation in the region. Singita Sabi Sand has already concluded a partnership with the master sculptors of the Ardmore Gallery in KwaZulu-Natal, who crafted striking animal sculptures during a residency. When sold, the proceeds will be donated in full to the Singita Lowveld Trust, and ring-fenced for rhino conservation. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from all art sold through the Singita galleries will be donated to the trust, and set aside to support local enterprise and job creation.

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