New sculpture park in Jozi

The Broadacres Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, is already a popular shopping spot, but now there’s even more reason to venture down to this part of town.

Graham’s Fine Art Gallery, located within the centre, recently launched one of South Africa’s first outdoor art exhibitions: The Sculpture Garden 2011, comprising of gigantic sculptures by well-known artist Mark Swart.Fluid in motion, the arboreal artworks are scattered about the picturesque park.

“My work is a process of form reaching towards beauty,” Mark says. “Whether it’s design, sculptural, architectural or functional, the design philosophy is simple: form follows function. Using only the essential lines to define the object, its how form presents itself, the message it conveys and the feelings that it calls forth.”

The motivation behind the project is based on the ever-growing concern regarding the depletion of nature as it’s constantly being replaced with new urban developments. Public parks and open spaces are becoming a thing of the past, as open spaces are rapidly developed into housing and shopping complexes.

“This experience aims to bring people closer to nature as well as give them the opportunity to appreciate large-scale sculpture. Nature is art in its rawest form, the beauty of which will create a symbiotic relationship with Mark Swart’s works,” notes Graham Britz, owner of Graham’s Fine Art Gallery.

When pieces are sold, they’ll be replaced with new ones, altering this artistic landscape throughout the year. The park will also display a number of recycled materials to further inform the public of the importance of environmental sustainability.

For more information, see www.grahamsfineartgallery.co.za or pop round to Broadacres for a squiz.