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Employee-in-law by Khaya Witbooi -
Rocking Horse in Park by Lien Botha -
We have lift off by Norman Catherine -
'Untitled' by Vulindlela Nyoni
WORDS Debbie Loots
Fishing for contemporary art talent? Haul out those rods and nets, and wade no further than the shores of the Waterfront’s BMW Pavilion to catch this year’s Cape Town Art Fair (CTAF), on from Friday 28 February to Sunday 2 March.
Showcasing the biggest variety of contemporary South African art under one roof, from emerging talent all the way to the big guns, CTAF 2014 promises to be bigger and better than the inaugural fair last year (read more here). For one thing, gallery heavyweights the Stevenson, Goodman and Everard Read will be joining the already impressive list of gallery participants. What with all this big game fishing talk we think calling in the likes of a Spear or two is in order!
There’s more fabulous weekend fish to fry though: this year’s CTAF is happening at the same time and right next door to SA’s first ever international design fair, Guild (read more here), at V&A Lookout. Also, sharing this bumper creative weekend is none other than inspirational stalwart Design Indaba (read more here) at the CTICC. Now, how’s that for shining bright Cape Town’s World Design Capital 2014 status?
But, let’s get back to talking art. Produced by Fiera Milano Africa, part of the global Fiera Milano group known for producing art fairs in Milan and Istanbul, the CTAF is all set and ready to put the Mother City on the global map of art destinations. Apart from having lined up some of SA’s top painters, sculptors and photographers, the fair boasts a varied programme of performances, talks and artist dialogues, to name a few.
The CTAF’s got everybody excited. From the director of Fiera Milano, Louise Cashmore, who is thrilled about the attention the fair is getting from local and international art collectors, to local art fundi Andrew Lamprecht who, like last year, forms part of the curatorial team. Andrew sees the fair as a convenient one-stop art shop where art-lovers and collectors have the unique chance to see the crème of all the major SA galleries’ crops, in one space. Says Louise: “The Cape Town Art Fair 2014 strongly illustrates why Cape Town merited being the World Design Capital this year.”
“It’s encouraging to see that the Cape Town art world is becoming a denser, more layered fabric of spaces and events,” concurs Joost Bosland of the Stevenson, which is presenting a solo booth by Zander Blom.
Works to look forward to include a special project by invited artist Josh Ginsberg, as well as guest curator Ernestine White’s exhibition of work by invited artist Lyndie Sales. Also, don’t miss screenings at the IMAX cinema of new work by SA’s talented multimedia artists, and catch the many lively and informative panel discussions and debates with some of our important art leaders.
The little ones have also not been forgotten. Taking its cue from the success it enjoyed at the Hong Kong Art Fair, The Sovereign Art Foundation children’s charity will present an interactive Art Zone. Here children can enjoy a collaborative art experience with artists while parents take a walk around and enjoy the exhibition.
Best of all, there’s art that will suit all pockets. Worried that all this art and design appreciation will leave you out of pocket and without enough dough to buy your fav piece of art? Well, don’t – good news is that the CTAF and Guild have joined forces and is offering R120 tickets for entry into both.
Don’t say we’ve not given you good reason to hang that “Gone Fishing” sign onto your door!
