Art with a view

The hotly-anticipated Cape Town Art Fair opens at the V&A Waterfront today. At this South African city art show, the walls aren’t the only place to look.
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Johannesburg visual artist Mohau Modisakeng represented by Brundyn + Gonsalves in Cape Town
Johannesburg visual artist Mohau Modisakeng represented by Brundyn + Gonsalves in Cape Town.
Invited curator Andrew Lamprecht curates Barend de Wet: “In selecting and curating an exhibition of recent work by Barend de Wet, it can truly be said that he lives his whole life as one continuous engagement with the practice of art. His practice is at once slick and slightly rough-around-the-edges. De Wet is a canny observer of the world around him and he reflects upon this in what he makes.”
Invited curator Andrew Lamprecht curates Barend de Wet: “In selecting and curating an exhibition of recent work by Barend de Wet, it can truly be said that he lives his whole life as one continuous engagement with the practice of art. His practice is at once slick and slightly rough-around-the-edges. De Wet is a canny observer of the world around him and he reflects upon this in what he makes.”
Editor of Business Day’s Wanted magazine, Gary Cotterell, curates a selection of video installations by Mikhael Subotzky (Goodman Gallery), Haroon Gunn-Salie (Goodman Gallery), Khanyisile Mbongwa (Brundyn + Gonsalves Gallery) and Cameron Platter (Whatiftheworld Gallery).
Editor of Business Day’s Wanted magazine, Gary Cotterell, curates a selection of video installations by Mikhael Subotzky (Goodman Gallery), Haroon Gunn-Salie (Goodman Gallery), Khanyisile Mbongwa (Brundyn + Gonsalves Gallery) and Cameron Platter (Whatiftheworld Gallery).
Kilmany-Jo Liversage represented by Worldart in Cape Town
Kilmany-Jo Liversage represented by Worldart in Cape Town.
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The Cape Town Art Fair is hotly anticipated not least because Cape Town has never had its own event to rival the established Joburg counterpart. The FNB Joburg Art Fair started in 2008 and this year featured 27 galleries from six countries and hosted 10 000 visitors. The inaugural Cape Town event will showcase contemporary and affordable art from 40 galleries in various media (some of the pieces will be on sale for less than R50 000) – from paintings to photographs to sculpture to video.

According to Paul Duncan, the curator for World Design Capital Cape Town 2014:

Cape Town is a capital city staking out new territory as 2014 draws near. The city’s designation as a World Design Capital for 365 days will shortly become a tangible reality. The whole point of 2014, and the reason Cape Town was able to acquire the coveted status against fierce international competition, is that it’s perceived to have the ability to transform creatively into an inclusive, productive African city that ultimately bridges historic divides. Which is why the Cape Town Art Fair is so important to Cape Town. It will extend the reach of this city’s – and this country’s - artistic output, helping to build inclusion at every level, breaking down barriers and informing visitors about a world that defines the unique cultural contexts of all of us.

The Cape Town Art Fair is open till Sunday evening. See www.artfaircapetown.co.za for opening times, the talk schedule, participating galleries and special projects.