Art auction house &Co. opens new offices in Cape Town and introduces Curatorial Voices: Modern and Contemporary Art from Africa
By CityLife Arts Writer
Strauss & Co, the leading auction house on the African continent, yesterday, December 14, 2022, announced the opening of a new artistic office space in Cape Town in 2023 at Brickfield Canvas, the creative hub and technology campus located at 35 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town.
“We are excited to further grow our operations in Cape Town as Strauss & Co continues to welcome clients from across Africa and the world to enjoy and celebrate art, objects, wine and jewellery across many different collecting categories,” says Frank Kilbourn, Chairperson, Strauss and Co. “It is our mission to provide a convening centre for all who enjoy living with art and this fantastic location will help us further our activities both in the community, in the city, in the country and on the continent as well as providing to our global clients.”
The inaugural exhibition programme in February will unveil two special projects: a public exhibition showcasing the works of art to be offered in a new auction format, Curatorial Voices: Modern and Contemporary Art from Africa, to take place on 28 February 2023, and a non-commercial exhibition devoted to Ezrom Legae and Sydney Kumalo, in anticipation of the first ever catalogue raisonné for these two internationally celebrated South African modernist sculptors, titled Sculptures of Sydney Kumalo & Ezrom Legae and to be launched later on in 2023.
Strauss & Co’s new pan-African auction, Curatorial Voices: Modern and Contemporary Art from Africa, will feature collectable art by pioneering modernist and trailblazing contemporary artists selected by five leading curators from important art centres in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Early highlights include works by contemporary artists Pierre-Christophe Gam, Cyrus Kabiru, Zanele Muholi, Simphiwe Ndzube, Thierry Oussou, Athi-Patra Ruga, Cinga Samson and Tafadzwa Tega. “Curatorial Voices: Curatorial Voices: Modern and Contemporary Art from Africa is a celebration of African achievement,” says Bina Genovese, Managing Executive, Strauss & Co. “The auction will present works by renowned African artists to the public at a time when Cape Town, a global art capital, is the centre of attention.
With our proven competencies handling art from southern Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, I have no doubt that this new sale will broaden dialogue among artists and collectors from across the African continent and beyond, as well as provide networking opportunities for art professionals.
.The curators that have been chosen to curate Curatorial Voices as guest curators are Kimberley Cunningham (South Africa, Cunningham Contemporary), Valerie Kabov (Zimbabwe, First Floor Harare), Danda Jaroljmek (Nairobi, Circle Art Agency), Dana Endundo Ferreira (Kinshasa, Pavilion54) and Heba Elkayal (Cairo) This new exciting programme will take place at BRICKFIELD CANVAS, 35 BRICKFIELD ROAD, WOODSTOCK, CAPE TOWN on February 28, 2023 at 7pm.