Home to the largest contemporary art museum in Africa, Cape Town may very well be considered the art capital of the country. This assertion is not entirely because of the Zeitz MOCAA. The city with the bluest sky in Africa harbours many other art affiliated organisations where people can experience tribal and contemporary art.
Many of such places are art galleries, both commercial and non-profit, old and young. The list goes on and on. Let’s now take a look at 5 cherry-picked galleries you should visit when you touchdown in Cape Town.
1. Eclectica Contemporary
Like its name suggests, this gallery deals primarily with contemporary art. Eclectica Contemporary is located on Church Street in Cape Town City Centre. The gallery claims to have an international vision whilst “prioritising expressions and narratives from and off the continent of Africa and its diaspora.”
Established in 2016, Eclectica Contemporary has rapidly built up quite the reputation in Cape Town’s contemporary art scene. It has hosted over a hundred exhibitions and fairs since its inception.
2. Everard Read / CIRCA – South Africa’s oldest commercial gallery
Although it was launched in 1996, Everard Read/ CIRCA in Cape Town is an extension of the first Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg. The history of the gallery goes all the way back to 1913 and is recognised as the oldest commercial gallery in the country.
Everard Read is located at V&A Waterfront with the CIRCA Gallery right across from it. Not to be mistaken for an entirely different entity, the CIRCA is an extension of the Everard Read Gallery. Through solo and group exhibitions, Everard Read promotes both established and budding contemporary artists from different parts of the world. Nevertheless, the gallery still preserves its commitment to home-bred artists.
3. The Cape Gallery
Located at 60 Church Street, this gallery is a fixture in the city of Cape Town through and through. Said to be one of the oldest private galleries in the city, the word “Cape” loudly gives away the location of this gallery.
The most important objective of the Cape Gallery is to put a spotlight on South African inspired art.
4. WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery
Founded in 2008, this contemporary art gallery is situated in what was once a synagogue on Buiten Street. The gallery hosts a series of solo and group exhibitions leveraging its collaborations with renowned artists from all over Africa.
Through its dedication to solo projects and multi-disciplinary installations, WHATIFTHEWORLD aims to represent artists that provoke critical thought and curiosity. Besides all that, the gallery has published many monographs and catalogues.
5. Stevenson Gallery
Located in Woodstock, Stevenson Gallery was founded by Michael Stevenson in 2003. Although the gallery is now jointly-owned by 11 people, its name remains that of its founding father. There are currently three locations: Cape Town, Johannesburg and Amsterdam.
Through solo and group exhibitions, the gallery displays contemporary art from South African artists, artists from other African countries and the Diaspora. It is a highly-regarded gallery in the South African contemporary art scene.
Some other galleries in Cape Town you wouldn’t want to miss are Goodman Gallery, SMAC Gallery and Blank Projects.
