“This first exhibition aims to showcase a diverse outpouring of creativity,” says the show’s guest curator Margie Murgatroyd of Africa Nova. After seeking out artists from across the continent and looking beyond, to the African diaspora, Murgatroyd has selected works hailing from as far afield Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and right across South Africa, from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng.
The works on the show are wide-ranging, but are linked by a central theme. According to gallery director Shafina Jaffer: “The theme refers to the deep human need to congregate and the desire to commune. It is about our diversity, cultures and common humanity.”
Gathering opened to the public on 21 December and runs until 28 February 2021. The artists featured include local masters Cecile Skotnes and Peter Clarke, and contemporary artists such as Diane Victor, Colbert Mashile, Clare Menck, Koloki Nyamai, Ed Suter, Polly Alakija, Erise Silke and others, including the gallery’s own director, who happens to be an artist herself.
Gathering is the first of a series of exhibitions “with a focus on aspiring and established Pan-African voices,” states Jaffer. “Our goal is to serve as a platform that raises the profile of African art on the global stage. We are confident that our extensive network of buyers, combined with a programme of curated exhibitions, will enable us to achieve exactly that!”
The gallery is open seven days a week, excluding public holidays. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays, between 9am and 1pm.
For more information, go to www.jaffermodern.com.
