Investec Cape Town Art Fair celebrates first decade

The Cape Town Art Fair is now generally acknowledged as the largest international contemporary art fair in Africa and prestigious financial services giant Investec has been on board as the fair’s main sponsor since 2017.

Over the last few iterations of the Cape Town shindig, the idea of a citywide engagement with art over the period of the fair has taken hold, in much the same way as Joburg’s own version which has turned its fair into an ‘Open City’ week-long celebration and foregrounding of visual and performing arts.

A bewildering variety of themed exhibitions and events await local and international collectors and art enthusiasts. The Fair itself runs at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 17-19 February, and will feature just over 100 exhibitors, with around 40% of those coming from the rest of Africa and all over Europe. The organisers estimate over 23 000 visitors and about 6000 VIP guests, comprising collectors, dealers, academics and other art world notables.

The Fair is organised into five main sections, all dealing in different ways with the overall theme of Time. The main section, Tomorrows/Today, is curated by American Natasha Becker and Dr. Mariella Franzoni from Spain, and will comprise 10 booths representing the decade of the fair, and focused on the relationship between time, memory and society. The SOLO section, curated by well-known local arts writer and critic Sean O’Toole, focuses on the relationship between drawing and photography.

Other sections of the main Fair include the Editions section dedicated to prints and multiples; the Past/Modern section showcasing twentieth century masterworks alongside contemporary works in conversation with them and curated by local dealer Joao Ferreira; and the ALT section - newly introduced at last year’s fair - will focus on alternative galleries and exhibitors and the relationship between art and technology. The art on exhibition is supplemented as usual by an extensive Talks programme.

Away from the wildly busy hub of the main Fair at the CTICC, the related programme of events extends as far afield as Stellenbosch and is intended to showcase the Western Cape generally as a global arts destination. This programme commences as early as February 12, with a pop-up exhibition in the city hosted by Germany’s Galerie EIGEN+ART.

Other pre-fair events include a reception at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch, the opening of prominent UCT-based artist Berni Searle’s new exhibition at the Norval Foundation space in Tokai, and various exhibition openings at city galleries timed to coincide with the Fair and its influx of visitors. The Gallery Night event on Friday 17 February sees a number of city galleries open for visitors after the main fair has closed for the day, and that’s before we even get to the many parties and related events around the city.

So take your time, choose wisely and wear sensible shoes if you’re in for the long haul – the Investec Cape Town Art Fair’s 10th birthday promises to be a world-class art celebration!

www.investeccapetownartfair.co.za