A World Class Artistic Institution
Nestled in the beautifully landscaped Company Gardens of Cape Town, the South African National Gallery started off with 45 paintings bequeathed by Thomas Butterworth Bayley in 1871. The collection grew steadily over the years and the South African National Gallery is currently recognized as a world-class facility with a significant collection of South African, African and Western European art that visitors can enjoy at their leisure.
Permanent exhibitions include works by well-known British artists, such as John Walker, Gary Wragg, Michael Porter and Alan Davie, many of which were brought into the collection in the 1980s. It was also in the 1980s that contemporary South African art began to gain recognition, and the collection started to place emphasis on acquiring the works of talented artists from the African continent, particularly Southern Africa.
Exhibitions include paintings, sculptures, beadwork, textiles, photography and a variety of other innovative artistic mediums. Temporary theme-based exhibitions sourced from other art galleries ensure that regular visitors to the South African National Gallery have the opportunity to view artworks from many different parts of the world. Even if you do not consider yourself to be an art aficionado, a visit to the South African National Gallery in Cape Town will open up a world of artistic talent that is sure to be memorable.
