The first introduction of contemporary art at Glen Carlou was the opening of the Hess Museum in 2006, which housed works from the late Swiss art collector Donald Hess’ private collection. Over the next 10 years, the museum exhibited artworks by, among others, the South African artist Deryck Healey, Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy, American artist Alan Rath and Abidjan-born Ouattara Watts.

When Glen Carlou’s current owners – a South African family consortium led by Wayne Pitout – took over the reins in 2016, the museum was renamed the Glen Carlou Gallery and rebranded as a commercial space to host a revolving calendar of contemporary art exhibitions.

Space to collaborate and engage

From 2016 onwards, the Gallery’s curation was mostly artist-led, by artists such as Alex Hamilton and later by Pierre le Riche. In 2019, Christa Swart joined Glen Carlou as full-time gallery curator and manager. Since then, she has curated and managed more than 80 exhibitions in the 400-m2 gallery.

Christa holds a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria and was one of the top-100 finalists in the Absa L’Atelier competition in 2010. She has taught at the University of Pretoria, worked in various art galleries and appraised fine art for auction purposes. At Glen Carlou, she’s committed to a vision for the Gallery as a cultural resource and platform to promote positive exchanges between art and the public. “This is a space where emerging, mid-career and established South African artists’ works fluidly converge, and where visitors are welcomed and encouraged to engage and ask questions about the works or the artists,” she says. It is also a space where artists get to collaborate and experiment with exhibitions.

How it works

The Gallery’s exhibitions change every six to eight weeks and operate on a consignment basis, with both artists and the Gallery receiving a commission on sales. The restaurant and tasting room showcase a small, growing collection of works from previous artists, as the current owners endeavour to support the exhibiting artists from time to time. However, there is no fixed exhibition. “We want to offer local artists an opportunity to showcase their works in various group or solo exhibitions,” Christa says. “Artists can submit proposals for consideration, and we actively source work from various artists around the country. Ultimately, our vision is enriched by the foundations laid by our predecessors; from respecting the traditions of art collecting, to innovation, introducing emerging artists and advising our clients on starting or growing a personal art collection.”

Because of the high standards and notable works Hess collected and displayed here from the beginning, guests to this day arrive with high expectations of seeing an exceptional selection of contemporary art. “Through a continued and dedicated effort, especially over the past decade, our constantly revolving exhibitions offer visitors an exciting and new selection of South African art to purchase or browse through at their leisure,” Christa says. “Consequently, the Gallery has also become a valuable space for the local community of artists to showcase their works to an international and local audience in a world-class space.”

Format

Exhibitions are open to the public Monday through Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00. Private tours, artist walkabouts and occasional performances or workshops form part of the programme throughout the year. Christa is on site five days a week to offer visitors insight into the exhibiting artists’ backgrounds and the works on show.

“Over the past year, the Gallery has shown the works of a dynamic range of local artists through our annual exhibition programme, which usually features a combination of several group and solo exhibitions,” she says. These exhibitions are outstanding testaments to the time, dedication and effort that artists often lend to their subject matter.”

With every exhibition, the skills demonstrated across a wide range of media offer visitors renewed insights into how artworks communicate and why the medium is often the message. “The Gallery showcases works across an exciting range of mediums such as textile, assemblage, ceramics, photography, painting, sculpture, charcoal drawing, mixed media and digital works, to name only a few,” she says. “The innovative ways that artists engage with the world around them are inspiring to see.”

Avant garde

Glen Carlou hosted its inaugural Signature Day in November last year. The event is a celebration of the estate’s flagship Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon and Quartz Stone Chardonnay wines. Guests were treated to creative and innovative experiences ranging from vertical wine tastings to guided walkabouts by exhibiting artists. “It was a wonderful exchange of stories among people who share a passion for wine and art,” Christa says. “As such, we are very excited about our upcoming Signature Day that will be held in September.”

The Gallery doesn’t shy away from thought-provoking topics or contemporary socio-political issues that spark necessary conversations, from numerous exhibitions addressing environmental issues and conservation, to provocative exhibitions exploring themes of gender identity and safe spaces.

“We’ll continue to deliver on the standards our visitors and followers have come to expect when visiting the gallery,” she says. “Visitors can continue to enjoy exciting and surprising combinations from emerging, mid-career and established South African artists who showcase works that are curated in an engaging and thought-provoking manner. There’s always something new to discover at the Glen Carlou Gallery.”

To read more articles in our July issue themed “Business as unusual,” buy a copy here.