Artforme to debut in Cape Town

Visitors will have the opportunity to view works by some of South Africa's most influential and important artists, as well as seeing the country's enormous wealth of burgeoning young and emerging artists under one roof.

Artforme will showcase contemporary South African art and on offer to buyers will be paintings, sculptures, photography, print, ceramics and more. The show includes some of South Africa's most notable galleries, fine print studios and private collections in the country and they represent a diverse list of artists.

Thirty-two galleries will be represented with work, ranging from urban and pop art to the works of 140 Xhosa artists of the Keiskamma Art Project.

Bronze Age

There is also Bronze Age The Foundry, where the impressive creations of Otto du Plessis can be found. Bronze Age is a multifunctional art foundry situated in Woodstock, the heart of Cape Town's new creative district. For more than a decade the foundry has been casting the sculptural work of numerous local and international artists in bronze.

One gallery, World Art, has since its inception in 2004 managed to show and develop a number of South Africa's notable artists. Work by such artists as Khaya Witbooi, Dion Cupido, Karlien de Villers and Kilmany Jo Liversage will be on display.

Also noteworthy for their participation are Barnard Gallery, Salon 91, SMAC Gallery, Deon Viljoen, Photographers Gallery, Brundyn and Gonsalves, and Association of Visual Arts (AVA). All in all, more than 130 artists, including formidable names such as Cecil Skotnes and William Kentridge can be seen.

Fiera Milano, which is producing and managing the event, wants to create a platform to exhibit quality contemporary work from emerging and peripheral artists who are not only represented by notable galleries, but who have formed exciting collectives and special projects to showcase their work. Each visitor will have the opportunity to interact with gallerists and artists not only to purchase works, but to further extend their knowledge of the art world in South Africa.

Fine art, photographic trends, emerging young South African artists, book launches and the histories of art will also be a focus at the fair.

A catalyst for bigger things

Baylon Sandri, director of SMAC Gallery, believes Cape Town has become the perfect location for such a wide-scale contemporary art fair: "Cape Town is a world-class, international destination on the same level as Rio, Dubai or Istanbul - all new art hubs. The event could well be a catalyst for bigger things and could draw attention to the very vibrant art scene here."

Artforme is being produced and managed by Fiera Milano who also manage MiArt, Milan, Italy & Art International Istanbul. The fair will be held at The Lookout, V&A Waterfront, Granger Bay from 25 to 27 October, 2013.

For more information contact project manager, Kamey Butler on +27 (0)21 702 2280 or email az.oc.onalimareif@yemak.