Now Open! Jaffer Modern welcomes the public with a people-friendly exhibition of portraits

Over 80 portraits form the opening show at the new Jaffer Modern art gallery in Green Point, Cape Town and these proverbial “windows into the soul” are set to captivate viewers. Entitled Gathering: A Community of Portraits the exhibition showcases the many faces of Africa.

“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. As a result, the new show makes for fascinating viewing.

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 2020 and runs until 28 February 2021. Expect to see anything from painting to photography to sculpture. The artists featured include South African Masters such as 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 dozens more, including the gallery’s own director, who happens to be an artist herself.

To view the exhibition, visitors will find Jaffer Modern situated on the penultimate floor of Vïb Cape Town, the Atlantic seaboard’s newest, vibey hotel offering. 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 architecture and interior design of the gallery is by well-known local architect, Robert Silke. Occupying an entire floor of the hotel, the spacious interior features global-standard exhibition facilities that are combined with breath-taking sea views over Green Point towards Robben Island. With its emphasis on stand-out architecture and curatorial excellence, Jaffer Modern promises art collectors, artists and visitors alike a world-class gallery experience.

The gallery is open 7 days a week, excluding public holidays. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday, between 09h00 and 17h00, and on Saturdays and Sundays, between 09h00 and 13h00.

For more information, follow Jaffer Modern on social media via @jaffermodern or visit: www.jaffermodern.com.