It’s a running joke that you know you are a South African when you consider anything under 16°C to be Arctic weather – very funny but also true. The Southern tip of Africa is freezing and the natives* are hiding in their blanket caves.
The complaints from most people are all the same: “It’s too cold, I can’t get anything done!” I can only assume the same then goes for going out in the cold and attending an exhibition, but don’t feel bad about it though – I know I’m not abandoning my blanket anytime soon. So, in the spirit of staying warm I have decided to find an alternative artistic and cultural endeavour for my freezing South African readers.
The following sites should help you get your weekly dose of artistic and cultural kicks while we wait for things to heat up in our hemisphere, so enjoy! **
Fine Art Portfolio features many established South African artists and galleries and the viewer is able to browse through more than five thousand individual artworks, each of them priced and available for purchase (which is nice if you want to know what an artwork costs these days). Even though you can buy artworks from this site, seeing what is out there and reading the featured articles is well worth the click.
I have one problem though, it obviously only features the artists whose works are sold by the site and that means some of my favourite South African artists aren’t covered.
Art.co.za is pure gold for anyone interested in South African art. The site features a wide variety of artists, a list of galleries and a list of available art classes for those interested. The best part is that the site also lists exhibitions taking place all over the country. I find it quite user-friendly and each artist’s profile features a bio and images of their work.
This site features the World Heritage sites in South Africa as stipulated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). It is just one page but as a South African I was pleased to see the places where I have been as well as the places I still want to go. An interesting quick read.
There are many more interesting websites out there, but I will leave you with these three for now. Also keep an eye out next week when I interview South African artist Pierre Knobel.
Blessings,
Mel
*All South Africans.
** As for my readers in warmer climates, take a look and bookmark them for when it's too cold to do anything except cuddle up under a blanket in front of your PC.
Featured image:
Winter Street Walk
Alison Butterworth
Acrylic on canvas
455mm X 355mm
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