Just when we thought that Cape Town had reached its zenith as a South African art focal point thanks to last year’s opening of the Zeitz MOCAA, and being named a UNESCO City of Design, next month will see the arrival of another extraordinary South African Art destination, The Norval Foundation. This new large-scale visual arts institute located on the slopes of the Constantiaberg Mountains of Steenberg will house one of the largest private collections of South African art in the world. Designed to international environmental standards, the building has been part of a painstaking rehabilitation and restoration of a sensitive wetland system that sits alongside it. Topped with a modern, floating, wing-like roof structure that provides solar energy to the center, the museum’s unique design incorporates natural light within a simple longitudinal form. Here, sweeping views of the wetland and the scenic backdrop of the Table Mountain National Park and Constantia Winelands provide the context for what promises to be a magnificent art collection.
The Norval Foundation will comprise of a sculptural park, outdoor amphitheater, a series of purpose-built exhibition spaces and a state-of-the-art research library. In addition, a sophisticated restaurant and bar, a bespoke gift shop and a children’s play area promise a multi-sensory experience at every turn. Founder Louis Norval’s aim with the institute was to make art widely accessible to local and international visitors and to add another perspective to Africa’s cultural legacy and the current contemporary practices in Cape Town. As the custodians of the Gerard Sekoto Foundation, commemorating this legendary South African artist who is considered a pioneer of black South African art, as well as the Edoardo Villa Estate Collection and the Alexis Preller Archive – we have no doubt that these artworks will render The Norval Foundation unique in what it presents to Cape Town. If you’d like us to include a visit to The Norval Foundation as part of your next luxury African safari itinerary, contact us by emailing welcome@roarafrica.com
