Contemporary South African artists compare favorably with those of the rest of the world and the art loving public is as sophisticated as in any other part of the world. What distinguishes the South African contemporary art scene from the rest of the world, is the fact that it is quite small. For this reason, making an art gallery survive can be quite a challenge in South Africa.
Gallery Owner Thea Nigrini
The owner of the Tina Skukan Gallery, Thea Nigrini, (Halasy) arrived with her family in South Africa from Croatia in 1952, after having survived World War II. They escaped the communist country first through East Germany and then through West Germany, from where they came to South Africa.
After having completed her studies in an Afrikaans High school and university she started working at an art gallery, where she soon discovered the need for the public to have at least a glass of wine when attending an art exhibition. This insight lead to her first initiative to combine an art gallery with a tea garden.
Tina Skukan Gallery, Plot 6
She started the Tina Skukan Gallery on plot 6, a small farm bought by her mother. Here she erected a gallery and a tea garden on the existing foundations of old stables and chicken runs, leaving all the existing old trees without disturbing the numerous birds or destroying the farm atmosphere. Gradually the place got filled up with earthy artifacts and African images. Over the years she acquired three separate galleries: one for rotating exhibitions, one for permanent art exhibitions and one for artifacts.
With professional art education, an inborn flair for creating a beautiful environment and excellent cooking and baking skills, and with the help of her son Rex Nigrini, she turned the estate into a unique African farm where guests can enjoy art, food and conversation in a serene, tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, without the artificial atmosphere of city malls and without being surrounded by protective walls and burglar bars. Combined with a tea garden in a lovely environment, the gallery has received important awards as one of the best in the country.
As far as artists are concerned, she concentrates on exhibiting the work of established contemporary artists for the duration of three and a half weeks per exhibition.
The Contemporary South African Art Scene
She describes the Contemporary South African Art scene as robust , fresh and creative.
What she misses, however, is a stronger interest in graphic art from the public and artists alike. In this respect she mentions Czech graphic art and as an important example.
Fransi Phillips - Published author of poetry, short stories, novels, art books in Afrikaans and English Writer of art reviews in Afrikaans and English ...
