Norval Foundation

View of the Norval Foundation from the Sculpture Garden

Norval Foundation is an art museum and cultural center located in Steenberg, Cape Town which opened to the public on April 28th, 2018. The Norval Foundation was established by the Norval Family and houses the personal art collection of Louis Norval, as titled the Homestead Collection.

Origin & Establishment

The Norval Foundation is an art museum and cultural center located in Steenberg, Cape Town. It was opened to the public on the 28th of April, 2018. The Norval Foundation was established by the Norval Family and houses the personal art collection of Louis Norval, as titled the Homestead Collection.

The Homestead Art Collection is an immense collection of South African historical art, the collection has acquired the Alexis Preller Archive, the Edoardo Villa Estate Collection and the Bruce Campbell Smith Revisions Collection, among others, and also includes in-depth holdings of artists such as Dumile Feni, Peter Clarke, Sydney Kumalo, Maggie Laubser, Ezrom Legae, Trevor Makhoba, John Muafangejo, George Pemba, Gerard Sekoto, Cecil Skotnes, Anton van Wouw, Deborah Bell, Irma Stern, Alexis Preller and Edoardo Villa. It also has a significant collection of books on South African art.

Norval Foundation has nine exhibition spaces, a sculpture garden, children's play area, library, gift shop as well as the Skotnes Restaurant and Bar - named after South African artist and teacher Cecil Skotnes. Norval Foundation is dedicated to the research and exhibition of 20th- and 21st-century visual art from South Africa and beyond. The Foundation aims to create high-quality exhibitions and public programming to broaden both local and international visitors' understanding of the visual arts. Exhibitions change every four to six months and are curated by the curatorial team and/or adjunct curators.

Exhibitions

The exhibition program at the Norval Foundation is driven by a curatorial team led by Chief Curator Owen Martin and his team with Curator and Artist Karel Nel, adjunct curators and assistant curators. Exhibitions are focused on 20th and 21st century visual art from South Africa, Africa and further.

The inaugural exhibition program consisted of three exhibitions across galleries one to nine. First, Pulling at Threads which exhibited the work of Igshaan Adams, Nick Cave, Abdoulaye Konate, Liza Lou, Ibrahim Mahama, Maria Nepomuceno, Lyndi Sales and Billie Zangewa and was curated by Chief Curator Owen Martin. Second, Notes of spectrality, sourcery and the spirit which was curated by adjunct curator Portia Malatjie. The exhibition showed the works of Gladys Mgudlandlu, Noria Mabasa, Jackson Hlungwane, Cyprian Shilakoe, Gerard Sekoto, Trevor Makhoba, Dumile Feni, Thomas Kgope, Sithembiso Sibisi, Peter Clarke, Phuthuma Seoka and Billie Mandini. Lastly, Re/discovery and Memory was hosted across galleries two to eight and showcased the works of Ezrom Legae, Serge Alain Nitegeka, Sydney Kumalo and Edoardo Villa. The exhibition opened to the public on the 28th of April and closed on the 10th of September 2018. Serge Alain Nitegeka was the 2018 recipient of the Villa Extraordinary Award for Sculpture, which was provided by the Claire & Edoardo Villa Will Trust. This allowed the Nitegeka to produce an installation for Re/discovery and Memory.

Architecture & Nature

The building was designed by DHK Architects, a South African architectural firm headed by Derick Henstra. The building was designed with consideration of art, architecture and nature which is seen in the large windows which stand to view Table Mountain and surrounding Steenberg mountains as well as the existing lowland wetland that surrounds the Foundation.

The building was designed in consideration of this wetland - resulting in a linear shaped structure designed to both frame the wetland, vineyards and mountains whilst protecting this area's fauna, animals and ecosystem. Common in this wetland area are endangered leopard toads (Amietophrynus pantherinus) which typically live in sandy coastal lowlands but also venture into valleys and onto mountain slopes, finding home in the Cape Town area of the Western Cape and the Aghulas Plain. Leopard toads are endangered due to natural predators, pollutants in water, invasive plants in their habitats as well as road traffic where migrating frogs are often fatally injured by passing vehicles. With this considered, the building intended to protect the leopard toads from road traffic and protect the integrity of the lowland wetland as their habitat. Underground tunnels have been installed to allow leopard toads safe migration to surrounding wetlands for mating.

The building has been specifically designed so as to minimize its environmental impact. A large solar plant on its roof provides the Foundation’s power and feeds excess energy into the local power grid, a grey-water purification system has also been installed on the property which allows independence from municipal water supplies.

The Norval Foundation is intended to be experienced in a linear sequence: visitors are greeted by a triple-volume restaurant with a gift shop beyond, flanked by a generous reception area which calmly directs guests to the central atrium that introduces the main galleries.

View of Norval Foundation from the Sculpture Garden

The Library

Installation view from Re/discovery and Memory, featuring Edoardo Villa's seminal work Africa.

The Norval Foundation has a research library located on the second floor of the building which holds a comprehensive collection of publications, documents and catalogues related to 20th-century South African artists, including primary and secondary sources.

Researchers are welcome to book time in the library, which will also be accessible via a digital resource containing scans of all its holdings.

References

"THE NORVAL FOUNDATION TO OPEN IN APRIL". VISI. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...a platform for cultural expression and music, as well as a research and exhibition hub for both 20th and 21st century art....'

"The new Norval Foundation and why we should care about South African art". Bizcommunity. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...The new art gallery will house the Norval Foundation private collection, one of the largest private collections of South African contemporary art, as well as host key exhibitions of both local and international artists. Designed to international standards it is expected to become a significant space for fine art in the country and globally....'

"The Norval Foundation - a platform for the best local & international art". IOL. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...both the best of local artworks sit comfortably with a collection of international 20th and 21st century art within nine dedicated galleries and the expansive gardens...'

"Zeitz Mocaa's got competition: Norval Foundation, CPT's new art attraction". Times Live. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...The sculpture garden is one of the museums's greatest drawcards. It is located in a serene wetland populated by birds and frogs, including endangered western Leopard Toads, which are protected....'

"The Norval Foundation, Steenberg, Cape Town". dhk. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...Opened in April 2018, the foundation has been made possible by the donation of land and private art collection belonging to the Norval family, property magnate turned art investor Louis Norval, as well as individual and corporate benefactors.....'

"This art gallery is changing the game". Financial Mail. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...the exceptionally chic Skotnes Restaurant, headed by chef Phil de Villiers. It’s named for Cecil Skotnes, whose impressive 20th-century panel reliefs line the walls...'

"HELEN SEBIDI: TEARS OF AFRICA". Weekend Special. 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018. ...The Norval Foundation will also be including the works in Sebidi’s upcoming solo show at the museum, opening 1 September 2018, which will include drawings and paintings spanning her career...'

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