Strauss & Co Talk Series

The South African Secondary Market vs The World | 3:00PM

Conducted by Dr Alastair Meredith, Director, Art Department Head, Senior Art Specialist and Senior Auctioneer

For decades, the South African secondary market developed and evolved in relative isolation. Driven by an admittedly small but knowledgeable group of private, institutional and corporate collectors, this well-supported and self-regulating market grew consistently across all price points, and was defined by its resilience, transparency and opportunity. While the reputations – and markets – of homegrown masters were celebrated and consolidated locally, their international exposure was sadly limited. This talk explores how the South African market created its own stars, trends, records and idiosyncrasies. These features are contextualised within the broader international market, revealing interesting differences and similarities. Finally, it discusses the benefits and pitfalls of greater international integration.

“Collecting for Life” | A Roundtable Discussion | 4:30PM

Facilitated by Sean O’ Toole, writer, editor and curator.

How does the collection live beyond the collector?

Frank Kilbourn, art collector and businessperson, founder of Bright Group and Chairperson Strauss & Co

Teresa Raposo, “accidental” art collector and Civil Engineer (non practicing)

Herman Steyn, art collector and businessperson, founder Prescient Holdings Group and Scheryn Art Collection

Michael Silver, art collector and businessperson, founder of American Elements and Director’s Council of J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

The discussion will address how art collections transcend their owners in Collecting for Life, a roundtable discussion featuring esteemed collectors sharing insights on building lasting legacies. Discover strategies to ensure your collection remains vibrant, relevant, and impactful for generations, focusing on sustainability, longevity, and inspiring future custodians. This discussion invites established and emerging collectors, advisors and art patrons to rethink legacy-building as a collaborative, forward-thinking journey that sustains the art ecosystem for the next 50 years and beyond.

Legacy in Motion: The Impact of Modern Art on Today’s Artists | 6:00PM

Conducted by Wilhelm van Rensburg, Senior Art Specialist & Head Curator, Strauss & Co

Criticism of the stature of Contemporary African Art in art history has led to a renewed interest in the antecedents of today’s art, especially in Black Modernism. The aim of the talk is to show, through a series of legacy exhibitions at Strauss & Co over the past decade, that contemporary artists do stand on the shoulders of giants. These shows are based on the principle of pairing artists to highlight affinities in and through their work, for example pairing George Pemba and Robert Hodgins (2021), Mary Sibande and Dorothy Kay (2022), and, recently, Gerard Sekoto and Lena Hugo (2025). These legacy exhibitions are one of many examples of the deep-seated social responsibility of Strauss & Co in terms of art education. The talk is augmented by considering how contemporary artists on the Investec Cape Town Art Fair might have been inspired and influenced by Modernism.