X Modern & Contemporary African Art 14 February 2020 Cape Town, South Africa An auction co-curated by X Modern & Contemporary African Art Afternoon Sale | Vente de l’Après-Midi Public auction hosted by Aspire Art Auctions & PIASA Vente aux enchères publiques co-dirigée par Aspire Art Auctions & PIASA VIEWING AND AUCTION LOCATION | LIEU DE L’EXPOSITION ET DE LA VENTE AUX ENCHÈRES OroAfrica House | 170 Buitengracht Street | Cape Town | South Africa AUCTION | VENTE AUX ENCHÈRES Friday 14 February at 3 pm | Vendredi 14 Février à 15H PUBLIC OPENING | VERNISSAGE Tuesday 11 February at 6 – 8:30 pm | Mardi 11 Février 18H – 20H30 PUBLIC PREVIEW | EXPOSITIONS PUBLIQUES Wednesday 12 February 12 pm – 5 pm | Mercredi 12 Février 12H – 17H Thursday 13 February 10 am – 5 pm | Jeudi 13 Février 10H – 17H Friday 14 February 10 am – 3 pm | Vendredi 14 Février 10H – 15H CONDITIONS OF SALE | CONDITIONS GÉNÉRALES DE VENTE The auction is subject to: Rules of Auction, Important Notices, Conditions of Business and Reserves La vente aux enchères est régie par les textes suivants : Règles de ventes, Remarques importantes, Conditions Générales de ventes et Réserves ABSENTEE AND TELEPHONE BIDS | ORDRES D’ACHAT ET ENCHÈRES PAR TÉLÉPHONE [email protected] | +27 71 675 2991 (South Africa) | +33 6 22 31 37 87 (France) GENERAL ENQUIRIES | INFORMATIONS JHB | [email protected] | +27 11 243 5243 CT | [email protected] | +27 21 418 0765 PARIS | [email protected] | [email protected] | +33 6 22 31 3787 Aspire Company Reg No: 2016/074025/07 | VAT number: 4100 275 280 i INTRODUCTION FROM ASPIRE There has been phenomenal growth of global interest in the art produced on the African continent. A proliferation of exhibitions held in the traditional artworld capitals of Europe and North America dedicated to modern and contemporary African art has brought African artists to the attention of international collectors. Art fairs devoted to art from Africa have proliferated, including the bespoke 1–54 group of fairs conducted in New York, Marrakech and London, which has recently enjoyed its successful seventh iteration. This was followed by Africa’s own Art X Lagos which held its fourth edition in Nigeria in November 2019. As the celebrated Investec Cape Town Art Fair prepares for its eighth edition, we are pleased to add to the richness and diversity of the overall offering of Cape Town Art Week in February 2020. The intrinsic quality and collectability of African art is further endorsed by the increasing number of acquisitions by major museums and leading institutions. And, with the increasing wealth in Africa and the diaspora, the market for modern and contemporary art from this continent has strong prospects for growth. Conducting our first collaborative auction in the African artworld capital of Cape Town is appropriate and significant. The city has long been a bastion of culture in South Africa and the Southern part of the continent, complemented more recently by the addition of world-class institutions – Zeitz MOCAA and Norval Foundation – as well as a robust primary market boasting many eminent international contemporary galleries representing top, globally sought-after artists. The Investec Cape Town Art Fair has done much to elevate the position of contemporary African art in global cultural circles and has been rewarded with the increasing sophistication, internationalisation and development of this market. Since inception, Aspire has achieved resounding success in the areas of 20th century modernism and contemporary art at auction in Africa, as well as in presenting a broader, pan-African offering of modern and contemporary art from the continent. This is echoed through our partnership with Piasa, one of the few top European firms conducting dedicated auctions of African art, contributing to the international growth and visibility, and consequent demand, for African art. Through our collaboration, we are able to bring this remarkable collection to a broader, global audience. Ruarc Peffers Managing Director, Aspire Art Auctions L’art produit sur le continent africain est aujourd’hui au centre de toutes les attentions. Des expositions d’art africain moderne et contemporain de plus en plus nombreuses organisées dans les principaux centres artistiques en Europe et en Amérique du Nord ont rapproché collectionneurs internationaux et artistes africains. Le nombre de foires consacrées à l’art d’Afrique a également augmenté de façon exponentielle, que ce soit avec 1-54, à New York, Marrakech et Londres, dont la 7ème édition s’achève sous des commentaires élogieux ou avec Art X Lagos et sa 4ème édition au Nigéria en novembre dernier. La 8ème édition de la célèbre Investec Cape Town Art Fair en février 2020, et la semaine artistique à laquelle elle donne lieu à Cape Town, représentent une formidable opportunité de participer à cette dynamique. Les musées et institutions, en se portant de plus en plus souvent acquéreurs, confirment le potentiel de cet art africain, dont l’évolution est soutenue tant par les collectionneurs en Afrique que par une diaspora très active. Cette première vente aux enchères, dans la capitale africaine de l’Art, en collaboration avec la maison de ventes aux enchères française Piasa, prend tout son sens dans un tel contexte. Cape Town a longtemps été un bastion de la culture en Afrique du Sud et dans la partie sud du continent, avec récemment l’arrivée d’institutions de dimension internationale - Zeitz MOCAA et Norval Foundation - ainsi qu’un premier marché solide comptant de nombreuses galeries éminentes, représentant des artistes mondialement réputés. Cette ville a beaucoup contribué à faire entrer l’art africain contemporain dans les cercles culturels mondiaux et à sa sophistication comme à son internationalisation. En quelques années, Aspire s’est positionné comme un leader dans les domaines de l’art moderne du 20ème siècle et de l’art contemporain en Afrique, en présentant une large offre panafricaine. Notre partenariat avec Piasa, l’une des rares maisons de ventes européennes à offrir des ventes aux enchères dédiées à l’art africain contemporain, contribue à la croissance et à la visibilité de l’art africain sur le marché international. Grâce à notre collaboration, nous sommes en mesure de proposer cette sélection remarquable à un public toujours plus large. ii iii AUCTION VENUE | LIEU DE LA VENTE INTRODUCTION FROM PIASA OroAfrica House | 170 Buitengracht Street | Cape Town | South Africa For several years, contemporary artistic creation from Africa has enjoyed unprecedented visibility OroAfrica House is located at 170 Buitengracht Street. This is on the in public and private exhibitions and the number of events on the Continent and elsewhere has raised subsidiary Buitengracht Street, parallel to the M62. continued to increase in quality and quantity. At the same time, the contemporary African art market is being structured and innovated by using all available marketing channels capable of supporting its exponential development. Social Directions from the Nelson Mandela Boulevard N1/N2, heading networks complement the work of galleries and dedicated and general fairs to offer artists into Cape Town international renown. Continue straight up Buitengracht Street M62, through multiple sets of Without a doubt, the demand from collectors for contemporary African art can be explained by traffic lights. Continue straight through the intersection of Wale Street the singularity and intrinsic quality of the works. Many African artists travel between the African and Buitengracht street, turn right into Bloem Street and then right continent and their other home ports in Africa or the West. These personal trajectories give them again once off the M62 Buitengracht street. OroAfrica House is on your a unique perspective on the world and on the current challenges of a globalized society. The left. Street parking is available along this road and on either side of the works are observation windows on identity issues, issues related to migration, urbanization and its building. The entrance is located at the right side of the building. consequences on the environment. Since the first auction of contemporary African art organized by PIASA in 2014, the ten vacations have confirmed the growing demand in the art market for artists from Africa and the Diaspora. Directions from the Philip Kgosana Drive heading into Cape Town There are more and more collectors who wish to embrace the richness of this artistic creation and Continue straight from Philip Kgosana Drive onto Orange Street. its geographical variety around the world. Turn right at the T-Junction onto Buitengracht M62. Continue down To meet this growing demand, PIASA and ASPIRE have come together. By joining forces, we Buitengracht M62. Turn left into Bloem Street and then right again into aim to reveal and offer to an ever wider audience the comprehensiveness of contemporary African Wa the raised subsidiary Buitengracht Street once off the M62 Buitengracht le S creation. t street. OroAfrica House is on your left. Street parking is available along se u o this road and on either side of the buillding. The entrance is located at H 2 a ic Christophe Person the right side of the building. OroAfr Head of Contemporary African Art, PIASA B lo em St GPS coordinates are: 33°55’24.5”S 18°24’50.2” Buitengracht M6 St ht c a gr n ite u Depuis plusieurs années, la création contemporaine artistique d’Afrique bénéficie d’une visibilité B sans précédent dans les expositions publiques ou privées et le nombre d’événements sur le Continent Africain et ailleurs ne cesse d’augmenter en qualité et en quantité. Dans le même temps, le marché de l’art contemporain africain se structure et innove dans Or le recours à tous les canaux de commercialisation disponibles en mesure d’accompagner son an ge développement exponentiel. Les réseaux sociaux complètent le travail des galeries et des foires St dédiées et généralistes pour offrir aux artistes une notoriété internationale.