Top portraits at George Museum
A selection of South Africa's best contemporary portraiture will be on view in George, when the Friends of the George Museum hosts the Sanlam Portrait Award 2017 Top 40 exhibition from 21 August to 15 September. The biennial competition, now in its third iteration, showcases some of the best portraitures in two dimensions in South Africa.
The winning portrait Genna and Felix, a double portrait in oil by Kate Arthur, is accompanied by 39 other works selected by an independent panel of judges - which includes Peter Monkman from the UK, a winner of the prestigious BP Portrait Award presented at the Nation Portrait Gallery in London. He was assisted by Nkule Mabaso, curator of the Michaelis Galleries at the University of Cape Town, and Pretoriabased retired lecturer Carl Jeppe.
There were some 1 400 entries for the Sanlam Portrait Award in 2017, almost double the number of entries in 2015. The award is organised by the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville, Cape Town and offers a prize of R100 000 sponsored by Sanlam Private Wealth. The winning portrait in the Sanlam Portrait Awards, Genna and Felix, a double portrait in oil by Kate Arthur.
The exhibition has been on a countrywide tour which included venues in Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Knysna. George is the last stop. The tour is organised by the Sanlam Art Collection and is supported by Sanlam Private Wealth. The exhibition will be on view in the Charles Sayers hall at the George Museum.
The museum opening times are: Mondays to Fridays 08:00 to 16:30 and Saturdays 09:00 to 12:30.