ABOUT NORVAL FOUNDATION

Situated in the Tokai region of Cape Town, the Norval Foundation stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of modern and contemporary art from the African continent and its diaspora. With galleries and an ever-evolving exhibition programme, this distinguished art museum serves as a vibrant nexus for showcasing a dynamic array of artworks, encompassing painting, photography, sculpture, and media art, both historical and contemporary. The outdoor sculpture garden, nestled amongst the indigenous wetland’s flora and fauna, provides an enchanting environment for visitors to interact with monumental outdoor sculptures in the permanent collection.

Since its inception in 2018, Norval Foundation has been committed to nurturing the understanding and appreciation of African art. It strives to position African artists within the global art historical canon, fostering awareness and elevating the discourse around their contributions. Moreover, the Foundation’s commitment to cultural enrichment and education is evident through its robust public programming and dedicated Learning Centre, which aims to support the creative development of young minds in South Africa.

As stewards of the Homestead Collection, Revisions Collection, the Alexis Preller and the Edoardo Villa Archives as well as the Gerard Sekoto Foundation, the Norval Foundation serves as a custodian of artists’ legacies, to be enjoyed for generations to come.

By providing opportunities for deep engagement with visual art and offering a beautiful space for contemplation, exploration, and learning, the Norval Foundation remains dedicated to enriching lives, inspiring creativity, and fostering appreciation for the multifaceted world of African art.

The Homestead Collection

Assembled by the Norval family over the past two decades, the Homestead Collection is one of the leading 20th-century South African art collections. It is committed to an expanded narrative of South African art that includes both African voices and archival materials of established South African modernists.

The Homestead 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.

The Architecture

The Norval Foundation was envisioned by DHK Architects as a modern pavilion for art. Set against a mountain and vineyard landscape, it is a pure expression of form.

The building is constrained by its linear site, between a busy road and an existing wetland. The linear shape of the building is a direct response to this, with the galleries and public spaces facing the natural landscape, capturing framed views of the wetland, vineyards and mountains beyond.

The building therefore shields the wetland, creating a private space for the sculpture park, forming a threshold between public and private zones. A triple-volume atrium establishes a deliberate visual connection between these zones, one urban, the other natural, and provides a physical transition between contrasting environments.

The Norval Foundation is 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.

The gallery spaces comprise a large exhibition venue and a series of six small galleries, culminating in a dramatic triple-volume sculpture gallery. The upper level accommodates offices, library, bar and artist’s residence. Externally there is a large sculpture garden, with an amphitheatre, picnic area and timber deck serving the restaurant.

The Norval Foundation is a celebration of art, architecture and landscape.

Norval and Nature

Uniquely situated on the edges of a natural wetland, the Norval Foundation has become the custodian and protector of its indigenous plants and animals. Specifically, the Foundation has recognised its duty to the western leopard toad, an indigenous species that has come under threat from rapid urbanisation. The toads travel great distances to find safe areas to breed, and in so doing take on the perilous task of crossing major roadways.

The survival of the endangered western leopard toad has been safeguarded through the construction of concrete culverts underneath the Steenberg road to allow the toads safe access to the Norval Foundation wetland for mating.

The building has been specifically designed so as to minimise its environmental impact. A large solar plant on its roof provides the Foundation’s power and feeds excess energy into the local power grid. There is also a grey-water purification system that allows a high degree of independence from municipal water supplies.

Sculpture Garden

The Sculpture Garden at the Norval Foundation features three-dimensional installations by artists from South Africa and the rest of Africa. The unique site, bisected by a protected Cape lowland freshwater wetland and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Western Cape, features flora indigenous to the area. The placement of artwork takes the site into consideration, using the contours of the garden to hide and reveal work, creating an experience of discovery for the viewer. The building has been designed so that the western side gives way onto the Sculpture Garden at multiple points, allowing visitors access from the galleries to the Sculpture Garden and creating connections between exhibitions taking place both inside and outside. The exhibition programme in the Sculpture Garden aims to represent a plurality of practices currently taking place in the region, including artists working with the figure, narrative and mythology, abstraction and post-minimalism, and craft. Artworks will be a mixture of long term loans and work from the Homestead Collection, which are installed permanently.

The Library

The Norval Foundation research library is a quiet place of study and academic research. It houses a comprehensive collection of publications, documents and catalogues related to 20th-century South African artists, including primary and secondary sources.

Researchers are welcome to make an appointment to view material in the library.

Board of Trustees

Liesl Fichardt

Gary Vogelman

Robyn Merrington

Seth Shezi

Karel Nel (Ex Officio)