Southern Guild Cape Town

Art gallery · Schotschekloof

Southern Guild Cape Town

Art gallery · Schotschekloof

Silo, 5 S Arm Rd, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa

Highlights

African collectible design & art, limited-edition, high-end

Silo, 5 S Arm Rd, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa Get directions

southernguild.com

@southernguildgallery

@cntraveler

15 Best Museums in Cape Town

"Devoted to local craftsmanship, Southern Guild exhibits everything from jewelry to furniture. It's distinctly African with an emphasis on limited-edition high-end design. Here, you won't find historic pieces, but rather items produced by some of the country's most exciting makers. There's no permanent exhibition, but you'll see works by some of the country's coolest major designers. You can also browse the shelves the adjoining store and maybe pick up a souvenir you can't get anywhere else." - Mary Holland

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-museums-in-cape-town

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@cntraveler

Southern Guild

"Give us some background on this place: What is it, exactly, and what are we going to see here?Devoted to locally made design, Southern Guild exhibits everything from jewelry to furniture. It's distinctly African with an emphasis on limited-edition, high-end design. Here, you won't find historic pieces, but rather items produced by some of the country's most exciting designers. That sounds pretty terrific. How’s the space itself?Set in a lofty, glass-fronted space, the gallery is comprised of two sections: a gallery space and a bright shop where you can pick up a range of cool, locally designed items. The curated exhibitions (which are on rotation) are in a small space, so it's a very manageable (i.e. you don't have to dedicate an entire afternoon). Excellent. Back to the art: Can you give us a little more info...like, how to get our own versions of these amazing designs?There's no permanent exhibition, but you'll see works by some of the country's coolest major designers, from wood sculptor Adam Birch to furniture-maker Check Diallo. You can also browse the shelves of the adjoining store and maybe pick up a piece you can't get anywhere else. Yay! Oh, and did you meet anyone on staff? If so, did they make an impression?The space is fairly small—you won't need much hand-holding. If you're in luck, one of the owners—the gallery was founded by a local couple—might be around to chat about the works on display. Perfect. Now, sum it up for us: What—or who—is this place best for?Even if you're not into design, this gallery is so distinctly African that it's worth checking out. It doesn't require a full-day visit, so it's easy to swing by for a few minutes before continuing on with your day." - Mary Holland

https://www.cntraveler.com/activities/cape-town/cape-town/southern-guild

View Postcard for Southern Guild Cape Town

Tumelo Motaung

Google

Went to visit Southern Guild for the Rich Mnisi exhibition. It's a small gallery, but they sure know how to make an impression. The exhibition was absolutely beautiful and captivating. Can't wait to see what next they'll have in store for us. Will definitely be back for more artists.

Azania Mosaka

Google

I visited the gallery because they had the uBuhle Bokhokho by one of my favourite artist, Zizipho Poswa. What an uplifting exhibition in a place perfectly suited for it. Zizipho Poswa is a towering ceramicist whose world is a celebration of African heritage. She is known for the giant large-scale sculptures that give expression to her heritage, African cultures, traditions and philosophies. Along with renowned ceramicist and friend Andile Dyalvane, they founded Imiso Ceramics which is a Cape Town based ceramics studio. Their work is inspired by scenes of everyday life and blackness. Zizipho’s exhibition is in celebration of the hair of black women across Africa and the Diaspora. It’s explores the meaning behind our hairstyles, what they communicate and what it’s like to body these layered meanings. Southern Guild is situated just a few meters from the Zeits Mocca and across from the Radisson Red hotel. It’s easy to miss. But with the Silo Hotel behind you walking towards the Bronze Age art foundry, it is to your left.

mzamo masito

Google

Went to Southern Guild to see the most soulful and gifted Zizipho Poswa work titled, UBuhle Bokhoho (Beauty of our Ancestors) draws inspiration from the elaborate art of hairstyling practices by African Black women across the African continent and diaspora. Hair with its profound symbolic relationship to Blackness , remains a relevant source of inspiration and dialogue within contemporary cultural discourse. Zizipho Poswa created and wore 12 hairstyles over a period of five months, documenting each embodiment photographically as part of her research. Through this charged metaphoric lens, hair becomes a personal script for language, for the carrying of meaning and the celebration of self as an act of defiance Many of the historic qnd contemporary hairstyles that Poswa references include architectural construction turns where the hair ( both natural and artificial) is wrapped over armatures. These include the complex crested arrangement worn by Fulani women from.West Africa and the fan shaped headpiece of the Zamde from Congo. The works in uBuhle boKhokho are palimpsestic in their visual power, echoing a lineage of artistry that includes traditional hairstyles documented in ar gival materials, the iconic images of Nigerian photographer JD Okhai Ojeikere and rhe contemporary creations of Chicago based artist Shani Crowe. Here Zizipho Poswa situates herself in a vast ans ever expanding network of Black women who continue to self define and affirm their own standards of beauty Xhosa: uBuhle Bokhoho bukhuthazwa bubugcisa obunabileyo bokwenza izitayile zeenwele ezenziwa ngabasethyini abaMnyama kwilizwekazi xa lilonke leAfrika Kanye neqela labantu elifudukela kwamanye amazwe Source- @zizipho_poswa @southernguildgallery

Ziphelele Mqwala

Google

I learned so much about the exhibition taking place now of Prof Zanele Muholi, she was honest and inspiring about the her artwork and gave words of encouragement. She was giving out books of other Artists and I got one of Andile Dyalvane, ITHONGO. Loved it ❤️💯👌

Arjun Butani

Google

Brilliant space. One of the leading s. African galleries!

Raymond Douglas

Google

Dirty ,dusty warehouse where Art is stored and displayed. Numerous buildings with old asbestos roofs surrounding the warehouse, blowing contamination to the surrounding area. Rude and dishonest staff member COO Wendy.

Licia Dewing Career Strategist

Google

Exceptional space and layout - park at the Silo District and walk the art tour around the precinct. Be sure to catch them on First Thursdays !

jo fielding

Google

Amazing gallery. They have really interesting and funky stuff.