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Cape Town - The Wavescape Artboard Auction looks set for a bumper year as art collectors jostle for ownership of artworks by top South African artists on Tuesday night.
Comedian Rob van Vuuren will be stoking the fires and loosening wallets at Jack Black Brewery in Cape Town from 19:00, with the auction starting at 20:00.
The piece "After-Party at Nkandla" by Brett Murray brings us a sardonic reminder of life after Jacob Zuma when the ANC elects a new leader just after the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival ends on 10 December.
Beezy Bailey has come to the party with an eclectic rendition of Khoi San figures on his Mini-Simmons surfboard.
While two nudes brimming with the distinctive technique of Lionel Smit can be seen ardorning both sides of his surfboard.
All 10 surfboards for the auction are identical. Shaped by York Surfboards in Muizenberg, this year they are replicas of what has become known as the mini-Simmons: wide, short surfboards with a rounded nose and cut-off tail in the 1950s style of legendary Californian shaper Bob Simmons.
The functional geometrics of Andrzej Urbanski are superbly rendered on his board, with the angular lines enriching the top and bottom deck.
Jake Aikman's moody waterscape with subdued chiaroscuro lends itself to the vertical shape of the mini-Simmons. (Read more about Jake's board here)
Each board has been expertly glassed and polished to encase the artwork within a liquidly transparent sheen. At least five bidders from overseas have asked for proxy representatives to acquire their piece of proudly South African art.
The wistful illustrative style of Kirsten Sims has been added to the mix this year, and her double-sided board will be a treat for collectors of her distinctive style.
Jenna Barbe has opted for a more traditional artwork after the stunning coral sculpted board she produced last year. Her double-sided painting is a sumptuous celebration of the minutiae of sea life.
The work by Alexis Aronson breathes life into her wonderfully decorative style that speaks of earthy symbolism with motifs of South African culture and animalism.
The portrait of a Kalk Bay fisherman, rich in colour and exuding charisma and life force, rounds off an inspirational debut for Marti Lund and Chris Auret.
While another debutant, Liza Grobler, has given her board a two-sided treatment of an eight-tentacled purple octupus that writhes from the depths of a black background.
In addition to the 10 boards, Wavescape will also be auctioning a Hurricane Surfboard depicting Nelson Mandela and signed by all the professional surfers on the World Surf League elite tour, including SA legends Shaun Tomson and Martin Potter.
There is also a once-off Kingdom Skateboard with Festival illustration lazer cut into the wooden board. Procees will go to the holiday camp for the youth from the 9Miles project.
Doors open at 19:00 and the auction starts 20:00, although Van Vuuren will do some comedy beforehand to begin the process of loosening up the audience.
The Wavescape Art Board Project has been raising awareness and funds for ocean charities since 2005 and donate proceeds of the auction to a number of ocean charities.
The project has funded several NSRI boats and helped the Shark Spotters keep surfers and sharks in mostly harmonious cohabitation, while also supporting Waves For Change, an award-winning trauma counselling programme that uses surfing as a key therapy. This year Wavescape also assists Adaptive Surfing South Africa, The Beach Co-op and the 9MilesProject.
The Wavescape Artboard Project is part of the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival, which takes place from 20 November to 10 December. (Read more about the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival here)
Channel24 is a proud media partner of the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival 2017.
(Photos: Shani Judes)
