AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN ART Anton Smit Sculpture Park, Gallery & Art Cafe Written by Schalk Schoombie www.antonsmit.co.za
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he American sculptor Richard Serra, famous for his large-scale sculptures made for site-specific landscape, urban and architectural settings, believes the experience of the work is inseparable from the place in which the work resides.
In the same way, the work of the celebrated South African sculptor Anton Smit enhances and transforms some carefully chosen settings. One such environment is the Anton Smit Sculpture Park, a unique exhibition which is only 40 minutes’ drive from Pretoria and 60 minutes from Johannesburg. This art oasis spanning seven hectares adjacent to the Aqua Vista Mountain Estate, with a panoramic view of Bronkhorstspruit Dam, opened in 2002. A selection of 600 sculptures is on display to maximum effect in a serene garden and two art galleries. The artist’s creative hub, consisting of his studio and workshop, is also located here. Anton Smit’s powerful creations have been shown and lauded internationally, from Rome and Milan to Bonn, Amsterdam, Cologne, Singapore. His work has been included in private and corporate collections at home and abroad. Towering over the landscape is the male figure titled “Faith”, an enormous sculpture standing seven meters tall. This uplifting installation presents a fitting introduction to the emotional impact of Smit’s work, exploring the spiritual yearnings of man. His great heads and monumental African sculptures evoke narratives of suffering, reconciliation, glory and sublimation.
Outside Main Art Gallery, Photo by Richard Holmes
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