The 2025 edition of Welgemeend Art Month, running from 6 August to 5 September and now in its 12th year, reaffirms its commitment to the long-term preservation of the historic Welgemeend Homestead, home to Cape Town’s beloved winter arts festival.
Built in 1693 on the upper slopes of Table Valley, Welgemeend is both a heritage site and a vibrant cultural hub. In support of its ongoing restoration, Strauss & Co has launched a multi-session online auction — Pledge Fund | Building the Future: Welgemeend Restoration Fund — closing on 25 August 2025. The auction invites the public to contribute to specific conservation projects, from structural repairs to artistic preservation.
“The Friends of Welgemeend, in collaboration with the Kilbourn Family and Strauss & Co, have raised funds over the years to maintain this landmark building, the Boerneef Art Collection it houses, and its exquisite gardens,” says Bina Genovese, Managing Executive at Strauss & Co. “This year’s wishlist includes restoring the historic Bösendorfer grand piano, refinishing interior woodwork, waterproofing the exterior, and upgrading security systems. Donors will be invited to an exclusive event hosted by the Friends of Welgemeend at the close of Art Month.”
A Celebration of Art and Identity
The centrepiece of this year’s programme is the exhibition In en Om Ons / In and Around Us, curated by Frank Kilbourn and Sean O’Toole. Drawing from the Kilbourn Collection, the show explores how artists working in the age of photography interpret themes of home, play, labour, and selfhood. The exhibition spans painting, photography, sculpture, and ceramics, offering a rich dialogue between past and present.
Modernist masters such as Kenneth Bakker, Maggie Laubser, Gerard Sekoto, and J.H. Pierneef feature alongside contemporary talents like Sanell Aggenbach, Georgina Gratrix, and Mawande ka Zenzile. Photographers including David Goldblatt, Pieter Hugo, and Jürgen Schadeberg provide striking counterpoints, while sculptors and ceramicists such as William Kentridge, Hylton Nel, and Dominique Edwards add texture to the narrative.
“The exhibition examines how painters and photographers converge and diverge in their depictions of the world,” says Sean. “It also includes a curated selection of ceramics and sculpture that explore form, time, and identity.”
Meanwhile, the Boerneef Collection — typically housed at Welgemeend — will be on display at Strauss & Co’s Woodstock gallery throughout Art Month.
For the full programme, visit welgemeendart.co.za.
