The Lions River based art house, The Platform Gallery, is partnering with conservation powerhouse The Boucher Legacy to bring KZN to the forefront of conservation fundraising in South Africa.
The joint effort will be the 2nd Annual Art For Conservation (ARC) Auction, taking place on the 3rd of March 2023 (at a physical event and online). A successful event in 2022 saw the auction raise over R400,000 for the protection of rhino, wild dogs, and pangolin, and they aim to raise the bar.
Owner of the gallery and Midlands native Glen du Preez believes that “we all have a part to play. All South Africans love the bush and what our natural resources offer, and we are trying to do our part to help protect it.” They are hoping to attract both art lovers and conservation enthusiasts alike to be their “Partners-in-Conservation.”
With the auction, The Boucher Legacy is raising money to protect endangered mammals across South Africa. Funds raised in 2022 went to the collaring of African wild dog packs in the Greater Kruger National Park, the ongoing rehabilitation of pangolins, working to develop high tech tracking monitoring for endangered mammals, and the ongoing monitoring and protection of rhino as a key species. Mark Boucher, the founder of The Boucher Legacy and famous cricketer, will be in attendance at the Auction event.
Gated Community by Mbongeni Buthelezi
The team behind The Platform Gallery has curated a fine art collection spanning genres (Glen notes it's “not just wildlife!”) and many different mediums to entice even the most ardent collectors. The 40 artworks have been done by a wide range of some of South Africa’s most exciting artists; well known KZN based artists such as Sarah Richards, Vincent Reid, and Llewellyn Davies, are joined by artists on the national stage in Anton Smit, Keith Calder, Natasha Barnes, Mbongeni Buthelezi, and Carl Roberts.
Octopus by Carl Roberts
The gorgeous collection will be auctioned on Friday, 3rd March 2023 both in-person, as well as online, via the pre-bid and bidding platform found on https://theplatform.gallery/ where art and conservation enthusiasts worldwide can participate online/via phone.
Pygmy Falcon by Sarah Richards
The physical ARC Auction event will take place at The Far Side Farm in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands. Guests will start arriving from 12noon but the actual auction starts at 2pm (live and online) and will run until about 5pm. Guests will be greeted with drinks and canapés, as well as a beautiful luncheon, as the auction will be split into two halves along with live entertainment by African jazz band, Ma Afrika.
In addition to the extensive array of fine art that will be auctioned off, several unique and interactive experiences will also be at play.
One of the highlights is a rhino dehorning experience which includes fully catered accommodation, a 3 night stay for up to 20 people, at the magnificent Zebra Hills Safari Lodge within the Manyoni Nature Reserve valued at R285,000.
Another special prize includes a pangolin walk, a visit to the Zululand Rhino Orphanage and a three night midweek stay at Zebra Hills Safari Lodge, for 8 people self-catered, valued at R80,000. These lots are courtesy of Zululand Conservation Trust and Zebra Hills Safari Lodge.
Tickets to the live event: https://qkt.io/vv8U2n
Online bidding registration and Pre-bidding opportunity: Upcoming Auctions bid.theplatform.gallery
More info: https://theplatform.gallery/artforconservation/
Sponsors of both the Auction event and Lot numbers are:
In2Assets (Auctioneers) - Andrew Miller & Tom Hodgson
Stella Artois
Cape Town Gin
Thirsti Water
Zebra Hills Safari Lodge
Painted Wolf Wines
Zululand Conservation Trust
Icily Live
Mediology
The Witness
Gorilla Advertising
Berge Farrel Design
The Gallery FarSide Farm
-ENDS