/ Current Exhibitions

North Gallery

Carol Slabolepszy - My Hares and Graces
31 May to 21 June 2025

Artist's statement:

I studied Fine Art (as a mature student) at Wits Tech for 4 years from 1999, and while majoring in painting (in oil) I also loved working on three-dimensional work. After graduating and a hiatus of a few years, I decided to work with clay again and started creating life-size hares. I needed to replicate my work and at the same time keep it special. Every one of my sculptures is microchipped and the owner knows that it is an authentic sculpture from My Hares and Graces. The first hare was Lalela followed Cambalele, Thinker, then Hare Apparent and so it went on. The menagerie has slowly increased to include cats and dogs. During Covid I created a Pangolin and Pup as well as two curled up Pangolins - there was plenty of time to make the many scales that were needed. These unusual mammals are the most trafficked mammals in the world and I donate to the African Pangolin Working Group with each sale of a Pangolin. A small clan of five Meerkats has appeared in the past two months called Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo.

What is the most frequently asked question? “Why hares?” ….. From a totally practical point of view they are a manageable size for someone like me who does not have a large studio. But hares (and the occasional pet rabbit) have been a feature of my life since I was very young.

The inspiration for my sculptures came largely from my memories of visits to an historic family farm in the Karoo near Norvalspont in the Northern Cape. Driving along the farm roads in the evening or the early morning we would see the Springhase leaping and weaving in the car headlights. I find hares enigmatic. There is sense of mystery to them as they are very difficult to approach. There is a universal story-telling tradition where hares often appear as a symbol of trickery. They are fast, athletic and agile – sometimes aggressive and I relish capturing them in their moments of stillness.

Main Gallery

Glass Now – African Perspectives
5 July to 26 July 2025

July is the month of glass and Moya African Glass Network (NPC) proudly presents its first group exhibition, Glass Now – African Perspectives curated by Lothar Böttcher and Caitlin Greenberg, opening at 11:00 on Saturday, 5 July 2025 at the Association of Arts Pretoria. This milestone is the first to bring together a dynamic group of over 20 artists working in glass from across South Africa, including contributions from Kitengela Glass in Kenya.

The exhibition will be opened by respected researcher and arts advocate Professor Pfunzo Sidogi. Following the opening, guests will enjoy live hot glass demonstrations, showcasing torch work by Borilla Glass and the hot manipulation of up-cycling glass bottles into refined, reusable forms by Full Circle Glass Co. This is a day for all ages — not just a showcase of fantastic craftsmanship, but an experience with engagement and entertainment for the whole family.

Alongside the opening, two additional events will take place at Association of Arts Pretoria to continue building awareness and appreciation of glass art throughout the month:

Thursday, 17 July 2025 at 12:00: Glass Art in Southern Africa, a lunchtime lecture by Lothar Böttcher - an insightful lunch-hour discussion with one of South Africa’s leading glass artists.

Saturday, 19 July 2025 at 11:00: Glass Pop-Up Exhibition - this dynamic event features live demonstrations, artist walkabouts, and an opportunity to purchase affordable, handmade glass artworks.

Ensure that you don’t miss out on these exciting exhibitions at the Association of Arts Pretoria.

Gallery Chaton

Kobus Walker
Spectrum

22 June to 12 July 2025

Spectrum explores the interplay of colour, pattern and form, inspired by the visual phenomenon of light refracted into its component hues of the rainbow.

Layered landscapes, retro wallpaper-inspired patterns, everyday objects and South African birds create a dialogue with the viewer where these elements begin to reflect one another - mirroring the vibrancy, rhythm and complexity of the natural world

Kobus Walker was born in Rustenburg. He matriculated in 1989 and studied at the Pretoria Technikon where he completed a Fine Arts diploma in 1992. After his studies he worked with fellow artist, friend and mentor Tivan van Dyk for almost 10 years. Together they created different projects, like murals at Caesar’s Casino, in London and in Egypt. He learned to work on a larger scale and how to employ its different techniques. As from 2007 he became a full-time artist. Over the years he has taken part in numerous group exhibitions and had several solo shows as well.

Walker’s work is mostly theme-based. He takes inspiration from classical painters like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Klimt and Rubens and also South African painters such as Pierneef and Tretchikoff. These influences he remoulds into his own indigenous statement within a contemporary context.