Art Club – Up Close with Melvyn Minnaar: Flâneur of Imagination and Invention
Join us for an intimate evening with celebrated writer, critic, and cultural raconteur Melvyn Minnaar. A lifelong explorer of the arts, Minnaar has dedicated his career to documenting and championing the creative world. From curating exhibitions to shaping arts and wine journalism in South Africa, his insights are as sharp as they are poetic.
In this special Strauss & Co Art Club evening, Minnaar reflects on his career as a self-described flâneur – a wandering observer in the world of art, literature, and culture. He invites us into a conversation about the people, places, and ideas that have shaped his journey.
Tuesday, 4 March 2025 at 6pm
Strauss & Co, 2nd floor, Brickfield Canvas,
35 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
‘One’s meaningful life is created by others: artists, crafters, skilled and gifted cultural explorers, inventors of imagination who cross your path or whom you seek. I was fortunate to be given entry to this magical world from an early age, and I became a happy, fortunate flâneur of that world – a groupie of those who create things of emotional, cerebral, and rewarding adventure. A world without art is inconceivable, it is life.’
Also on at Art Club
This Art Club will also include a discussion with Tony Fornali on the book, Kalahari Studio: Modernist Design, African Spirit.
The Kalahari Studio (1948–1973) holds a unique place in South Africa’s art history, combining local cultural designs with boldly innovative modern styles to create ceramics rich in history and meaning.
Founder members of the Kalahari Studio, Aleksanders Klopcanovs and Elma Vestman manufactured a diverse variety of products, including sculptures, vases, bowls, platters and very popular wall plaques. Fornali’s definitive book on the studio, ensures that the story of this remarkable artistic endeavour continues to inspire and inform future generations. The author categorises the creative Studio output into chapters which align to the broad understanding of modern design and African influence.
Sponsorship
Strauss & Co is delighted to welcome Glenelly, a world-class estate in Stellenbosch, producing award winning wines as the official wine partner for Art Club 2025. Guests attending our monthly Art Cub will be able to experience their exclusive wines whilst enjoying the informative discussions and curated exhibitions each month that alternate between our Johannesburg and Cape Town spaces.
Date & Time
Location
Brickfield Canvas, 35 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
