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The Greeff Art Trust, a non-profit organisation set up by Greeff Properties
to help township and previously disadvantaged artists to find a market
– has distributed
6 000 DVDs to homes in Bishopscourt, Claremont, Kenilworth and Constantia.
The DVD showcases 79 artworks selected by the Greeff Art Trust for
sale.
The paintings themselves can be viewed at Greeff’s new head office
in Trescoe House on the corners of Riverstone and Cornwall Roads, Wynberg,
and will soon also be on display at the Greeff art gallery in the Alphen
Hotel complex.
The Road of Hope art drive was initiated by Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff
Properties last year when he persuaded Trevor Manuel to open an exhibition
of township paintings at Nova Constantia. An 85% sell-out was achieved
at the auction that evening.
Now, says Greeff, his Art trust has gone a step further and is paying
upfront for all paintings taken in for exhibition. This, said Greeff,
has been a huge morale booster for the artists, many of whom have struggled
to find buyers and generate an income.
“The incomes they are now getting,” said Greeff, “have
done a lot to relieve the pressure on them.”
Graham Leslie, Greeff Properties’ MD, said that by keeping prices
in a R2 000 to R12 000 range, the trust is able to offer these artworks
at a 50% discount to the prices that would normally be charged in a
gallery for such work.
Leslie stressed, as Manuel did at the 2007 exhibition, that these
works are likely to be good investments because township art has now
become popular internationally and is found in galleries worldwide.
“As these emerging artists become names in the “art world”
so the value of these investments will grow,” said Greeff.
Members of the public interested in seeing the art DVD should contact
Bianca McBain on 021 763 4120 or visit the website on www.greeff.co.za.
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