Artist Proof Studio at 35: A continuing commitment to artists, access and excellence

3 Mar 2026

Strauss & Co is proud to announce the tenth annual Legacy Exhibition at its Houghton premises, celebrating the enduring influence of South African modernists on contemporary artists. Previous exhibitions have paired figures such as Dorothy Kay with Mary Sibande (2023), and Gerard Sekoto with Lena Hugo (2025).

This year, the exhibition honours the remarkable work of Artist Proof Studio (APS) as the institution marks its 35th anniversary. Titled Artist Proof Studio at 35: A Continuing Commitment to Artists, Access and Excellence, the exhibition celebrates APS’s lasting impact on printmaking, mentorship and artistic opportunity in South Africa.

Opening on 9 March 2026, the exhibition brings together over 50 distinguished APS alumni. Each artist is featured through a detailed biographical profile, a linocut portrait printed by the current student body, an early print, and a recent work, offering a powerful view of artistic development over time. Interviews conducted by Maru Attwood form the foundation of the profile texts, while many alumni returned to APS over the past three weekends to pull new prints especially for the exhibition.

In March 2026, APS marks 35 years as one of South Africa’s most influential public benefit arts education organisations. Founded in 1991 at a pivotal historical moment, the studio was conceived as an open-access art centre grounded in equality, social justice and opportunity, challenging exclusionary arts education systems by centring artists’ lived experience and creative agency.

“Artist Proof Studio was founded on the belief that creativity, imagination and technical skill can open possibilities where there are few,” says Kim Berman, Co-Founder of Artist Proof Studio. “Our work has always been about building a learning environment where artists are supported to develop their practice, while imagining new futures for themselves and their communities.”

Rooted in ubuntu, APS has trained more than 400 artists over three and a half decades, many previously excluded from formal study. Its alumni are now recognised as artists, master printmakers, educators and cultural leaders, reflecting the impact of alternative education models that prioritise access, collaboration and sustainability.

Internationally respected for technical excellence and innovation, the studio’s professional workshop has co-published editions with emerging and established artists including William Kentridge, Mary Sibande, Bambo Sibiya and Philemon Hlungwane.

APS’s history is also one of resilience. After a devastating 2003 fire that destroyed much of the studio and claimed the life of co-founder Nhlanhla Xaba, the organisation rebuilt and continued to grow, relocating to its current home in Houghton in 2020.

Marking this milestone, APS at 35 forms part of a multi-year anniversary programme running from 2026 to 2028, including travelling exhibitions across all nine provinces, publications and expanded opportunities for artists. At its core are the voices and practices of APS alumni and current students, underscoring a legacy that remains active and forward-looking.

The anniversary exhibition is presented in collaboration with Strauss & Co, reflecting the importance of partnership within the arts ecosystem, particularly as public funding for the arts continues to decline.

A timed online auction of select prints from the APS archives and alumni will run from 9 March to 17 April.

Says Senior Art Specialist and Head Curator, Wilhelm van Rensburg. “At 35, Artist Proof Studio continues to evolve, guided by the artists it supports and the futures they are shaping. Its legacy is not confined to the past, but remains an active, unfolding commitment to access, imagination and collaboration. This is a legacy exhibition in the true sense of the word.”