Elmarie van Straten
Head of Cape Town Art Department and Senior Art Specialist
Elmarie van Straten is Head of the Cape Town Art Department and Senior Art Specialist at Strauss & Co, Africa’s leading auction house. She joined the company in 2023 and specialises in modern and contemporary art, with a particular interest in contemporary artistic practices.
Van Straten holds an Honours Degree in Visual Art from Stellenbosch University (2005), as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from University of South Africa(2009). Her academic training and professional experience inform her research-driven approach to the study, valuation and presentation of South African art.
Prior to joining Strauss & Co, she held several leadership roles within the arts sector, including Director of Business Development at cur8.art and Curator at Spier Arts Trust. Earlier in her career she served as Gallery Director at Park West Gallery and at A Word of Artand held two teaching positions at Seapoint and Rondebosh Boys’ High School.
In addition to her role at Strauss & Co, van Straten is a practising artist whose work has been presented in numerous solo and group exhibitions and is held in private collections internationally. Her curatorial experience includes exhibitions presented during the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees at the Oude Leeskamer.
Van Straten’s broad engagement with the contemporary art landscape informs her specialist work and relationships with artists, collectors and institutions.
