Stories

Sidney Goldblatt: Experiments in Colour and Form

10 Oct 2026

Sidney Goldblatt, born to Lithuanian Jewish parents in Johannesburg in 1919, spent a decade working in his family’s business before leaving to pursue his long-held dream of becoming an artist. Once he had saved up enough,Goldblattleft South Africa in 1949 to study at the Anglo-French Art Centre in London. He was also tutored by Fernand Léger and André Lhote in Paris between 1950 and 1951, before returning to London to study sculpture at the Sir John Cass Academy.

1-54 Founder Touria El Glaoui on How African Art Collecting is Changing

9 Oct 2026

As Strauss & Co prepares to host a panel at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, Touria El Glaoui shares insights on a new generation of collectors, the gaps in art history and why looking back matters too.

Could East African art be hiding in plain sight?

25 Sep 2026

From East African modernists to contemporary names from across the continent, collectors are taking notice.  Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co, is now consigning for works for its second edition.

Build your dream collection with the Strauss & Co Wishlist

13 Sep 2026

What’s on your art wishlist? Vladimir Tretchikoff’s iconic Lady from the Orient perchance? Perhaps a JH Pierneef linocut, or a brightly coloured Sam Nhlengethwa collage you can already picture above the sofa? How about something by a hot young artist? We’d suggest all of them! That’s the pleasure of a wishlist: for the moment you don’t have to choose. The wildly ambitious, the actually attainable and everything in between can all go on the list.

Why would I buy a Cape Winemakers Guild Auction wine?

13 Sep 2026

We invited writer Daléne Fourie to share her perspective on bidding at the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction — and to tell us which lots caught her eye.

Vistas: Alice Goldin and Selected Landscapes

7 Sep 2026

Vistas: Alice Goldin and Selected Landscapes brings together the work of Alice Goldin (b. Vienna, 1922) across the disciplines that defined her practice: woodcut, screenprint and tempera painting. Included in this session are works from the Alice Goldin Estate, the second curated offering at Strauss & Co for this artist.

Strauss & Co’s flagship live sale showcases the international reach of South African contemporary art

7 Sep 2026

CAPE TOWN – In the decades since 1994 and the end of South Africa’s cultural isolation, artists including Lisa Brice, William Kentridge and Penny Siopis have established substantial international practices, exhibiting at leading museums and biennials and attracting a growing global collector base.

Exhibitions of Still Life and Art Jewellery anchor Strauss & Co’s rich 2026 Woordfees programme 

3 Sep 2026

Strauss & Co returns to the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees from 3 to 11 October 2026 with a wide-ranging programme of exhibitions, public conversations, valuation days, masterclasses, coffee raves and a benefit auction. Guided by Strauss & Co director and art patron Caro Wiese, the auction house is a proud silver sponsor and partner of South Africa's leading spring arts festival.

Strauss & Co Salutes the Trailblazing Women of Modern Design

28 Aug 2026

This Women’s Month, Strauss & Co would like to shine a light on the fearless and powerful female designers whose work passes through its doors. Despite history often placing men at the forefront, many of the objects we now consider the defining icons of Mid-century Modern were conceived or profoundly shaped by women.

Why Mid-Century Jewellery Still Feels Modern 

7 Aug 2026

Good design rarely belongs to one era. More than 50 years after mid-century design influences transformed architecture, furniture and interiors, its impact is still visible in jewellery. 

Cape Charm: Gregoire Boonzaier Works from a Single-Owner Collection

14 Jul 2026

Strauss & Co is pleased to present Cape Charm: Gregoire Boonzaier Works from a Single-Owner Collection, which distils the artist’s impressive variety and consistent output over a successful 80-year career. Gregoire’s masterful use of pencil, watercolour, gouache and oil is displayed across the still-lifes, landscapes, portraits and self-portraits in the sale.

OH YES! The Willem Boshoff Art Collection

14 Jul 2026

Unearthed: Contemporary South African Ceramics

10 Jul 2026

Beyond the Hammer: How Strauss & Co Guides Collectors and Estates

1 Jul 2026

Art collections are increasingly significant assets within private estates, as well as important assets for corporates. Strauss & Co, Africa’s leading auction house, has for many years offered art advisory support for estate planners and leading South African companies.

Eastern Cape Artists to Add to Your Collection  

22 Jun 2026

The Eastern Cape has a long creative history that has honoured the province's scenic geography and vibrant indigenous communities. Artists have also engaged with how colonialism and apartheid have impacted the people, landscape and politics in the region.

Buying Jewellery at Auction: A Modern Guide to Collecting With Confidence

3 Jun 2026

Strauss & Co’s Magnificent Jewels, Africa live auction presents a curated diamond story shaped by material value, symbolism and life’s defining milestones. The lots reflect how diamonds are chosen, gifted and worn – marking significant moments from first commitments to enduring partnerships.

Strauss & Co Art Talks: ICTAF 2026 

19 May 2026

Strauss & Co continued its art market thought leadership at this year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair (ICTAF) with a talks series that deepened public awareness of crucial currents and histories in the contemporary art ecosystem.

The Modern Secrets of Fine Wine Collecting

4 May 2026

Why do people collect wine?

A Guide to Collecting Photography

24 Apr 2026

Photography holds great significance in South Africa’s visual art landscape. Particularly as the medium has been a steadfast witness to how systems of power and difficult transitions have shaped the country.

The Poets Are Working

24 Apr 2026

A landmark group exhibition situating Southern African art within a global Surrealist lineage

Gerard Sekoto's Game of Draughts in a Crowd

22 Apr 2026

Recently sold on Strauss & Co’s March Cape Town Flagship Auction, Gerard Sekoto’s Game of Draughts in a Crowd, 1941-2 is an exquisite example of his work from the artists golden period. 

South African Artists at the Venice Biennale

14 Apr 2026

Ten South African artists have been invited to the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, which will open on 9 May 2026 and run until 22 November 2026.

Faces of Cape Town: Portraits by Irma Stern 

13 Apr 2026

Strauss & Co, in partnership with Brickfield Canvas, presented Faces of Cape Town: Portraits by Irma Stern (14 February – 23 February 2026), a capsule exhibition showcasing a selection of portraits drawn from the Irma Stern Trust Collection.