August Art Month 2026 – “Wanneer Idees Gestalte Kry | From Concept to Object“
The exhibition explores how ideas materialise through form, gesture, surface, and colour; thereby shifting our perspectives and expanding our horizons.
Welgemeend August Art Month is a vibrant, month-long programme of activities at the historic Welgemeend Homestead in Gardens, Cape Town, anchored by a curated exhibition of modern and contemporary art from the Kilbourn Collection. A joint initiative of collectors Frank and Lizelle Kilbourn, Strauss & Co and The Friends of Welgemeend, it has become one of Cape Town’s signature winter highlights. In 2026 Welgemeend Art Month returns for its 13th year, centered around the theme Wanneer Idees Gestalte Kry | From Concept to Object.
The exhibition explores how ideas materialise through form, gesture, surface, and colour; thereby shifting our perspectives and expanding our horizons. This journey from concept to object is revealed in works by Deborah Bell, Ruby Swinney, Fred Page, Walter Battiss, Bruce Arnott, Dale Lawrence, Senzeni Marasela, Strijdom van der Merwe and others.
In honour of Cecil Skotnes’ 100th birthday anniversary, the exhibition also includes a special focus on the enduring conversations his work continues to spark: between modernism and contemporary artistic practices, between Western and African visual languages, and between the discipline of craft and the transformative power of education.
Curated by Frank for August Art Month 2026, the exhibition brings together artworks that embody process as proposition, tracing the moment where an idea takes form and becomes something seen, touched, and encountered.
Come join us as we celebrate the magic that unfolds in the space between concept and object!
About August Art Month: Established in 2014 by art collector Frank Kilbourn and auctioneer Stephan Welz, Strauss & Co’s founding director who passed away in 2015, the initiative aims to shore up support for Welgemeend, a historic home on the slopes of Table Valley built in the 18th century and subsequently enlarged by the Homer family. Welgemeend was declared a national monument in 1944. It is owned and managed by Jan van Riebeeck Hoërskool, in collaboration with the Friends of Welgemeend. August Art Month is an important source of revenue for the maintenance and preservation of this landmark Cape property.
About Strauss & Co: Strauss & Co is Africa’s leading art auction house. With monthly online sales and marquee live auctions, Strauss & Co offers African and international art, as well as design, wine and jewellery, at all price levels. Market leaders in modern and contemporary art at auction in Africa, Strauss & Co (founded in 2009) actively champions artists, designers and wine producers from the African region. It supports various education and community engagement programmes. www.straussart.co.za
About Delaire Graff Estate: The Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch was acquired in 2003 by Laurence Graff, Chairman, Graff Diamonds International, and opened to public in 2010 as a world-class destination for wine, art, cuisine, and an escape from the everyday. The estate produces supremely elegant vintages from Bordeaux reds and Chardonnay grapes grown in vineyards situated on the slopes of Botmaskop Mountain. The estate is also known for its large showcase of art from Laurence Graff’s personal art collection. www.delaire.co.za