The ILASA year end function was held at the Anton Smit Sculpture Park in Bronkhorstspruit and included a guided walk through the gallery and production area, followed by a lunch at the tea garden called Imagine Cafe.

Anton was in the Cape over this time so the tour was led by his dynamic wife Roelien who gave us insight into the working of the gallery and Anton’s thought process in creating artworks. The gallery exudes creativity and Roelien made us all feel welcome by sharing her knowledge and introducing us to the team members of the business.

Roelien explained that almost all of Anton’s sculptures are connected to the human body and relate to the human mind and soul. His work includes heads and monumental statues that evoke themes of suffering, reconciliation and glory and can be connected to his strong religious beliefs. He is also known for his nudes, masks, hands, angels, warriors and abstract works, using mostly steel, fibreglass and bronze.

The Sculpture Park consists of an assorted collection of his work placed in a garden setting with a bacdrop of natural limestone fomations. The largest of the sculptures can be seen when driving into the parking area and one can wander down to see these more closely. I especially liked exploring the garden and seeing a sculpture placed in a viewpoint, framed by trees, that one moved towards.

It is all about experience. What I love about his sculptures is that you can move around them, touch them and experience them from multiple angles.

The sculpture park is open to public, it can be accessed anytime, however the art gallery is only open during office hours Monday – Friday | 9am – 5pm, Saturday / Sunday | 9am – 1pm. For more info please visit https://www.antonsmit.co.za