The Kim Sacks Gallery
The Kim Sacks Gallery is more than just a gallery – it has established a reputation for being a welcoming haven, arty meeting place and unique setting for beautiful arts and crafts. When one walks through the carved wooden doors of the terracotta building on busy Jan Smuts Avenue in Johannesburg, it is immediately apparent that the worldly Kim Sacks has painted a picture of her travels overseas and love for craft. It was during these travels that she spent large portions of her time studying craftspeople and their customs, and obtained a master’s degree in ceramics and glass from the Danish School of Design.
The gallery showcases local artists and celebrates South African tradition and talent, but also boasts a rich collection of art and relics from around the world. You’re likely to spend hours exploring Sacks’s magical world, with its high ceilings and interesting spaces, perhaps enjoying a chat and cup of coffee on the veranda, or the warmth of a log fire in the winter.
The gallery collection includes a variety of woodcarvings, basketwork, ceramics, glassware, jewellery, textiles, porcelain and furniture. There is no shortage of glorious aesthetic to appreciate, or inspiration to be found in this eclectic and relaxed Johannesburg gem. The venue is a changing exhibition space and often hosts special exhibitions, offering an ideal opportunity for members of the public to mingle with artists. If you’re interested in investing in something uniquely African to take home with you, this is definitely a venue to put on your list of places to visit before leaving Johannesburg.
Sacks has made her mark as both an artist and a teacher. She has been passionate about ceramics since the age of 12 and became an apprentice at the age of 17. In 1986 she set up a ceramics school and craft gallery in the Johannesburg suburb of Yeoville. The school is still thriving, and she has guided some of South Africa’s most prominent ceramic artists through apprenticeships over the years. The gallery, built in 1998, has also prospered. Through the efforts of the school and gallery combined, Sacks represents some 1 500 rural and urban craftspeople.
People of all ages are welcomed at the school, which offers lessons in earthenware, porcelain, stoneware and raku-ware. There are both part-time sculpture lessons and full-time diploma courses on offer.
Visiting hours
Kim Sacks Gallery
Hours
Mondays to Saturdays from 09h15 to 17h00; Sundays from 10h00 to 13h00.