Norval Foundation Art Museum

The Norval Foundation

March 2020

Back in March 2020 my brother, sister-in-law and myself went on another adventure where we visited The Norval Foundation - An absolutely fantastic art museum that we literally spent hours wandering around and admiring everything in sight!

The day we went through, Schweppes was showing off their new flavoured soda waters by giving free Gin and Tonics to sip on while admiring the artworks in the sculpture garden. I do no drink and so opted to just get a tonic water and fruit because I wanted a cool photo (Hence the above photo) and I also wanted to just look cool while walking around😂

So I took my pink water and enjoyed all the sculptures in the sculpture garden.

The Norval Foundation art museum has a fantastic outdoor sculpture garden where you can walk through the artworks and installations. Some of the works are actually slightly hidden away and so you have to literally walk around the landscapes to reveal the art, it is a fun experience, almost like a scavenger hunt.

Yinka Shonibare CBE
Wind Sculpture SG (III), 2018
Steel armature with hand painted fibreglass resin cast
700 x 254 x 200 cm

I loved this installation, the colours are so bold and beautiful and contrast incredibly with the nature behind it. Also, the installation seems to completely change shape from every angle you see it, as you walk around it, it looks almost like it is moving, as if this solid steel artwork is actually waving in the wind. I am truly fascinated by how the artist managed to create such real-looking movement using such a solid material.

Brett Murray
Again Again, 2015
Bronze
250 x 180 x 260 cm

Angus Taylor
Holderstebolder, 2018
Belfast Gabbro granite and steel
645 x 605 x 423 cm

This flexible block of stone statue was far larger than you could imagine or what the image shows. When standing next to this giant, you feel so tiny and insignificant, yet at the same time in complete awe. Again though, I truly loved how the artist took a solid material and created such natural looking movement. Such a talent, to give the illusion that the granite has been bent and twisted like an acrobat.
The amount of detail in this statue is also unreal. You honestly need to see this in real life to believe how magnificent and large it really is.

Michele Mathison
Volition, 2017
Steel
375 x 95 x 162 cm

This interesting piece was another work that looked so different from all angles.

Norman Catherine
Joyride, 2016
Bronze
155 x 250 x 125 cm

Joyride... this art piece kind of freaked me out, there were too many strange faces and eyes watching me.

Mark Swart
Voyage, 2016
Mild steel and stainless steel
351 x 171 x 217.5 cm

Nandipha Mntambo
Ophelia, 2015
Bronze and mild steel
303 x 121 x 25 cm

William Kentridge
Action, 2018
Bronze
345 x 265 x 285 cm

Again, the size of this was huge, if you see the windows in the back, they are the entire length of the walls and hence the sculpture was basically the size of the room, insane.

The majority of William Kentridges works displayed at this time were moving and noise making artwork installations. They were so much fun to see, and hear and were incredibly interesting to experience.

The next few photos are of a beautiful "Beauty and the Beast" type of rose trapped in a cylindrical glass. The rose itself was made with money notes it seemed.

We watched the gorgeous purple clouds as the sun set before finally leaving the museum to find food to fill our bellies after a long, amazing day of admiration and joy!

We ended the most perfect art-filled day with a Col' Cacchio pizza and ice tea!

A couple weeks later covid became full blown and the rest of the year snowballed down hill...

What is your favourite art museum you have been to or your favourite artist?

All photographs are copyrighted to the author

Photography instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ajchampz.photography/