An interview with art collector Julian Smith about why he promotes South African art internationally and what to look for when buying South African art.

Giles Peppiatt, Director of the South African Art Department of Bonhams, addressed the question of why there has been such a huge global rise in value of South African art in recent years at the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town

Last week, Irma Stern’s painting ‘Fisherman, Madeira’ sold for £338,500 (R6.1 million) at Bonham’s gallery in London

Next Tuesday at the Hoxton Arches, a Zimbabwean (Gordon Glyn-Jones), a South African, (Christiaan Nagel) an English artist living in Cape Town (Oliver Barnett), will join eleven other UK artists for a group show called Human Nature a celebration of emerging and cutting edge environmental art.

On 1 October, Bonhams London will auction eleven works by Irma Stern with a combined estimate of £2-3million in their biannual South African Sale.

The star of the show at Strauss & Co’s winter sale held last night at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg was undoubtedly JH Pierneef, when a new all-time world record was set by his previously unseen painting, Farm Jonkershoek with Twin Peaks Beyond, Stellenbosch.

Irma Stern (1894-1966) continues success with £1 million action price for oil on canvas portrait in original Zanzibar frame.

Arthur Goldreich, who escaped from prison dressed as a priest, created the magical design for Madiba in 1983.

Masterpiece by Alexis Preller expected to fetch between £150 000 and £200 000 at famous London art sale.

Irma Stern’s painting was the top-selling item at the Bonhams South African Sale in London, held on the artist’s birthday.