iZArte – Gallery iZArte – iZArte Art Tours – Trifle Foundation – Friends of iZArte – Arts & Talks
From September 2006 to September 2013, Gallery iZArte was located in Zutphen, in the historic ‘Verkooplokaal’ building on Laarstraat.
Owners: Gert and Janneke Rebergen.
Below, you can view a slideshow with images from the first five years of iZArte. It’s a quick way to get a sense of what Gallery iZArte was all about.
The gallery sold trendy, contemporary, and unique art and design items from South Africa, and later also from Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Paintings, collages, drawings, etchings, drypoint prints, wooden and stone sculptures, ceramics (both art and usable ceramics), jewellery, glass art, and photography. All of this was socially imported directly, without using a middleman. We travelled to the artists two or three times each year. Direct links, sustainable relationships, and shared profit at a fair price: people-friendly business.
Featured artists have included: Nelson Makamo, Avhashoni Mainganye, Abe Mathabe, Charles Kamangwana, Clifford Charles, Kagiso Patrick Mautloa, Ndabuko Ntuli, Afrikania, Thomas Kubayi, Itai Nyamazwayo, Johannes Maswangany, Collen Maswangany, Mogalakwena, Lucky Makamu, Mischack Raphalalani, Justice Mugwena, Noria Mabasa, Raphael Mavudzi, Martin Umali, Nokuthula Zikhali, Veronica Baleni, The Potter’s Workshop, Madoda Fani, Andyle Dyalvane, Frank van der Ham’s Studio Emmanuel, Hendrik Nekhofe, Simon Masilo, Urbanative, & Banana, Ronel Jordaan, Thembi and Jabu Nala, along with other talented women from the Nala family, and African Allsorts.
The gallery hosted special exhibition opening events (for example, Marcelle Bosch of Madi a Thavha, the South African ambassador, Her Excellency Ms Mkhize, Chris Silverston of The Potters’ Workshop, artists Clifford Charles, Tom Blomefield of Tengenenge Zimbabwe, Frank van den Ham of Studio Emmanuel, Prof. Heinz Kimmerle, Dr Wouter van Beek). On numerous occasions, the gallery hosted an artist in residence (Nelson Makamo in 2008, Thomas Kubayi in 2009, Avhashoni Mainganye in 2010, Abe Mathabe in 2011, and Rolihlahla Mhlanga in 2012). Regular events also took place, including readings (for example, by Bart Luirink, Peter Hermes, and Gert Rebergen), lectures, book discussions, and sometimes auctions. IZArte organized exhibits at the African Studies Centre in Leiden, at the South African embassy in The Hague, during the Evert Vermeer Foundation’s Africa Day event, and at the South Africa House in Amsterdam. IZArte also provided sculptures and paintings to decorate official meetings of SANEC.
Gallery iZArte collaborated with galleries and museums in Zutphen and with Africa-focused galleries in Amsterdam (Galerie 23) and Utrecht (Galerie SANAA).
In 2011, we started preparing to launch our own gallery in Johannesburg, ‘Arts & Talks’. However, due to personal circumstances, we had to postpone it, and then the financial crisis hit, both in the Netherlands and in South Africa. And so, the gallery in Johannesburg did not end up becoming a reality.
Because we frequently visit South Africa, people often ask us for advice on travelling there, with art as a common theme. In 2012, we started organizing iZArte Art Tours. We are still continuing these, albeit in recent years at a somewhat lower pace. These are customised tours involving art and artists. See iZArte Art Tours.