Auctions: Accessible, affordable, and always surprising
When people think of auctions, they often imagine intimidating rooms, fast-talking auctioneers and sky-high bids. The reality is much more approachable. Buying at auction is easy, fun, and often surprisingly affordable. And if you want to start, Strauss&Co is the best place in South Africa to do so.
By Carel Nolte
My friend Susie Goodman, Executive Director and General Manager at Strauss&Co, has done an incredible job in making auctions accessible. Strauss offers diversity across categories and price points — from major works of art to jewellery, ceramics, furniture, and prints that are within reach for first-time buyers. They’ve also created an Art Club, a space where cultural heritage and contemporary conversation meet.
I recently attended one of these evenings, centred on the legacy of the poet Boerneef (I.W. van der Merwe) who was also an avid collector. Boerneef’s words — witty, rooted in the rhythms of nature and everyday Afrikaans life — still resonate today. Linking poetry to visual art created a fascinating conversation about how we carry culture forward. Amanda Botha, whose work has long celebrated the importance of Afrikaans art and writing, reminded us that these legacies aren’t relics of the past but living forces shaping our present.
The event was beautifully facilitated by my friend Saartjie Botha, head of Woordfees and a brilliant writer in her own right, who guided the panel with humour and humility. The room was overflowing, extra chairs brought in as people streamed through the doors. The panel itself was exceptional including Anton Kannemeyer of Bitterkomix (still one of my best art investments, and a voice that helped shape my aesthetic and challenged Afrikaner norms in the 90s) and Hunter Kennedy of Fokofpolisiekar and Die Heuwels Fantasties, among others. The mix of poetry, visual art, and music made for an unforgettable evening. The points around how one can create/communicate in English, as an Afrikaner, resonated deeply with me – for obvious, and rather ironic reasons (reading this blog in English!)
On a personal level, it was a joy to bump into old friends who have also had a huge influence on my own journey. My varsity mate Jean Meiring — today a leading advocate, major art collector and supporter of theatre and the arts — reminded me how much our early conversations shaped the person I’ve become. Another friend, Pieter Fourie, with whom I studied French at Stellenbosch, caught up with me about plans to visit our old lecturer, Lettie, who is nearing 90. These are the threads of personal and cultural history that remind me how the arts bind us across generations.
And, as always, the Strauss&Co team was outstanding. CFO Henno Brand, the driving force behind the Boerneef Art Club event, shared fresh ideas that got me thinking differently about how art and auctions intersect with community and culture.
Auctions at Strauss&Co aren’t only about buying — they’re about connecting. With history, with artists, with friends old and new. They’re about legacy, meaning, and joy. Whether you’re picking up a print for a few hundred rand or bidding on a major painting, the thrill is the same.
So why not try it? Explore Strauss&Co’s diverse auctions, join their Art Club series, or come along to Woordfees for The Art of Collecting where I will be joining a few of the Strauss legends on the panel. Drinks, snacks, art and conversation — it’s the perfect way to see that auctions are for everyone.
Book your Woordfees tickets here — it’s going to be fun!
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