Visit the Bronze Foundry and watch a sculptor in action

Artist Donald Greig creates creatures big and small at his gallery in the V&A Waterfront

The Donald Greig Gallery & Bronze Foundry is home to unique mostly bronze, but also silver and other metal sculptures. There’s a delicate, 2kg bronze meerkat, or even a mammoth 100kg life-sized elephant head. 

Another great attraction is being able to watch behind the scenes as art pieces are created at the Bronze Foundry, which will open again soon. 

Image credit: The Works Brothers

WATCH THE BIRTH OF A SCULPTURE 

Inside the gallery, husband-and-wife duo Donald and Ali Greig have created a viewing passage for visitors to watch, from a safe distance, how sculptures are made. It’s an intricate process that involves a “hot box” with a furnace that reaches 1200℃, which is necessary to create a pure bronze piece of art. 

Image credit: The Works Brothers

“The outcome is a visual experience that is unique to Cape Town,” says gallery curator Ali Greig. Although the Bronze Foundry is not open just yet, hopefully by the end of the May, says general manager Margie Robertson, the rest of the gallery space is ready to welcome visitors and art lovers. 

FIND SMALL AND INTIMATE PIECES TO LIMITED EDITIONS

Donald grew up in the highveld and is a huge lover of nature and animals. His process is to intimately familiarise himself with his subjects’ anatomical dimensions and behavioural attributes. Every sculpture is handmade, and you can find small finger prints and indents along the bodies of his works. 

Image credit: The Works Brothers

The most popular pieces are the leopard sculptures, says Robertson. However, the most iconic piece t in the gallery is a 100kg, life-sized elephant head, which hangs on the wall. It’s the only one he’s ever made, Robertson says. There are more limited-edition pieces in the gallery you won’t find anywhere else. 

THE SMALL WORKS SHOW INCREDIBLE DETAIL

Although the larger pieces are impressive, Greig’s skill shows in his smaller, more delicate pieces. He has a talent for being able to show the same amount of detail on every piece no matter its size. Notable are the family of peeping meerkats, the palm-sized hippo and the pack of roaming wild dogs. 

Image credit: The Works Brothers

DONALD GREIG GALLERY & BRONZE FOUNDRY

Address: 1 Coode Crescent, Port of Cape Town, Enter Port from South Arm Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Contact: 021 418 0003 

Website: donaldgreig.co.za/

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FIND HEAPS MORE GALLERIES 

Between Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Cape Town there are heaps of art galleries to discover. 

Walk through 22 galleries, gallerists and local art at Hermanus’ monthly art walk. 

Size doesn't matter at the Worldart Gallery. 

The best day to check-out outstanding art in Cape Town is First Thursdays.

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