For anybody with an interest in fine art, art history and the art world, Strauss & Co's Masterclass series is a brilliant opportunity to hear some of South Africa's foremost artists, art historians and curators sharing their wealth of knowledge about South African art history and contemporary art practice.

Hosted by leading auction house Strauss & Co the Masterclass series is a programme of fifteen art lectures spread over three days. Topics on the programme cover everything from the history of Lesotho blankets, the art of weaving metal and modern abstract beadwork to modern African street photography, the journey of contemporary African art towards global prominence and the presence of gardens in 20th Century South African painting. 

Each lecture costs R50 to attend and is hosted at Strauss & Co's impressive art gallery in Houghton where there are always incredible artworks on display. Book your place at the lecture(s) which you want to attend online here at the Strauss & Co website.

The three day Strauss & Co Masterclass programme runs as follows:

Monday July 29 
Contemplating Contemporary African Art
10:00–11:00 Using Photography to Document the Future with Richard Ndimande and Tsoku Maele
12:00–13:00 The Earth is Watching us: Weaving Metals into Threads of Africa with Julia Meintjes
14:00–15:00 Where does Creativity Hide in KwaZulu-Natal? with Angela Shaw
16:00–17:00 Contemporary African Art with Wilhelm van Rensburg
18:00–19:00 2019 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz with Mandla Mlangeni

Tuesday 30 July
Exploring our Past
10:00–11:00 Beadwork and the Modernity of Abstract Design with Anitra Nettleton
12:00–13:00 Fashion-able Form and Social Function with Shayna Stephanie Goncalves
14:00–15:00 A Personal Perspective on Andrew Verster with Clive van den Berg
16:00–17:00 Gardens in South African Art with Alastair Meredith
18:00–19:00 The Architecture of Norman Eaton and screening of the documentary "In Search of our Own" with Pieter Mathews

Wednesday 31 July
Conversations with Curators
10:00–11:00 A Journey through Technologies in Service of Creativity and Contemporary Art with Ann Roberts
12:00–13:00 Myths and Legends for the Promised Land with Cate Terblanche
14:00–15:00 Weaving Histories: The Blankets of Lesotho with Steven Sack
16:00–17:00 A Meeting of Minds: Louis Khehla Maqhubela and Douglas Portway with Wilhelm van Rensburg
18:00–19:00 Creating a Market for Contemporary Art in Johannesburg: The Role of the Commercial Gallerists, 1950s to 1970s with Prof Federico Freschi