11 June 2010 will see the start of the greatest sporting event in football history – the 2010 FIFA World Cup. And when it comes to the beautiful game, there is more going on in South Africa’s major cities than footy on the field. 2010 Fine Art is one such happening, with collections of football-inspired art hosted at galleries around the country, including an exciting exhibition of the entire collection at The Zone at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World in Durban from 1 June to 31 July.

Powered by the 2010 Fine Art Consortium, 2010 Fine Art marks the first time in the 80-year history of the FIFA World Cup that a licence has been granted to display fine art on this scale as Official Licensed Products of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Inspired by the first FIFA World Cup to be held on African soil, the exhibition brings together leading contemporary artists in a variety of mediums from around the world. It captures the vibrancy and grace of football and offers a significant platform through which to promote Africa and its culture through art.

From paintings to sculptures, the art on display is divided into two collections – 2010 International Fine Art and 2010 African Fine Art.

The pieces include works by artists as diverse as South African photographer, Clinton Strydom; Kenyan painter, Josiah Waiguru Gitau-Taju; American illustrator, Michael Kupka; South Korean emerging artist, Charles Yang; Gustavo Fernandes of Portugal and Briton, Ed Gray, who travelled to South Africa to observe its people and hosted a workshop for local artists prior to creating his entry.

The entire 2010 Fine Art exhibition offers art collectors and sporting fans an opportunity to acquire a lasting visual memory of the passion and excitement of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

The 2010 Fine Art collection will be hosted in The Zone at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World in Durban from 1 June to 31 July, with public viewing available from 2 June onwards.

Entry is free to the many soccer-lovers and general public who wish to view the collection, housed only a short stroll away from all the action at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.

For more information on 2010 Fine Art; the featured artists; and a preview of the collections, visit www.2010fineart.com. The collections are being exhibited at the following galleries until the end of July:

KwaZulu-Natal: Kizo Art Gallery: 031 566 4322/ 083 777 6644/ [email protected].
Western Cape: Kingsley Potter: 083 274 8254/ [email protected].
Gauteng: Christina: 082 3300 926/ [email protected].
Eastern Cape: Pieter de Wet: 072 137 4674/ [email protected].