About the Sculpture Park:
The Anton Smit Sculpture Park's three-hectare grounds are situated on the Northern side of the Bronkhorstspruit Dam, on a plateau overlooking the water. Amongst the backdrop of natural limestone formations, manicured lawns and succulent gardens, it makes for a lovely environment to view the expansive collection of Monumental Sculptures and Installations. It is a destination of creativity attracting tourists, art buyers and includes- a full service coffee shop open daily Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Anton Smit’s work has been shown and lauded internationally in places as diverse as Rome and Milan, Italy (1991), the Sweeguan Art Gallery in Singapore (1993), Bonn and Wolfsburg in Germany (1994), the SA Embassy in Bonn (1998), Amsterdam (2004) and Cologne (2014). In 2003 Smit opened his own sculpture garden, at the spectacular Anton Smit Sculpture Park in Aqua Vista, with a breathtaking view of Bronkhorstspruit Dam. The Anton Smit Sculpture Park is a unique outdoor exhibition which is mere 40 minutes drive from Pretoria and 60 minutes from Johannesburg, is a destination of creativity attracting tourists and art buyers locally and internationally. The Sculpture Park’s three hectare grounds are situated on the northern side of the Bronkhorstspruit Dam, on a plateau overlooking the water. The Park expands the traditional concept of an art venue, ensuring a truly unique and inspiring experience, but a World away!
Amongst the backdrop of natural quartzite formations, manicured lawns and succulent gardens, the garden provides a lovely environment to view the expansive collection of Monumental Sculptures, it also includes an Art Gallery and Art Café Coffee Shop. Open to the public, Entrance to the park is free.
About Anton Smit: The Life and Times of a South African Sculptor-
Anton Sydney Smit was born on the 2 August 1954. He is a contemporary South African sculptor known for his large-scale sculptures and public art exhibitions.
“Anton forms his own language through sculpture, the manifestation of his passion for expression and his profound faith.” – Kathleen Thomas, Art Curator
“What distinguishes the creative person is his persistence and determination to excel.” – Rhoma Ochse
An inspiring raconteur, Anton enjoys relating tales of his struggles as a young sculpture artist. The secret to his success could be attributed to his courage and determination to forge ahead in the face of great difficulty. “Take big risks. Don’t fret about what others think. Do the most difficult thing on earth for you – do it for yourself.” – this approach paid off in spades.
Anton spends and works the first three months of the year in his Cape studio, in Strand. For the rest of the year in his studios at Bronkhorstspruit Dam, where he oversees a dedicated work force of 16 people. “ We are like family.”
Anton Smit in his creative prime is a force to be reckoned with! He is the father of South African artist Lionel Smit.
Anton Smit began exhibiting his artwork in 1976 in South Africa. In 1979, he won the South African Association of Arts' New Signatures competition. His first solo exhibition was held in 1980 at the Beuster Skolimowski Gallery in Pretoria. Followed by additional local exhibitions throughout the 1980's. Smit's first international exhibitions took place in 1991 in Rome and Milan, as well as at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. This was followed by solo exhibitions at the Sweeguan Art Gallery in Singapore in 1993 and the Omni Gallery in New York in 1994. In 1994, his work was exhibited at the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria. In 2003, he established the Anton Smit Sculpture Park at Bronkhorstspruit Dam, South Africa. From the 2000's to the present, Smit has continued creating new works and exhibiting internationally. Smit’s body of work comprises heads, human figures, nudes, masks, hands, angels, floating and stretching figures, warriors as well as abstract works in steel, metal, stone, a unique iron and polymer cast mixture, and bronze. His works often depict the human form reduced to a simplified symmetry and are often patinated with vivid blue hues or dark rust.