Support for the arts spurs social transformation

The artistic community is often likened to the collective conscience of a country, inspiring people to reflect and reframe, or exposing contradictions or horrors in society. But many artists struggle to survive, ultimately resorting to other means to generate income, jeopardizing the crucial role that the arts play. An innovative project in South Africa is supporting artists, giving them a leg-up in their careers and therefore playing a role in transformation too.

To date 18,422 Creative Blocks have been purchased from artists, and 123 artists are or have participated in the program.

One such artist is Miranda Vinjwa, who was born in the Eastern Cape of South Africa but grew up in the township of Khayelitsha near Cape Town. She battled at times to pursue her artistic dreams, but is now a mosaic artist and a key contributor to the Creative Block art project. “Every month I submit enough blocks to cover key monthly expenses,” says Vinjwa. “Creative Block also plays a key role in promoting up and coming artist, especially for a mosaic artist like me as mosaic is not recognised in South Africa like it is in Europe.”


Left: Miranda Vinjwa    Right: Liza Grobler (Photo: Adam Letch)

How it works

Creative Block invites artists, both established and emerging, to create work on a small block (18cm by 18cm by 2.2cm). They are in no other way restricted in their expression. The blocks are submitted to the Spier Arts Academy, and only works of the highest quality are selected. The chosen blocks are immediately bought from the artist and are subsequently sold to collectors all over the world.

Each artwork is original and unique yet affordable, selling at a set price of R1200, ca $110.00. The initiative has achieved cult-like status, and artists congregate on a weekly basis at the company’s base in Cape Town to deliver their completed blocks and study each other’s creations.

One artists, Pierre Fouche, says that Creative Block is an important part of his creative process. “Apart from providing a much needed sense of financial security, the Creative Block initiative also encourages one to ‘let go’ creatively,” he says. “The smaller format allows, and indeed, encourages the ‘happy mistakes’ that often become the artworks’ strongest aesthetic points.”

Collectors become creators too

Collectors choose a number of blocks and hang them together, building an artwork greater than the sum of its parts. When viewed in large numbers, the blocks form a mesmerising mosaic of various styles and techniques.

“In my mind, whilst each piece is special in itself, the magic really happens when you put a group of say 20 together,” says Dick Enthoven, Creative Block collector.

“The blocks relate to each other so strongly that they themselves merge their individual identities and become a single work of art where the whole far exceeds the sum of the parts. Because each ‘part’ is by a different artist and reflects their own experiences, it soon becomes clear that actually what is being displayed is a newly created single piece of art that mirrors contemporary South Africa.”

Wine to support the art

While Creative Block was taking hold amongst the arts community in South Africa, the winemakers at Spier wine farm were dreaming up a range of wines to support the project. This has given the arts project a much higher profile internationally particularly, while the wines themselves have gained popularity, both because of the project they support and the awards they have won.

“We recognised the synergy between the art project and the process of blending wine,” says Spier Cellar Master, Frans Smit. “Creative Block combines artworks from different artists, and we take grapes from different varietals and vineyard blocks, enabling us to create wines that are greater than the sum of their parts."

“Through blending we can get the best out of each varietal, and create a layered wine that has richness and complexity,” says Smit. “At the same time, blending enables more consistency from vintage to vintage. It’s a wonderful art and challenge for a winemaker.”

Spier therefore named its range of blended wines after the art project. There are four wines in the range: Spier Creative Block 2, 3, 5 and 8 – the numbers representing the varietals used in the blend.

The design of the wine label emphasises the collaboration, mixing, blending, selecting, collecting, arranging and re-arranging behind the creative process.  To create the artwork for the label, Spier divided each number into a series of blocks, each of which was given to an artist to draw in isolation. These drawings were then gathered and arranged to recreate the number you see on the label, mirroring the process of arranging Creative Block artworks and blending wine.

Creative Block = co-creation and co-action

Creative Block is giving South African artists real opportunities to pursue their dreams, and the wines are raising the profile of the project, catapulting it onto the global stage. The result is an invigorated arts community in South Africa, which continues to play a crucial role in the social transformation of the country.

Liza Grobler, one of the rising stars of South Africa’s contemporary art scene, says, “Aside from assisting me and others personally, what is so amazing about the project is that it is supporting the artistic community as a whole, and doing a lot to grow an art-loving public.”

For more information and to purchase Creative Blocks, visit http://www.creativeblock.co.za

Refresh Agency was gifted our first Creative Block by Spier during our visit to the Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa last November - it's hanging pretty and proud at our office in Copenhagen, emenating of adventure, hope and interdependence - we are all just humbly small and unique pieces of art co-creating a bigger world together. 

We are inspired by Spier's commitment and dedication to doing business as a force for good. You can read more about our work with Spier here.