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Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.jpg
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is located in Cape Town
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
Location within Cape Town
Established 2017
Location V&A Waterfront, Silo District, S Arm Road, Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Coordinates 33°54′30″S 18°25′23″E / 33.9084°S 18.4230°E / -33.9084; 18.4230Coordinates: 33°54′30″S 18°25′23″E / 33.9084°S 18.4230°E / -33.9084; 18.4230
Type Art museum, Design/Textile Museum, Historic site
Founder
Executive director Mark Coetzee
Website www.zeitzmocaa.museum

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA or Zeitz MOCAA) is a contemporary art museum located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. It was set to become the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world. The museum's Executive Director and Chief Curator is Mark Coetzee. The museum opened on September 22, 2017

The not-for-profit museum was commissioned through a public/private partnership between the V&A Waterfront and German businessman, Jochen Zeitz. The Waterfront invested over R500-million towards its construction and infrastructure development, and although not a shareholder, Zeitz provided his extensive art collection and will finance the running costs and budget for new acquisitions. Considered by many to be one of the world's leading collections of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, Zeitz's collection includes works by such eminent artists as Chris Ofili, Kudzanai Chiurai, Kehinde Wiley, Glenn Ligon, Marlene Dumas, Wangechi Mutu, and Julie Mehretu.

The Waterfront had been investigating a number of proposals regarding what to do with the historic Grain Silo since it was decommissioned in 2001. According to their CEO, David Green, the decision to transform and renovate the building for the new museum would "breathe life into the Silo district and act as a drawcard to a venture that is non-commercial in nature ... specifically for the enjoyment of all the continent’s citizens". While others have noted that the strategic partnership with Zeitz also serves to connect the existing properties of the Waterfronts's owners (Growthpoint Properties and the Government Employees Pension Fund) with the developing financial district in Cape Town's lower CBD. The conversion of the Silo building began in 2014 under the direction of London-based architect, Thomas Heatherwick.

The museum is located in the V&A Waterfront, on the banks of Table Bay overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Waterfront is considered a prestigious retail and hospitality property, and already receives around 24-million visitors per year. The museum's immediate surroundings, the Silo District, is also scheduled for further development.


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