Break the rules and befriend giants at this creative wonderland

Art galleries are famed for their strict no-touching rules. But at NIROX Sculpture Park, children merrily climb atop Angus Taylor’s five-metre human figure made from granite and cement. The outdoor gallery contains an eclectic collection of contemporary works scattered across 20 hectares of greenery, and forms part of the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, art and the earth intertwine to reveal our creative nature. Step into this surreal landscape and discover everything from artefacts that exhibit where we’ve come from to futuristic pieces that project where we’re going. 

Located within the Khatlhampi Private Reserve, NIROX is at once welcoming and open, yet still exclusive – a place of quiet tranquility. Impeccably cultivated gardens are interrupted by streams, lakes, and pathways that flow through the park. Visitors are free to explore the wonderland at their own pace, with every turn revealing an extraordinary work of art.

Managed by the NIROX Foundation Trust, they offer residencies, studios, and workshops to artists. At any given time, visionaries are creating on these grounds. While Michele Mathison sculpts with steel, Nonku Phiri quietly dabs at her delicate paintings. Artists in residence have full access to the heritage site and its trove of relics and paleoanthropological experts, encouraged to draw inspiration from the region’s cultural history. In return, they leave behind an artwork from their time here. The result is the park’s ever-growing avant-garde collection by a diversity of local and international creatives. 

These installations are enhanced by live music events as well as the natural treasures of the surrounding reserve. Under usual circumstances, NIROX hosts jazz shows, opera performances, and acoustic sessions. Appetising meals from the on-site restaurant NITA’s Kitchen satisfies concert-goers, while the Sunday lunches are a hearty treat after a morning stroll. Over 40 kilometres of trails allow you to walk, cycle or drive to forests, caves, and grasslands in the park. On your way, expect to encounter indigenous wildlife that roam this habitat. 

Situated 45 minutes from the city of Johannesburg, NIROX is a reprieve from the concrete jungle. It’s a space to contemplate our roots. For as long as we have walked this earth, we have sought and reflected beauty in the world around us. Art and humanity are intrinsically linked. Nowhere is this clearer than at NIROX Sculpture Park.

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