A Gallery You Can Eat At

There comes the point in any culture, sub-culture, or industry when it is time to innovate. A Gallery You Can Eat At  redefines the concept of an art gallery. The art here isn’t just on the walls; it is the walls. ‘The motif of this space is something called constructivism’, explains Samurai Farai, who set the place up: ‘allowing the natural aesthetic of the walls and concrete to break through.’ There’s creativity jumping off the menu, in the music, the clothes worn by the staff. The place is saturated with quality intent. And the coffee’s good.

“We didn’t want these perfect white walls, white cubes and the white orientation space. We wanted something different, but also something that allowed us to create a platform for local emerging artists who maybe don’t have the visibility.”

Cape Town has become prolific in the international art scene, to which galleries have played a pivotal role in the Mother Cities worldwide exposure. Artists have been punching above their weight for a while in terms of getting shown in international galleries, and this is a chance for some of them to bring it home and give it a twist. Mute, minimalistic white walls with millions of Rands’ worth of hanging art that seems part of a stuffy elitist past when you walk in the door. This doesn’t speak to the creatives behind the art but instead conforms to the higher society. A Gallery You Can Eat At offers a fresh angle; its walls are exuberant with local artists and designers, mixing world-class with local class, turning away from the traditional concept of plain walls and big money.

Situated in the hustle and bustle of Riebeek street, the space itself is a piece of art, wonderfully thought out. Just like any art piece, it boasts its uniqueness – whether it be the one-of-a-kind LED graffiti signage that greets you through the door, the beautifully articulated menu, or the astonishing art itself. It’s a full-view, 360-degree art exhibit from start to finish. It brings a fresh perspective of how it can be done and suggests a very exciting future. Farai set the gallery up with his girlfriend, Kim Leibovits. Together, they have turned their dreams into a reality, curating a space for creatives and big players in the art scene. A perfect combination of underground and the lavish. ‘Kim and I connected on the level of wanting to open up a hotel that embraces art and all these creative subcultures. Fashion and design. So, when we got presented with the opportunity, we put our heads together, and it was harmony from there.’

Music is big here, both in the ears and on the themed menu, where sandwich options include the Notorious B.I.G, A$AP Rocky’ and the Virgil Abloh (as well as the brilliantly named Damn, you Vegan?) Say’s Farai: ‘Me and Kimmy are obsessed with Virgil and Hip hop. Music is one of the most important things in my life. And I think it reflects here, you know, through the food, through the ambience, and hopefully moving forward through the events we’re going to be hosting.’ These are set to include performances by a house jazz band, live art, local poets and cocktails. Covid blues are set to end with a bang here. “I think we merge music into the soul of this space” Farai added.

The art on the walls is powerful, meaningful, and local. It is easy to get mesmerised and come back to reality, and your coffee is cold. You’re surrounded by amazing art of all techniques, perspectives and backgrounds, whether it be the visual activisation of Ory Bwens, Ashley Ferreira’s LED magic, or the breath-taking art of Samurai Farai himself, and others he and Kim have brought in: ‘There is Anda Mncayi and his series of work on his interpretation of familiar faces in Cape Town. They are all real people. Other artists on the wall are Visule Kabanda, Jason Adams, Ghilian Chevelu, Jarrid Aufrightic. There’s also Brandon Sadan who is a Graphite specialist and does all these drawings by hand with pencil, pretty fucking crazy. That is Dekor One. He’s a famous graffiti artist who just had his first solo show at the World art in Woodstock. Courtney rabbit is the photographer there who documents Cape town’s subculture. All these amazing creatives come together to show their amazing talents and highlight the culture and rawness of the society we live in. In a city with many young creatives and few spaces to come together and create, ‘A Gallery You Can Eat At’ provides a melting pot for artists from all walks of life. ‘We want to create a creative platform that welcomes all forms of creativity and every level of expression to exist in the space. To co-exist in the space with all the other networks.’

Having officially opened its doors in June this year, it is at the forefront of changing the conceptualization of how a traditional gallery should be perceived. It provides a fresh artistic aesthetic into how it can be done, from the signage outside the building to the food and beverages. There are exciting times ahead for ‘A Gallery You Can Eat At.’ Samurai Farai gave me the low down of what is in store for the future. Expect live art from Farai himself on a weekday morning while you enjoy your coffee, musicians, poets, and other creative acts. The nighttime from Thursdays to Sunday’s brings you ‘A Gallery You Can Drink At’; enjoy immersing yourself and rubbing shoulders with some of Cape Town’s exciting talents.

He’s excited, I’m excited; this feels like a global city starting to think for itself.

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Thank you to the multi-talented Samurai Farai for giving up your time and giving us a great insight into the amazing creation that is A Gallery You Can Eat. Make sure to keep your eye out for them and look out for their events, talks, and everything in between

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