By Amanda Tremeer

As the new director of the AVA gallery in Cape Town,
Kirsty Cockerill’s name may not be widely known, but it soon will be. Taking up her post in January, Cockerill already has some big ideas.

She takes over from Estelle Jacobs, who has retired after 15 years in the post. “”Estelle did amazing work at the gallery, which I will build on. I also bring a fresh perspective, to help the gallery to move forward to remain sustainable. Things change, trends in installation change, and we have to keep up with that,” says Cockerill.

At 28, is her youth a disadvanmunity’s trust, like anyone else. I tage? “I have to gain the com have had fantastic support so far.”

A Fine Art graduate of the now Durban Institute of Technology, Cockerill began her career as a custodian at the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town. “It was a wonderful grounding, learning about both the commercial and museum aspects,” she says. She then moved to Cape Town’s Iziko National Gallery, where she was Collection Manager for three years, and from there to AVA.

New Kid on the Block
She has herself exhibited in some group shows, concentrating on painting and installation. “I’m a lazy artist at the moment. I concentrate on other people’s careers.” As one of the old non-profit galleries
in Cape Town, AVA plays an important role in the art community. Although not focussing exclusively on emerging artists, the gallery has gained a reputation as a first step for many who go on to greater things. “We occupy an important role, offering artists the chance to exhibit in a space that is totally professional, yet offers guidance which the artist may not receive elsewhere,” says Cockerill. “It is a nurturing space.”

“AVA provides a space for ‘traditional’ art forms, such as painting, as well as accommodating new and exciting ideas. We are able to do this because our focus is not exclusively commercial.”
Poised between the demands of a commercial gallery and possibilities of a non-profit organisation, Cockerill is not necessarily looking

to implement sweeping changes. “There are some excellent systems in place. I want to improve and update these, so when my time here is over, I can hand over a gallery where everything works.”

One of her first big projects, however, is a dedicated new media room, the first in the Western Cape. A former storeroom, the space will open on 26 March with “From Here to There”, a show of artists from KwaZulu-Natal curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg and Nontobeko Ntombela. The space will enable artists to show new media work without having to invest in costly equipment. “This work is often not seen as commercially viable, but there is a growing market for limited editions which can increase in value rapidly,” says Cockerill.

Also close to her heart is the Artreach fund, administered by AVA, and through which artists can apply for financial assistance for materials, studio rental and so on. To raise money for the fund, Cockerill has arranged a clearout of the gallery’s storerooms of works that have been left behind by artists, some for more than 15 years. Those works still uncollected will be auctioned off. The date is not yet fixed, but Cockerill promises a night of bargains.

Cockerill clearly relishes the challenges of her new role. “This is such an exciting time for the visual arts in South Africa,” she says. “I want to take AVA forward, balancing our sustainability with the need to nurture and develop new talent.”
Big shoes to fill? “Yes,” she says, “although Estelle and I both have size 3 feet, so I think I’m up to it!”