Malmesbury will mark a historic cultural moment in a celebration that blends heritage, community and education with the launch of the first-ever annual Maggie Laubser Day, reports Cape {town} Etc.
Bringing one of South Africa’s most influential artists back to her place of origin.
Relentless journey of talented and hardworking icon Laubser
Laubser (1886–1973) born on the farm Bloublommetjieskloof, was a pioneering female artist at a time when women faced barriers in pursuing creative careers. Raised on a farm and attending boarding school in Stellenbosch, she studied painting in Cape Town before working as a governess in Ermelo.
A chance meeting with a retired consul while on holiday in Durban led her and her sister to study in Europe, where her talent and artistic practice flourished. She spent time in an artists’ colony in the Netherlands and travelled the UK, Germany, Italy and Belgium before returning home in 1924.
Her Expressionist work was initially criticised by the conservative press, but she found an artistic home with modern contemporaries such as Gregoire Boonzaier and Alexis Preller.
Laubser’s studies in colour and contrasts led to her being offered membership of the Academy of Art and Science and a major retrospective hosted by the South African National Gallery and the Pretoria Art Museum in 1969. Today, she is regarded as one of the country’s most important artists.
Maggie Laubser Day
‘The Foundation was created to give credit to Maggie Laubser as a South African art icon to promote her work, but also to introduce her art to the next generation,’ says Deon Oliver, well-known Malmesbury financial adviser for Consult by Momentum and chairman of the Maggie Laubser Foundation.
Oliver is passionate about community-driven initiatives that preserve local heritage and create long-term impact, an approach that aligns with Consult’s culture of making a meaningful difference beyond financial advice.
Maggie Laubser Day will host a curated exhibition of 30 original works from the Sanlam Art Collection, displayed at the Malmesbury Museum under the guidance of curator Stefan Hundt.
Alongside this, a permanent Maggie Laubser corner will be unveiled, anchoring her legacy within the town.
‘It is the first time that Malmesbury is honouring her in this way,’ says Oliver. ‘Many people do not realise that she was born and raised here and this is about bringing that story back home,’ adds Oliver.
Brushstrokes to ballads: A living tribute
The programme for the day moves from exhibition to conversation, with:
- A discussion session led by Dr Lydia de Waal and Amanda Botha exploring Laubser’s life, work and influence.
- Artist Louis Jansen van Vuuren wrote a poem in honor of Maggie Laubser and will perform it set to music by the Afrikaans band Raaf, who will sing on the day.
- A harvest lunch by chef Lawrence Smit will follow,
- A guided tour of the exhibition offers visitors a closer look at the collection.
More than 200 learners from Swartland schools are expected to take part in a Maggie Laubser-inspired drawing and painting initiative, with guided museum tours scheduled for 15 and 22 April.
‘We want to make sure her work is not only preserved but understood and appreciated by younger generations. That’s where the long-term impact lies,’ Oliver says.
The exhibition itself will remain open to the public until 26 April 2026.
‘We plan to make this an annual event and, over time, to grow it into a countrywide celebration of art,’ says Oliver.
- Dates: Launch of Maggie Laubser Day 14 April 2026
- Cost: R350
- Bookings: WhatsApp or SMS on 082 826 2473
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Picture: Norval Foundation / https://www.norvalfoundation.org
