blank projects
blank projects is a Cape Town-based commercial contemporary art gallery, founded in 2005 and led by Jonathan Garnham, representing approximately thirteen emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora, selling primary-market works to global private and institutional collectors via its Cape Town gallery and an extensive international art-fair programme.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What blank projects does
blank projects is a privately-held contemporary art gallery headquartered at 10 Lewin Street in Cape Town's Foreshore district, South Africa. Founded by Jonathan Garnham in 2005 as a project space and transitioned into a commercial gallery in 2012, the business represents approximately thirteen emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the broader diaspora under a curatorial programme focused on concept and abstraction. Its commercial product is the primary-market sale of contemporary artworks to global collectors and institutions, with artists' works placed across private and institutional collections worldwide.
The gallery has no proprietary technology platform; its offering is fundamentally physical and curatorial. Distribution rests on three channels: a flagship Cape Town gallery operating Monday to Saturday, an active international art-fair calendar spanning at least twelve fairs (including Art Basel, Frieze London, Art Basel Miami Beach, The Armory Show, Art Cologne, Frieze New York, Artissima, NADA Art Cologne, abc art berlin contemporary, LISTE Art Fair Basel, FNB Art Joburg, and Cape Town Art Fair), and direct relationships with private and institutional collectors. The website, Instagram, Facebook, and an email mailing list provide top-of-funnel marketing, while exhibitions and fairs drive bottom-of-funnel transactions.
Commercially, blank projects generates revenue through one-time primary-market art sales (i.e., one-time licenses of artworks to buyers) under non-disclosed pricing. The company is structured as blank projects contemporary art gallery pty ltd under South African law, with no external institutional investors or venture backing. It has accumulated over 200 exhibitions between 2010 and 2026, indicating sustained operational activity over more than fifteen years despite a small team.
blank projects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- blank projects
- Legal name
- blank projects contemporary art gallery pty ltd
- Website
- https://blankprojects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- blank projects is a Cape Town-based commercial contemporary art gallery, founded in 2005 and led by Jonathan Garnham, representing approximately thirteen emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora, selling primary-market works to global private and institutional collectors via its Cape Town gallery and an extensive international art-fair programme.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where blank projects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
blank projects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Art Sales: The gallery generates revenue through the sale of artworks by represented artists. The gallery operates as a commercial gallery placing works in private and institutional collections globally.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
blank projects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
blank projects is a commercial contemporary art gallery based in Cape Town that represents a roster of emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora. The gallery curates solo and group exhibitions at its Foreshore gallery space, publishes artist catalogues, and participates in prominent international art fairs. It sells artworks to private collectors and institutional buyers globally, with a critically engaged programme focused on concept and abstraction in the African context.
Product overview
blank projects is a contemporary art gallery based in Cape Town, South Africa. The gallery represents emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora, with a focus on concept and abstraction. The gallery operates through physical exhibition spaces, participation in international art fairs, and publication of artists' catalogues. The gallery does not offer technology products or software services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Art Gallery Representation Commercial representation of emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora, including exhibition programming, sales, and artist development. Targeted at private collectors and institutional buyers of contemporary African art.
- Art Fairs Participation Participation in prominent international and local art fairs including Art Basel, Frieze London, Art Basel Miami Beach, The Armory Show, FNB Art Joburg, Cape Town Art Fair, LISTE Art Fair Basel, Art Cologne, Frieze New York, Artissima, NADA Art Cologne, and abc art berlin contemporary to reach global collector base and exhibit represented artists' work.
- Exhibition Programme Curated solo and group exhibitions held at the Cape Town gallery space (10 Lewin Street, Foreshore), open Monday-Friday 10:00-17:00 and Saturday 10:00-13:00. Includes over 200 exhibitions hosted from 2010 to 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- Artists' work placed in wide range of private and institutional collections globally
Companies that use blank projects
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
blank projects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
blank projects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
blank projects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- THK Gallery: Cape Town-based commercial gallery representing contemporary African artists. Similar in geography, scale, and focus on contemporary African art practice.
- Goodman Gallery: Major South African contemporary art gallery with locations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and London representing prominent African artists. The most direct competitor in the same niche and geography, with overlapping fair participation and a similar curatorial focus.
- Kalashnikovv Gallery: Johannesburg-based contemporary art gallery representing emerging South African artists. Comparable in genre and emerging-artist focus, with regional overlap in the South African market.
- SMAC Gallery: South African contemporary gallery with spaces in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. Comparable in scale, geographic focus, and representation of established and emerging South African artists.
- Stevenson Gallery: Cape Town and Johannesburg-based contemporary gallery representing Southern African artists. Directly comparable in geography, artist roster focus, and international fair participation.
- Everard Read Gallery: One of South Africa's oldest commercial galleries with locations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, London, and a major fair presence. Comparable in operating model and continental and international reach.
- Whatiftheworld: Cape Town-based contemporary gallery representing emerging and established international and African artists. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and curatorial approach to contemporary practice.
- David Krut Projects: Cape Town and Johannesburg-based gallery with a print and visual arts focus. Comparable in geography and representation of Southern African artists, with a distinct emphasis on editions and printmaking.
Broad incumbents
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA): Cape Town-based major contemporary art museum focused on African art. Although a non-profit institution rather than a commercial gallery, it shapes the broader ecosystem and collector interest in contemporary African art that blank projects operates within.
Regional players
- Tiwani Contemporary: London-based gallery with a programmatic focus on African and African diaspora contemporary artists. Comparable in curatorial focus though serving primarily UK/European collectors.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
blank projects social profiles
Digital presenceblank projects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
blank projects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
blank projects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
blank projects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about blank projects
What does blank projects do?
blank projects is a commercial contemporary art gallery based in Cape Town that represents a roster of emerging and established artists from Southern Africa and the diaspora. The gallery curates solo and group exhibitions at its Foreshore gallery space, publishes artist catalogues, and participates in prominent international art fairs. It sells artworks to private collectors and institutional buyers globally, with a critically engaged programme focused on concept and abstraction in the African context.
Is blank projects a public or private company?
blank projects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was blank projects founded?
blank projects was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is blank projects based?
blank projects is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does blank projects make money?
One revenue line is on record: art Sales.
Who are blank projects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are THK Gallery, Goodman Gallery, Kalashnikovv Gallery, SMAC Gallery, Stevenson Gallery, Everard Read Gallery, Whatiftheworld and David Krut Projects. Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Tiwani Contemporary is listed as a regional player.
Does blank projects have an API?
No public API is recorded for blank projects.