Nelson Mandela Bay
South Africa
GFI Art Gallery
About Us
The Ron Belling Art Gallery was established in 2000 in Port Elizabeth. The focus has gradually shifted over the years with the changing times and the growing interest in the visual arts arena. The Gallery name has since been changed to the Gutsche Family Investment Art Gallery (GFI Art Gallery) and the building has over the years been sensitively adjusted to accommodate its ever changing role.
The Gallery is a landmark building on Park Drive in Port Elizabeth and is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the city. In 1936, Axel Stockelbach, then managing director of Ford South Africa, commissioned the first woman Architect to qualify in South Africa, Gertruida Brinkman, to design his house, “Ridgewood”.
The house was purchased in 1988 by Port Elizabeth businessman, Philipp Rowland Gutsche Senior. On his death in 2000, leaving behind a legacy of charity and goodwill, it was his wish that the residence be converted into an art gallery.
The purpose at the time was to house the Ron Belling Military Aviation Collection of Oil Paintings which had been acquired by the Gutsche family.
To this day Mr Gutsche’s daughter, Dorothea Moors, chairs the Gallery Board and together with the Board Members and Gallery Staff, Mr Gutsche’s legacy is upheld through the passionate promotion of visual arts in the Eastern Cape and beyond.
Current Exhibition
R E A L I T Y – Group Exhibition
Llise Dodd, Leon Hugo, Wehrner Lemmer & Lisa Walker
24 July – 25 August 2026
What is real? It seems like a simple question, but in a world where artificial intelligence is becoming part of our daily lives, the answer is no longer straightforward. Today, our experiences are increasingly shaped by technology, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, blurring the boundaries between the tangible and the constructed, the observed and the imagined. AI can create images, write stories, and even imitate human thought, raising questions about how we experience the world and what makes something authentic.
REALITY brings together the work of Llise Dodd, Leon Hugo, Wehrner Lemmer, and Lisa Walker, each exploring the idea of reality through their own medium and perspective. Through painting, photography, sculpture, and ceramics, the artists each offer a different way of looking at reality — whether through observation, memory, material, or imagination. Together, their works invite us to consider what remains real in an age where technology increasingly shapes how we see and understand the world.
Dates: 24 Jul – 25 Aug 2026 for public viewing
Upcoming Exhibitions
THE CREATIVE BLOCK & EASTERN CAPE CERAMIC REGIONALS: 4 Dec – Jan 2026
THEY CAME AND LEFT FOOTPRINTS’ – ON LOAN FROM THE NORVAL FOUNDATION
Lucas Sithole (1931 – 1994) and Cyprian Shilakoe (1946 – 1972): 5 Feb – 13 Apr 2026
4 SOLO’S – Cedric van der Linden, Mark Dodd, Lisa Ledwick, Amanda de Wet: 23 Apr – 26 May 2026
SOLO – GRAHAM JONES: 4 Jun – 14 Jul 2026
GROUP – Llise Dodd, Leon Hugo, Wehrner Lemmer & Lisa Walker: 23 Jul – 25 Aug 2026
GROUP – PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB: 3 Sep – 13 Oct 2026
BRETTEN-ANNE MOOLMAN & BIANCA WHITEHEAD: 22 Oct – 25 Nov 2026
THE CREATIVE BLOCK