
The GFI Art Gallery
The Gutsche Family Investments (GFI) Art Gallery is centrally situated in Park Drive, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and is surrounded on the south side by the protected Baakens Valley and the north side by the historical St Georges Park.
The GFI Art Gallery is housed in a magnificent landmark building, one of the finest examples of Art Deco Architecture in South Arica. The building was originally a house named ‘Ridgewood’ and designed by Gertruida Brinkman, the first woman to graduate as an Architect in South Africa. In 1988 Mr Philipp Roland Gutsche, a businessman in the City, purchased the property. Since then, various alterations have been made to the original building, always respecting the Art Deco architecture style.
Ten years later, in 1998, The Gutsche Family acquired the complete collection of Ron Belling’s Aviation Paintings. The historical value of the Aviation Paintings to Gqeberha is what captivated Mr P R Gutsche. Most of the paintings have historical and contemporary scenes of Gqeberha as a backdrop.
There are 154 paintings and numerous sketches in the Ron Belling Collection covering the history of aviation in South Africa from 1917 to approximately 1976. The paintings result from many years of research, extensive photographic recordings, field sketching and flights with the South African Air Force pilots. Every aircraft is illustrated with meticulous detail, serial and identification markings, as well as colour accuracy. As a result of Ron Belling’s intense research and attention to detail, he became a leading international authority on aeronautics.

The Gallery’s Vision
The GFI Art Gallery’s Vision is to – Enable, Express and Enhance.
Enabling artists to express their unique creative talent through their art allows them to develop and successfully contribute to the community in which they live and the city of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in general.
The GFI Art Gallery strives to promote art in its various mediums, creating a platform for inspiring and supporting local artists by showcasing their artwork in magnificent exhibition halls and assisting aspiring artists through workshops and lectures. In addition, we help enhance the community by introducing local and national artists by exhibiting their work and give back to the community by facilitating projects and creating viable and reputable cultural events unique to the region. The GFI Art Gallery also works with South African Tourism to promote art and local artists in the Eastern Cape.
The GFI Art Gallery passionately believes that viewing and creating visual art will always be one of the cornerstones of the worlds’ cultures. Even during unprecedented times, The Gutsche Family Investments Art Gallery will continue to enable, express and enhance our community through art. You can follow us on Instagram and Facebook. If you would like further information and be included in our database and receive email correspondence, please email us.