How Liza Essers took South Africa’s Goodman Gallery from pioneering space to global player

‘I really feel that art can make a difference in terms of shifting consciousness’ - Liza Essers, owner and director, Goodman Gallery
When Goodman Gallery was founded in 1966 during the apartheid era, it was the only place in South Africa where black artists could show their work. With a focus on politically engaged practices in a country still marked by a violent past, its mission goes beyond that of a traditional gallery. Exhibiting artists such as Kudzanai Chiurai or Shirin Neshat, it aims to make art that challenges existing power structures and reflects on colonial legacies accessible to a broad audience. In this video, Liza Essers, owner and director of Goodman Gallery, discusses the gallery’s fascinating history, its roles and the focus of its program.
Liza Essers participated in the Art Basel Conversation ‘Ethics of Exporting Gallery Models’ with Massimo De Carlo, Founder, Massimo De Carlo, Milan/Hong Kong/London and David Maupin, Co-Founder, Lehmann Maupin, New York/Hong Kong/Seoul, moderated by Anna Brady of The Art Newspaper.