Some works of art ask to be admired.

Others ask you to pause.

And then some sculptures quietly stop you in your tracks.

Many visitors arrive at Delaire Graff Estate expecting award-winning wines, exceptional cuisine and breathtaking views across the Cape Winelands. What they often do not expect is the profound emotional impact of encountering one of Anton Smit’s sculptures standing confidently within the landscape.

With arms outstretched, a calm expression and a posture that seems completely surrendered to its surroundings, the sculpture becomes more than an object to admire. It becomes an invitation to reflect.

For a brief moment, the noise of everyday life fades, replaced by something more contemplative.

Anton Smit’s work has always explored themes of reconciliation, hope, suffering and spiritual reflection. The Whirlwind series continues this artistic journey in a unique way.

The circular movement of the hands creates an almost hypnotic effect. From every angle, viewers discover new forms, new shadows and new perspectives. It is a sculpture that rewards time and contemplation.

Some visitors see unity.

Others see healing.

Many interpret it as a celebration of diversity, where individual differences come together to create something beautiful.

This openness to interpretation is one of the reasons the Whirlwind series resonates with collectors, architects, designers and art enthusiasts across the world.

A recent project that truly speaks to this philosophy is an installation under a main road bridge in Century City, Cape Town – a traditionally utilitarian space called the Subway.

Working on this 33-meter-long concrete wall, we installed 500 mask-like faces against a striking, vibrant blue backdrop. We titled it Landscape of the Soul.

Location: Creation Wines, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hermanus

Open Location in Google Maps

Come join us for an exclusive experience at Creation Wines as ANTON SMIT showcase his latest

exhibition, Walking in the Spirit of Creation.

Enjoy a curated selection of canapés, warm hospitality, 

while celebrating the powerful intersection of art, creativity, and nature.

Featuring an expansive range of artworks, from large scale figures curated in the beautiful gardens and the valley of Creation Wines, to lifesize and smaller scale sculptures that can be viewed inside and around the dining area. 

Art has a profound way of holding a mirror up to our internal landscapes. Recently, a visitor to our Art Meets Nature exhibition at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden shared a deeply moving reflection. Walking among Anton Smit’s colossal bronze heads, they saw far more than striking silhouettes set against the dramatic slopes of Table Mountain, they saw a breathtaking physical manifestation of the human mind, neuroplasticity, and the journey of personal growth.

The Chiseled Edge of Survival

Anton’s hauntingly beautiful figures often feature intentional “cracks,” “hollows,” and rough, textured surfaces that look as though they were forged in fire and weathered by the elements. For this visitor, these profound details brought to mind how our early experiences and childhoods “sculpt” who we become.

When life brings adversity, the brain sculpts itself for protection. Our internal threat detectors become large and powerful. In our careers, this often manifests as the “high-alert” professional, someone who is brilliant at spotting risks but may struggle to let their guard down. As the visitor beautifully noted: The “cracks” in these sculptures aren’t weaknesses; they are the proud marks of how you survived the storm.

Open Spaces and “Growth Mode”

Contrasting the deeply textured pieces are sculptures in the garden that feel expansive, open, and undeniably compassionate. These works mirror a mind wired by safety and empathy.

When we feel truly safe, we lean into our prefrontal cortex, the center for innovation and connection. In the workplace or within a family, this leads to “Growth Mode.” It represents a state where individuals navigate challenges and conflict with grace because their internal wiring tells them they are safe, not under attack.

We Are “Living Bronze”

Perhaps the most profound takeaway from the Kirstenbosch exhibition is how Anton Smit’s art is explicitly meant to interact with its environment. Set amidst the magnificent flora, the sculptures change dynamically with the shifting light, the rain, and the natural growth around them.

Our minds do exactly the same. Even if our early “sculpting” was jagged or painful, we are not finished statues. We are “living bronze.” By immersing ourselves in compassionate cultures and embracing mindfulness, we can literally reshape our neural pathways, smoothing out our survival instincts to favor growth over fear.

The raw material of our past may have started the sculpture, but we are the artists who continue to shape it. The very cracks we carry often become the exact places where new light and wisdom shine through.