At Cheetah Plains, a trio of design-driven villas in South Africa’s Sabi Sand are art-filled sanctuaries, home to a covetable collection of contemporary works
As the triple-tiered Land Cruiser inches forward following the footsteps of two prowling leopards, the bush is silent except for the crackling of branches beneath the tires. The electric game drive vehicle glides silently around a rock, which the duo of leopards—brothers, we soon find out—ascend their perch, keeping watch as the sunset paints strips of pastels across the African sky.
While keeping a safe distance, the battery-powered open safari vehicle is so close, guests can see the striking jade shade of the leopards’ eyes. The scene is so perfectly composed, a photo taken of the moment would be right at home in the curated collection of Cheetah Plains’s private contemporary art gallery, a collaboration with South African Goodman Gallery.
Located on a Big Five-heavy stretch of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, where leopard sightings are practically guaranteed, carbon-negative luxury lodge Cheetah Plains is making a name for itself as a pioneer in both sustainability and contemporary art, thanks to its recently debuted glass-encased gallery. The all-electric fleet of solar-powered 4×4 vehicles are also among the few in the country—part of the safari’s dedication to operating 100-percent off-the-grid, developing its own response to South Africa’s ever-present energy crisis.
“Cheetah Plains is renowned for offering a premier sustainable safari experience and integrating thought-provoking art into this context enhances the overall experience,” says Goodman Gallery’s senior director, Jo Stella-Sawicka. “This partnership reflects a shared belief in the power of art to create deeper, more meaningful connections with the environment and with each other.”
Spotlighting emerging and celebrated names from South Africa and other countries across the continent, the Goodman Gallery at Cheetah Plains collection features nearly a hundred collectible pieces scattered throughout the three private villas, which are outfitted with bespoke furniture designed in partnership with local craftspeople by Cape Town-based studios ARRCC and OKHA, who are behind the statement-making, 16-foot-long wooden dining tables sculpted from fallen trees found in the bush.