Gavin Furlonger – Founder & Photographic Preservationist
A specialist in photographic preservation and archival documentation, Gavin Furlonger founded The Photographic Archival And Preservation Association (PAPA-SA) to safeguard South Africa’s endangered photographic works, ensuring they are carefully archived and accessible for future generations. His expertise in archival photography, negative restoration, and fine art print preservation has played a crucial role in protecting historically significant imagery.
In 2002, Gavin established Gallery F as a platform to promote and sell fine art photography, allowing collectors to acquire rare limited-edition prints. His work continues to shape the appreciation and recognition of South African fine art photography both locally and internationally.
Sean Furlonger – Partner & Gallery Manager
Sean Furlonger joined Gallery F full-time in 2020 as a partner and manager, overseeing the gallery’s curation, sales, and expansion efforts. With a deep passion for photographic storytelling and historical preservation, Sean is focused on growing Gallery F’s international presence, connecting collectors, institutions, and contemporary photographerswith the gallery’s extensive fine art photography collection.
Sean also plays a key role in PAPA-SA, assisting in the preservation and documentation of South Africa’s photographic heritage. Together with Gavin, Gallery F has strengthened its position as a premier destination for South African fine art photography, offering collectors and enthusiasts access to rare and significant works.
Gallery F is a Cape Town based fine art photography gallery dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and selling rare and collectible South African photography. And we have recently begun introducing significant works from across the African continent.
Gallery F was established as an extension of the Photographic Archival & Preservation Association of South Africa (PAPA-SA). While PAPA-SA was founded in 2002 to locate, preserve, and safeguard South Africa’s photographic heritage, Gallery F was created to bring this work to a wider audience through exhibitions, sales, and representation, ensuring that preserved works continue to be seen, collected and valued.
Our collection spans over eight decades, from rare, signed vintage handprints of historical importance to contemporary fine art photography by both established and emerging photographers. While our foundation is rooted in analogue photography, our archive has expanded to include more recent work, some of which is digital, ensuring a broader representation of Africa’s photographic voice.
In addition to representing South Africa’s most important photographic estates, we are building a contemporary archive that connects the past with the present, preserving the nation’s visual heritage while also investing in its photographic future.
Founded in 2002, the Photographic Archival & Preservation Association of South Africa (PAPA-SA) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to safeguarding the nation’s photographic heritage. With an estimated 500,000 negatives in its care, PAPA-SA works to locate, preserve, catalogue, and restore important photographic archives, ensuring they remain accessible for future generations.
Working closely with photographers, estates, families, and institutions, PAPA-SA protects and promotes historically significant work, with a strong focus on analogue photography while also incorporating contemporary digital archives. Its mission is to ensure that these invaluable visual records are preserved, celebrated, and shared both locally and internationally.
Click to read more about PAPA-SA here:
https://galleryf.co.za/news/introducing-the-photographic-archival-preservation-association-of-south-africa-papa-sa/
Together, our efforts aim to:
– Preserve South African and African photographic works of cultural and historical significance.
– Sell and promote these works to strengthen the photography market and support the photographers and estates we represent.
– Connect with more archives – whether donated or entrusted by families and estates – to expand our preservation efforts.
– Support emerging photographers by including contemporary works alongside historic collections.
– Expand our reach to international audiences through exhibitions, fairs, and collaborations.
We are always open to discovering and safeguarding new archives from across Africa.
Our work spans exhibitions, archival preservation, and global outreach. Some recent projects include:
Beyond the Lens — our relaunching exhibition (1 September 2025) featuring both historic works
Norman Seeff: Homecoming (September 2024 – January 2025) co-curated with Karel Nel at the Norval Foundation.
Strauss & Co Photography Auction (September 2024) — record-breaking sale of Jürgen Schadeberg’s signed Miriam Makeba print.
Photo Doc, Paris (2024) — collaboration with Bonne Espérance Gallery to showcase the work of Juhan Kuus.
Archival Preservation — safeguarding over 500,000 negatives in PAPA-SA’s care.
African Photography Expansion — in partnership with Random Photo Journal, we are expanding our archival efforts into African photography, preserving and promoting important bodies of work from across the continent.
Read more here:
https://randomphotojournal.com/2025/06/21/preserving-proof-the-insurgent-and-important-memory-work-of-gallery-f-by-gavin-furlonger/
We aspire to establish Gallery F as the global leader in South African photography, while expanding into broader African photographic markets. Our goals include:
– Acquiring a larger, permanent gallery space.
– Attending more international photography fairs and events.
– Increasing both local and international online sales.
– Growing our contemporary archive alongside our historic collection.
Photography is more than an image, it is a record of lives lived, moments witnessed and stories that shape our understanding of the world. South Africa’s photographic history is a vital part of its cultural identity and by preserving and sharing these works, we ensure they remain part of our collective memory.
We invite you to support our mission – visit our gallery, attend our events, and collect a piece of history to help keep these stories alive for generations to come.
Headquarters
Gallery F,
78 Shortmarket Street,
Cape Town, South Africa.
8000.
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