Beyond being the biggest showcase of contemporary art from Africa, this year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair offers first-time features along with its lineup of talks, walkabouts and opportunities to explore the artistc life of the city.
The theme for the curated sections is Unbound, aiming to focus on emerging, diverse voices as a catalyst for the creation of new possibilities.
Visitors are invited to see how the theme is interpreted in 11 ways at this 11th edition.
1/ FIRED UP – A first-time project of the medium of clay, titled Cabinet/ Clay, that explores the modern embrace of this ancient medium.
2/ A new GENERATION – Making its debut, it sets artists from different generations is dialogue to create conversations and engender a deeper understanding of emerging and established voices.
3/ What’s theALTernative’ – Spaces and ways that non-traditional art has been forced to adapt and invent, with 14 exhibitors in the line-up of projects that reflect the ‘anti-booth’.
4/ Off the WALL – Explores art history, presenting an overview of work from the 1940’s that disrupted, challenged and forged the foundations of contemporary art production
5/ GLOBAL GATHERING – Works from prominent artists from 50 countries represented by galleries far beyond traditional art centres.
6/ It’s a MATERIAL WORLD – Ways in which original and unconventional avenues of expression are harnessed that can be difficult to categorise: Fabric & textiles, lacework, wire sculpture, works with molasses & resin, found & discarded materials, mundane objects, use of hair, re-interpretations of domestic objects, etc.
7/ FASHION FORWARD + Retail Therapy – Collaborations with local designers offering items to purchase from fashion to merchandise.
8/ THROUGH THE LENS – A broad range of works ranging from historic documenraty work to contemporary masters.
9/ CULTURAL CONNECTIONS – Bringing togther large foundations with private collections such as Norval, Zeitz MOCAA, Irma Stern, A4 Arts Foundation – as well as education projects such as Lalela.
10/ BO-KAAP AND BEYOND – Public art and urban interventions in the historic, inner-city area of the Bo- Kaap. Plus all particpating local galleries being open with exciting exhibitions.
11/ TALKS & WALKS – A programme of talks, dialogues, debates by artists, curators, gallerists, academics, writers & collectors. Along with guided walkabouts – always a major drawcard.
See here for comments attesting to the Art Fair offerings that we were involved in arranging …
Image credit: Stephanie Veldman, Your Luxury Africa
Copy credit: Art Times, Feb/March 2024