PHOTOS Zanele Muholi/Southern Guild

Universally regarded as the most significant prize in photography, the Hasselblad Award recognises lifetime achievement and the medium’s transformative impact.

“It is with great pleasure that we award Zanele Muholi the 46th Hasselblad Award,” says Kalle Sanner, CEO of the Hasselblad Foundation. “In their artistic practice, Muholi combines photography with activism, creating powerful and significant works in which human rights are central. We look forward to presenting an extensive selection of their work this autumn at the Hasselblad Center.”

The visual activist, humanitarian, and art practitioner is awarded SEK 2,000,000, a gold medal, and a Hasselblad camera. The laureate will also be honoured with a major solo exhibition at the Hasselblad Center in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 10 October 2026 to 4 April 2027, alongside a week of historic events, including a formal award ceremony, an orchestral concert, a book launch, and an artist talk at Moderna Museet in Stockholm.

“This prize is not mine alone. I carry it with the many faces, names, and histories that have trusted me with their stories. From Umlazi to every space where Black LGBTQIA+ people continue to fight to exist freely, this recognition affirms that our lives are worthy of being seen not as statistics, not as shadows, but as full human beings. For years, my work has been about visibility and resistance. It has been about creating an archive so that no one can say, ‘We did not know.’ When this honour comes, I receive it on behalf of my community; those who have been erased, those who are still here, and those who are yet to see themselves reflected with dignity,” says Zanele.

A curated selection of Zanele Muholi’s work is currently on display at Magugu House in Cape Town. By Our Own Hands, presented in partnership with Southern Guild, is co-curated by Thebe Magugu alongside Contemporary African Art Specialist Julia Buchanan. The exhibition, which runs until the end of April and also features work by Zizipho Poswa, reflects on making as a form of authorship, healing, and resistance.

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Returning for its eighth edition, Spier Light Art is set to transform the historic Stellenbosch wine farm into a glowing, nocturnal landscape of contemporary art.

Curated by Vaughn Sadie and Jay Pather, this year’s edition will feature selected works from 21 South African artists. These illuminating works cover various themes, from environmental crises and post-apartheid realities to more abstract explorations of perception, technology and the cosmos. “The exhibition invites audiences to immerse themselves in the sensual and ephemeral interplay of light and sound, allowing curiosity and intrigue to guide their journey,” says Vaughn.

There is no fixed route or prescribed experience at Spier Light Art; visitors are encouraged to let the many winding paths take them on a personal journey – to experience light as both medium and meaning on their own terms. “The non-linear format is not merely a structural decision; it is a philosophical one. Since visitors enter the farm from different points and proceed at their own pace, the question of how works sit in relation to one another becomes as significant as the works themselves. We think less about sequence and more about what I would call pockets of meaning: moments where groups of works come together in ways that reward those who pause, but also offer something to those who move quickly through.”

This year, the works have been intentionally clustered where scale or composition fosters dialogue. “It’s often a very intuitive decision to cluster a group of works together in the landscape,” says Jay. “Something about their scale or composition sets up an interesting dialogue that speaks back to the curatorial semantics across the whole exhibition. This year, there are the direct and immediate neon text pieces that celebrate the South African vernacular, whilst other works illuminate unexpected intersections between technology, infrastructure and the natural environment.”

Sightlines are essential at Spier Light Art, with the curators arranging works to provide multiple vantage points that reveal subtleties up close while, from a distance, establishing visual connections that guide visitors without controlling their path. “These strategies generate anticipation of what lies ahead and serve as reminders of what has been seen. We consider the farm as a participant and a collaborator in the meaning-making process,” explains Vaughn.

The artists, selected from an open call, were invited to explore light in all its conceptual, socio-political and cultural dimensions. “Jay and I have realised over the last eight years that the most compelling work often comes from not having a predetermined curatorial framework. We issue a broad invitation with multiple themes, inviting diverse responses from creative practitioners across a wide range of disciplines. We hope this creates an inclusive process and also introduces us to new and exciting voices,” says Vaughn.

Through the curatorial process, Jay and Vaughn identified the more developed proposals and posed different questions: how do they hold together? What are they engaging with? Over several rounds, a set of interconnected themes emerged.

“This year, memory emerged as one of the underlying themes. Memory here is not singular or easily defined. What became clear as we examined the selected works was how each artist approached it: through the ethereal and the spiritual; through heritage and embodied identity; through how communities hold their own histories. Some works make this explicit. Others carry it as subtext, as a current running beneath a seemingly more formal or technological exploration. The richness lies in that layering: the visitor encounters memory not as a fixed subject but as a recurring frequency, tuned differently across multiple works,” says Vaughn. Alongside this, the curators paid close attention to how artists engaged with the medium itself. “The use of technology, the exploration of perception, and the turn towards the cosmos. These are not separate from the question of memory but are intertwined with it,” he adds.

Spier Light Art 2026 is also set to continue its international exchange programme, welcoming Swiss artists Florian Bach and Kerim Seiler, whose site-specific projects respond to the South African context, creating a dialogue between local and global perspectives on contemporary light art. “The relationship with the Swiss artists in this programme started a few years ago during a research trip to Switzerland. That was important. It meant that when we formalised the brief, we were not starting from scratch. As the co-curator, I  had spent time engaging with them about their practice, their understanding of the work we were doing with Spier Light Art, and whether South Africa was a context they genuinely felt capable of engaging with at that level of attentiveness, is extremely important to the success of the programme,“ explains Vaughn.

The month-long exhibition is more than illumination – “it is a lens through which we perceive, reflect and question the world,” says Vaughn. “Light determines time. It’s a rare opportunity to step away from the glare of screens and experience light in its most elemental form, allowing visitors to wander freely in the company of strangers, similarly transfixed by the effects of the nocturnal interplay of light and sound,” adds Jay.

Spier Light Art 2026 artists

Chelsea Holland | THE GREY AREA IN THE CAPE WINELANDS

This project uses a complex, interactive system built with motion-design software. The work emerges from interdisciplinary research exploring how humans perceive and relate to both the visible and invisible aspects of the world around them.

David Brown | DOG WATCH I

A permanent piece at Spier, David’s work channels memories of apartheid-era violence and societal injustice, using sculpture to transform trauma into visual storytelling that resonates across time and place.

Florian Bach | SPILL

The artist’s installation confronts audiences with human control over the environment, turning brightness into intrusion and reflecting on social and ecological consequences.

Jenna Burchell | SONGSMITH

A permanent installation at Spier, this interactive sound installation fuses digital and natural elements, creating vessels for memory and storytelling.

Joe Turpin | ‘EISH’

Neon letters and playful text capture the frustrations and contradictions of post-1994 South Africa.

Kenneth Shandu | WHEN THE SKY FALLS

When the Sky Falls reflects on South Africa’s devastating floods and the resilience of affected communities. These recurring disasters, intensified by climate change, poor urban planning and social inequality, result in loss, displacement and the ongoing vulnerability of those most affected.

Kerim Seiler | PNEUMA, SOMNAMBUL

A dynamic, travelling public sculpture composed of single beams, knotted to tetrahedral cells adorned with vibrant, blinking fluorescent lights, Kerim’s work engages deeply with its surroundings.

Kunye Collab | LUMEN VITAE

Lumen Vitae (Latin: Light of Life) explores the profound symmetry between the human body and the cosmos.

Mawande ka Zenzile | UBUGQI

A neon text work embodying the isiXhosa concept of “ubugqi” – profound intuitive knowledge.

Noa Hall | SENTINEL

An experimental documentary installation tracking Johannesburg’s Braamfontein Spruit and its pylons, Sentinel transforms industrial structures into spectral forms.

Paul Thabo Nhlapo | FIDDLEARTH

Through animation and mixed media, Paul explores post-apartheid identity, mental health, injustice and masculinity.

Qondiswa James, Nathalie Ponlot, Themba Stewart & Jonathan O’Hear | SAFE IN THE SHADOWS

An interactive installation that reclaims darkness as sanctuary: a network of cairns – stone, translucent resin and salvaged remnants – linked by root-like conduits that echo mycelial threads and neural pathways, combining light, mirrors and digital feeds to explore memory, ancestral traditions and resistance to compulsory visibility.

Renée Holleman | UNDER THE OVERGROWTH IS NO SMALL MEASURE OF SUNLIGHT

Renée celebrates the overlooked weeds: ‘plants out of place’, reminding us of the veering, queering and rebellious dynamics of living things.

Ronald Abdou & Zachary Stewart | BURNING

This collaborative installation explores how conflict is experienced in the digital age.

Sam ‘/XAM’ Fortuin | ONTHOU

Onthou is an audiovisual short film of a recurring dream that begins and ends on the edge of a kelp forest on the coast of Cape Town.

Stephen van den Heever & Amy Leibbrandt | A MOMENT OF REST FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T

Positioned between the trees along the Eerste River, this artwork engages with the notion of rest for those attending and in honour of those who can’t.

Strijdom van der Merwe | ARTIFACTS

Strijdom reimagines colonial artefacts, replacing Dutch designs with indigenous San and Khoe rock paintings, along with influences of Chinese imports used in Cape Dutch homesteads and the VOC.

Thando Mama | ‘1994 (I)’ (REVISITED)

A multimedia reflection on South Africa’s journey since 1994, Mama’s installation aims to capture resilience and memory.

Theytjie | CLOSER TO HARM THAN HOME

Closer to Harm than Home is a short film that explores the ongoing impact of gun and gang violence on the Cape Flats.

Tiago Rodrigues | THE SOUND OF MY VOICE

Part of the permanent collection at Spier Wine Farm, The Sound of My Voice is an intervention in response to the farm’s slave bell.

Wezile Harmans | ENDLOVINI AS A FORM OF ARCHIVE

Endlovini as a Form of Archive is an installation that dwells in the tension between fragility and resilience.

Spier Light Art runs from 6 March – 6 April 2026 | Daily at dusk. Bookings for entry and sunset picnics can be made on Dineplan. For more information, visit spier.co.za.

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PHOTOS Courtesy of Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Now in its 13th edition, the Investec Cape Town Art Fair announced the winners across five prize categories, including two new prizes that signal where contemporary art is heading: the ORMS International Photography Prize and the Materiality Prize in partnership with Homo Faber.

“Prizes are not just acknowledgements; they create momentum,” says Fair Director Laura Vincenti. “They offer visibility, confidence, and, in many cases, a turning point. For an artist, winning can mean the difference between being seen and being overlooked, between an international opportunity and waiting another year.”

The 2026 Winners

Tomorrows/Today Prize supported by Fiera Milano Exhibitions Africa

Chidirim Nwaubani, represented by Doyle Wham

The Tomorrows/Today Prize was awarded to Chidirim Nwaubani, recognising an artist whose practice reflects the spirit of the fair’s Tomorrows/Today section, dedicated to emerging and under-represented voices pushing the boundaries of contemporary practice.

RDC Art Collection Award

Mellaney Roberts, represented by Berman Contemporary

The RDC Art Collection Award went to Mellaney Roberts, an acquisition prize that offers something rare: guaranteed exhibition of the winning work within one of RDC’s landmark buildings, giving the artist sustained public visibility beyond the fair’s four-day run.

Mellaney explains that she considers this a collective win: “with the community that I grew up with in up in Bobbejaanskloof and in a sense of identity. So, it’s not just for me, but it’s also about taking it back to my community, showing them the appreciation and the hard work that went into excavating their memories, identity, and what land means to us.”

Investec Emerging Artist Award

Warren Maroon, represented by Everard Read

Now in its second year, the Investec Emerging Artist Award went to Warren Maroon, supporting South African artists producing world-class work who are not yet affiliated with an institution, museum, or collection. The award provides recognition that can accelerate a career and open doors internationally.

Maroon’s sculptures use the detritus of everyday life to create new meaning and beauty as a visual representation of his lived experience and his upbringing in the Cape Flats.

ORMS International Photography Prize

Sibusiso Bheka, represented by Afronova

The inaugural ORMS International Photography Prize went to Sibusiso Bheka, whose work proves that photography remains one of the most urgent mediums for engaging with our image-saturated world. The prize also recognises a practice that treats the photographic image not only as documentation, but as a critical, conceptual tool.

The winner receives a substantial cash prize, plus a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 printer, enabling the production of museum-quality archival prints up to A2 and supporting the ongoing development and presentation of their photographic practice.

“The win for me represents hope and also patience,” says Bheka.

Materiality Prize in partnership with Homo Faber

Amy Rusch, represented by Suburbia Contemporary

The Materiality Prize was awarded to Amy Rusch, for whom material is not merely a medium but meaning itself.

The winner receives an all-expenses-paid invitation to participate in the Homo Faber Fellowship Masterclass in Venice, Italy: an eight-month international craft training programme that bridges generations of making, design, and artisanal knowledge.

At a moment when the art world is rediscovering tactility, craft, and process, this prize positions artists working across geographies within a global conversation about what it means to make with one’s hands. | investeccapetownartfair.co.za

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INTERVIEW BY Neyani Mphephu PHOTOS Nicholai Thomas for AITY Gallery

Bold, joyful, and unapologetically maximalist – Kyle Jardine’s dynamic paintings transform domestic dining spaces into celebratory sanctuaries, where queer community and the simple ritual of sharing a meal become a memorable experience. Each canvas in the Live, Love, Lobster series creates an imagined world, painted in fearless fuchsias, vermilions, and sapphire blues, where everyone has a seat at the table.

We spoke to Kyle about joy as resistance, radical inclusion, and the power of creating welcoming spaces.

What does the title Live, Love, Lobster represent to you, and how does it capture the essence of what you’re trying to create in these paintings? 

“My approach to my work, and the essence of it, is rooted in play. The title is a tongue-in-cheek wordplay on the popular phrase ‘live, love, laugh’. It’s a theme that echoes the concept of gathering and the common factors that unite us, with the most popular reason to gather often centred around food. 

The core of my work is heightened by my theatrical background. As in musical theatre, characters break into song in heightened moments, and in a sense my work captures that song in its own visual language. Ultimately, the work aims to capture a feeling or moment, something everyone can relate to and recognise themselves in.” 

Your work celebrates queer community and the concept of ‘kiki’ – creating safe gathering spaces. How have your own experiences shaped this vision of painting safe spaces into existence? 

“Drawing from my experience in theatre, as well as being included among a drag theatre family, and from my own lived experiences of feeling excluded or being bullied growing up, I create work that is inclusive and allows everyone to feel welcome in the worlds I build in my paintings. In a sense, it explores life imitating art, or vice versa, where the work itself becomes a reason to bring people together.” 

How would you describe your artistic philosophy, and what core beliefs shape how you approach your work? 

“My artistic philosophy is centred around love, joy and happiness. In an already chaotic world filled with uncertainty, there is an assurance that the experience of my work will leave you feeling better than when you found it. At its core, my work resounds with love, play and joyful themes. If I’ve been successful at channelling this into my work, then the essence is bound to reach the viewer.” 

The dining table appears as a central motif – what draws you to celebrate the ritual of the shared meal, and to choose domestic interior spaces rather than other settings? 

“I have a love and appreciation for interior architecture. The sense of home, belonging, and the central theme of a shared meal are things we can all relate to. As a homebody and a creature of ritual, I find great comfort in bringing loved ones together around a table.” 

Can you walk us through your creative process, and what’s your favourite part of building these layered worlds? 

“My process is never quite linear. There is something exciting and spontaneous about gathering inspiration through daily life. My process takes shape from sketches, gathered images, moments from songs. These culminate in the adventure of approaching a canvas and allowing the world to take shape. As a maximalist in the worlds I create, there is always room for more. The exciting part is seeing where it all ends up and what has risen to the surface.” 

The colour palette – bright fuchsia, vermilion, sapphire blue – is so bold and confident. How did you develop this visual language, and how do these colours shape the overall look and feel? 

“Colour echoes the sentiment within my work and the reason I create it. My work is a place where I get to use every crayon in the box; there are no rules or limits. It’s been a natural development, since I’m drawn to the brighter side of life and the optimism that colour ignites within me. The overall look and feel reflects a world that visually enchants the viewer; it’s a place of constant discovery.” 

What emotions do you want to stir in viewers when they step into one of your painted gathering spaces? 

“I want people to feel recognised and accepted. My paintings are imagined worlds where everyone is welcome. There is a great love that travels through my creative process, and if it’s able to reach the other side, my work is complete.” 

What’s next for your artistic practice, and how do you see your exploration of community, identity, and domestic space evolving in future work? 

“My journey in the studio is always evolving; it’s a creative space with no limits. I intend to continue creating on a broader level, with many more media to be explored – art that lives on fashion, furniture, and so much more.” 

Live, Love, Lobster is currently showing at AITY Gallery until 2 March 2026. | aitygallery.com

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WORDS Neyani Mphephu PHOTOS Mia Thom / Courtesy of Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Africa’s largest and most internationally connected art fair, Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2026 (ICTAF), represents a remarkable revolution in the art of listening. As the fair returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the theme Listen will transform how guests engage with contemporary art, creating space for genuine dialogue across cultures, continents and creative practices.

“‘Listen’ is an invitation to engage across borders, perspectives and experiences,” shares Fair Director Laura Vincenti. “Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2026 is a convergence of voices – a space where artists, galleries and audiences are encouraged not only to see, but to listen.”

While maintaining its strong Cape Town identity, ICTAF has evolved into an essential bridge connecting diverse international voices. The fair brings together 126 exhibitors representing 23 cities worldwide, showcasing 490 artists from 44 countries across five continents. This remarkable assembly establishes the fair not just as Africa’s largest art event, but as a global artistic capital for one transformative week.

First-time Exhibitors

These new participants represent an exciting mix of well-established and emerging gallery spaces from around the world, including Barcelona’s BETA Contemporary, OOA Gallery and Victor Lope Arte Contemporáneo; CFHILL in Stockholm; Double V Gallery in Marseille; Doyle Wham in London; and Ellen de Bruijne Projects in Amsterdam.

African representation is equally impressive, with galleries including Everyday Lusaka Gallery; Loft 3 Gallery (Harare); Logmo + Makon (Douala); O’DA Art (Lagos); The 1897 Gallery (Lagos); The Space Ethiopia (Addis Ababa); Umoja Art Gallery (Kampala); and Wunika Mukan Gallery (Lagos). European first-time exhibitors include Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea (Palermo); GALERÍA LUISA PITA (Santiago de Compostela); Livingstone Gallery (The Hague/Berlin); NÉBOA (Lugo); Paulina Caspari (Munich); Perve Galeria (Lisbon); PSM Gallery (Berlin); and The Norm (Paris).

Wearable art

The bespoke tote bags for this year’s edition are designed by Asha Eleven. Each tote features unique paintings and hand-drawn illustrations which form the basis of these richly layered textile designs. The 2026 tote will be available in very limited quantities, which you will be able to purchase at the info desk or Asha Eleven’s booth in Capsule.

Must-see highlights and returning favourites for 2026 

Curated Sections and Special Projects 

Four thoughtfully curated presentations amplify creative voices from around the world. Discover Tomorrows/Today, curated by Dr Mariella Franzoni (Barcelona, Spain); SOLO, curated by Céline Seror (Amsterdam, Netherlands); Generations, curated by Tandazani Dhlakama (Toronto, Canada); and Cabinet/Record, curated by Beata America (Cape Town, South Africa). These internationally curated showcases sit alongside the fair’s three foundational pillars – Main, Editions and Lookout.

This year marks the launch of Performance, the fair’s newest special initiative, adding dynamic layers to the visitor experience. Connect remains dedicated to spotlighting the cultural organisations that cultivate and champion artistic production, while the transformed retail section – newly named Capsule – will feature unique, mindfully made design and craft.

Talks Programme and Art Walks 

Art School Africa has curated a talks programme, supported by iTOO Artinsure, which will be situated inside the fair. The talks programme facilitates important dialogue, alongside a series of interactive, immersive workshops that encourage visitors to create, participate and discover through direct involvement. The fair will also reintroduce guided art walks, with expanded opportunities for engagement.

Unbound City 

Through the Unbound City public programme, the event extends across Cape Town’s lively inner city and surrounding neighbourhoods, offering a continued experience at the After Hours Art Hub, based at The Gin Bar. Nearby, AKJP Studio will also host cocktails and conversations throughout the fair week.

For more updates and information, visit investeccapetownartfair.co.za. Book tickets via webtickets. 

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WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Tink Photography, Supplied

A “vessel for life” is how Mick Haigh describes each piece in his new collection. Created from clay dug by hand from the riverbank near his home in the KZN Midlands, and fired in a Japanese-style Anagama wood kiln, the pieces are meant to be lived with, used, admired and passed down.

Mick views his role as a maker as that of both a guide and a witness: he shapes the clay and sets the kiln conditions, but he allows the materials to respond in their own way. No two pieces are alike – the slow, elemental Anagama process means that fire, ash and heat leave their unpredictable signature across the surface of each item.

Tell us more about the Anagama firing process.

“Anagama firing is about learning the kiln. Every kiln has its own character, and its shape and location make it behave in a unique way. How the kiln is packed influences the airflow, flame path and heat patterns, all of which have an impact on the reduction atmosphere inside. The placement of each object determines how it will look after firing: the fire enters at one end and exits at the chimney, and the flame’s path dictates everything in between.

“The process is long and demanding. A firing can last anywhere from 48 to 72 hours, with wood being stoked by hand every few minutes to keep the temperature up. At its peak, the kiln reaches about 1 180°C – hot enough to vitrify the clay, making it hard, glass- like and durable. Different types of wood, the rhythm of stoking and even the weather outside can all play a role in shaping the final surface. The marks of the fire – ash deposits, flame paths, colour variations – remain visible on each piece, recording the entire journey of the firing.”

What drew you to it?

“I am never fully in control of the fire; I can only guide the flame. It is a dialogue between maker and kiln. By working with and directing this seemingly random process, I can shape the outcome while still leaving room for chance. After firing, the piece itself tells the story of what happened, where it stood in the kiln, how the fire moved around it, and what marks the flame left behind.”

Has this always been your process?

“Yes – but my journey has evolved. Initially, I focused on making what I thought people wanted. Over time, I’ve shifted to creating in response to what the clay and fire themselves can produce. For me, form follows function, follows fun – it follows what wild clay and fire reveal as their best expression.”

What features does Anagama firing give your work?

“Anagama firing leaves its signature on every piece. The flame marks and ash deposits embellish the surfaces, softening the forms and giving them character. In the oxygen-deprived atmosphere of the kiln, earth pigments and oxides are transformed, shifting from static, solid hues into natural shades and tones that reflect the raw beauty of the earth.”

Where do you take inspiration from?

“It comes from absorbing the world around me. It isn’t a cerebral process; I don’t sketch pieces before making them. Living in nature provides rhythm and influence. I’ve never made pieces in a city, but I imagine they’d look very different from those shaped amid this natural landscape.

“I’ve had a lifelong fascination with earth and clay. The fact that I can dig clay from the ground in its soft, malleable form, and then, through firing, transform it into something of lasting value, continues to inspire me.”

What about the 2025 collection?

“It was inspired by building the Anagama kiln at my studio and working with wild clay that I dig locally. This allows me to create an ecologically sound body of work that’s rooted in place and process. Each piece is conceived as something made not just to be used, but to hold meaning, memory and presence. My hope is that they become keepsakes – companions that live with people over time.” | mickhaigh.com

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Graham Beck, the renowned South African producer of Cap Classique, has unveiled its inaugural Artist’s Retreat – an immersive residency that invites local creatives to reinterpret the estate’s profound sense of place.

The first chapter in this ongoing series welcomed celebrated multidisciplinary artist Michael Chandler, whose work is well known for its sensitivity to craft, history and materiality. Following his previous collaboration with Graham Beck, the artist returned to the Robertson estate to create a singular piece: a hand-painted ceramic wine egg, realised over three days in the heart of the vineyards.

A dialogue between terroir, time and creativity

Set against 3 000 hectares of limestone-rich terrain and a protected nature reserve, the Artist’s Retreat grants creators full access to the environment, inviting a deeper contemplation of terroir.

For Michael, this meant stepping directly into the landscape to gather his own pigments. Using chalky limestone and decomposed granite sourced from the estate’s vineyards, he transformed the raw earth into delicate colour. Each hue became an authentic chromatic interpretation of Robertson’s geology.

Michael’s chosen canvas for the initiative was a ceramic wine egg – itself an object of design and innovation. Within Graham Beck’s cellar, these eggs serve as fermentation vessels prized for their purity of form and function. Their smooth curvature encourages a natural circulation of wine, while the porous ceramic allows gentle oxygen exchange.

Throughout his three-day residency, Michael engaged in a meditative dialogue with the vessel. He moved from gathering soils from the estate and refining them into pigments, to painting layered expressions of botanicals, geological textures and subtle echoes of the Graham Beck Nature Reserve. The final piece embodies a rare alchemy: earth transformed into colour and colour rendered as story.

The completed ceramic wine egg now resides within the estate’s Innovation Cellar – a sanctuary devoted to exploration and the future of Cap Classique.

The Artist’s Retreat will return in 2026, inviting new voices to reinterpret the landscape and continue this conversation between creativity and craft. As with Graham Beck’s Cap Classique, each edition will reflect the precision, patience and pursuit of beauty that define the House. grahambeck.com | @mrchandlerhouse

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Nando’s Creative Exchange (NCX) is the flagship artist development programme within the Nando’s Art Initiative, delivered in partnership with Spier Arts Trust. It recognises emerging fine artists from Southern Africa who demonstrate exceptional talent, providing the support they need to take the next steps in their careers.

Now in its 14th year, the programme continues to provide artists with mentorship, materials and exhibition platforms that help turn creative potential into sustainable careers. The latest exhibition, Making Space — which runs from 6 November 2025 to 20 January 2026 at HUB Gallery — features artworks by Debbie Field, Mduduzi Twala, Sello Letswalo and Fleur De Bondt. Guided by mentor Emma Willemse, they’ve each contributed a cohesive body of work exploring identity, resilience and connection.

We spoke with artist Sello Letswalo to find out more about his Nando’s Creative Exchange journey.

What motivated you to join the Nando’s Creative Exchange, and how has the experience shaped you creatively and professionally?

“What motivated me initially was knowing that NCX represents one of the most important support systems for emerging artists in South Africa. Looking at my career trajectory — the programmes I wanted to participate in each year, the growth I wanted to achieve — NCX was always on that list. It’s not just an exhibition opportunity; it’s a mentorship, a community, and a validation that your voice matters within broader artistic conversations.

“Working on this series, I experimented more boldly with scale: pieces like ‘Kids Game’ (92 × 159 cm) are among the largest I’ve created. I pushed my understanding of how rust and metal can collaborate with painted imagery, creating works where the material itself tells part of the story. The weathered texture isn’t just aesthetic; it carries the histories and scars of the places and people I’m painting.

“Professionally, NCX taught me about sustainability and discipline. I was balancing my studies, creating this body of work, applying for other competitions and managing personal pressures all at once. The pressure was intense, but it was necessary. Without it, I wouldn’t have learnt as much. NCX taught me how to manage multiple responsibilities while maintaining the quality and integrity of my work. It also connected me to a network of artists, curators and supporters who will continue to be valuable throughout my career.”

How did your mentorship with Emma Willemse influence your work and approach to this exhibition?

“This was my second time working with Emma, and that continuity made the mentorship even more valuable. Emma encourages experimentation and pushes you to go further than you might push yourself. She helped me develop the conceptual framework for the Mafelo series — understanding how to articulate what these spaces mean, why metal is essential as a material and how rust functions as more than decoration. Through our conversations, I began to articulate ideas that were intuitive but not yet fully formed. For instance, the concept that rust is not decay but renewal became clearer through our dialogues. Emma helped me see that the oxidation patterns on metal mirror how time and conditions shape the places we inhabit, how spaces carry scars while revealing something essential underneath.

“This mentorship influenced not just the specific works I created but how I think about my long-term development as an artist. It reinforced that art-making is both solitary and communal — you need space to work alone, but you also need trusted voices to help you see what you’re creating more clearly.”

What’s one insight or lesson from the NCX journey that will stay with you?

“The most important lesson is that making space — whether in your practice, your career or your life — requires both patience and boldness. The Mafelo series taught me this materially. You have to be patient with metal, letting it rust naturally, watching oxidation patterns emerge that you couldn’t have planned. But you also have to be bold enough to work on large scales like ‘Kids Game’, or to create intimate ceramic heads that remain intentionally unfinished.

“Another insight that will stay with me is about paying attention to overlooked spaces. The title Mafelo — the Sepedi word for ‘spaces’ or ‘places’ — anchors this work in my linguistic and cultural heritage. Through this series, I learned to ask: What might we recognise about resilience, creativity and belonging when we pay attention to the mafelo others overlook? That question extends beyond this series into how I’ll approach all future work.”

Tell us about the body of work you’re presenting at House Union Block — what stories or ideas do you explore?

“At House Union Block, I’m presenting the Mafelo series, a collection of oil paintings on reclaimed metal and ceramic sculptures exploring the lived environments in which identity, memory and community are shaped. The series includes large-scale works like ‘Kids Game’, which captures children playing with handmade toys on dirt roads — spaces where childhood creativity happens. There’s ‘Metsi Joskei’ (88 × 64 cm), inspired by games we played in the Jukskei River in Alexandra, building boats from whatever we could find and navigating the water together. That painting speaks to something universal about how water draws children in, becoming a space of play and possibility.

“The ceramic works — ‘The Thinker’ and the Head series — complement the paintings by exploring form and presence in three dimensions. These sculptures are left intentionally unfinished, some unfired, rejecting conventional expectations of ceramic art as polished and functional. What I’m really exploring is the in-between spaces: dirt roads, yellow kiosks that serve as social hubs, homesteads, beaches, rivers. These are not picturesque backdrops. They are lived spaces — sites of creativity, connection, labour and joy. A child pushing a wire car down a dirt road is claiming that space. A family with cattle in front of a thatched home is rooted in land and ancestry. These moments resist invisibility.”

Did you experiment with any new materials, techniques or concepts in this collection?

“Yes, significantly. The Mafelo series represents my most ambitious exploration of rust as both medium and collaborator. I’ve always treated steel with hydrogen peroxide, salt and vinegar to create a patina, but in this series, I pushed that relationship further. I learnt to see rust not as decay but as renewal — it eats away at metal, leaving behind patterns of unexpected beauty, much like how time and conditions shape the places we inhabit.

“In this series, I deliberately allowed rust patterns to guide compositional decisions more than before. In pieces like ‘Metsi Joskei’, the rust beneath the painted water and children creates visual tension — the material reality of scarcity and hardship existing alongside the brightness of childhood joy. The oxidation carries scars, yet reveals something essential underneath. This duality — permanence and erosion, strength and vulnerability — mirrors how spaces hold memory while constantly changing.

“The ceramic Head series and ‘The Thinker’ sculptures were experiments in three-dimensional form. By leaving them unfinished — some unfired, some partially glazed — I challenged traditional expectations. This rawness became an aesthetic and conceptual statement about authenticity and the value of the incomplete, mirroring the unfinished, ongoing nature of how we inhabit and shape our spaces.”

How did collaborating with HUB Studios influence your creative process?

“Collaborating with HUB Studios added an important dimension to how I thought about the Mafelo series. HUB itself is an industrial space with its own material history, and knowing my rust-weathered steel paintings would exist in that environment influenced my decisions. The industrial character of the venue dialogues with the industrial reality of the materials I use — metal from scrapyards and construction sites, and repurposed materials that shape township streets and rural homesteads.

“HUB’s team helped me think curatorially about how the series would function as a whole. They encouraged me to consider the relationship between the large-scale pieces like ‘Kids Game’ and ‘Badimo’ and the smaller, more intimate works like the 30 × 30 cm series. Their spatial thinking helped me understand how viewers would move through the exhibition, encountering different scales and subjects that build a cumulative understanding of Mafelo.”

What do you hope visitors take away from your work?

“First and foremost, I hope visitors genuinely recognise these spaces — not as exotic or distant, but as real, layered and significant. When they look at ‘Metsi Joskei’, I want them to see not just children in a river but to remember their own childhood freedoms, their own makeshift adventures. When they encounter ‘Cultural Cows’ or ‘Cows of the Cape’, I hope they see the pride in maintaining tradition, the continuity of ancestral practices, the dignity of rural life.

“I hope visitors begin to see materials differently. When they look at the rust on ‘Kids Game’ or ‘Badimo’, I want them to understand that rust is not decay but renewal. The oxidation patterns, the weathered texture — these aren’t flaws; they carry the histories and scars of places and people. I want viewers to see how metal speaks to resilience, weight and survival, reflecting both the industrial reality of the spaces I paint and the creative strength that grows from those environments.

“If visitors walk away thinking differently about what they consider valuable or overlooked — whether materials, places or people — then the work has succeeded. If they pay more attention to the mafelo around them, noticing the creativity and resilience in spaces they might have passed by without seeing, then I’ve achieved what I hoped.”

How has NCX helped you think differently about building a sustainable art career?

“NCX has been incredibly instructive in showing me what sustainability actually means in an artistic career. Developing the Mafelo series — more than 16 works ranging from large-scale paintings to ceramic sculptures — taught me about working in bodies of work rather than isolated pieces. This is how professional artists operate: creating cohesive series with conceptual depth that can be exhibited together, written about meaningfully and understood as part of an ongoing practice.

“One of the hardest lessons this year was learning to juggle my studies, the creation of the Mafelo series, other exhibitions, competitions and my personal life all at once. The pressure was intense, but it taught me that a sustainable career requires systems and discipline. You can’t wait for the perfect moment with no other responsibilities — you have to learn to work within constraints and manage your time strategically.

“Perhaps most importantly, NCX reinforced that sustainable careers aren’t built in isolation. Having a community of fellow artists, supportive mentors and institutional backing makes the difficult work of being an artist in South Africa more possible. Speaking on behalf of many artists, programmes like NCX are essential infrastructure.”

Has the experience opened any new doors or opportunities for you yet?

“Yes, in several significant ways. First, completing the Mafelo series and having it exhibited at House Union Block adds substantial weight to my CV and portfolio. When I apply for future opportunities — residencies, exhibitions, grants, commissions — having a cohesive, well-documented body of work from NCX demonstrates not just talent but professional capacity. This kind of institutional validation opens doors.

“The relationships I’ve built through NCX are already proving valuable. The other artists in the programme come from different networks than mine, and we’ve been sharing information about opportunities, introducing each other to people in our respective circles and supporting each other’s work. This peer network is invaluable in South Africa’s arts community.

“More broadly, NCX has given me confidence. Being selected after applying multiple times, successfully completing the programme despite intense pressure, creating a body of work I’m genuinely proud of — all of this reinforces my belief that I belong in this field and that my voice matters. That confidence itself opens doors, changing how I approach opportunities and how I present myself.”

Looking ahead, what’s next for you? And if you could sum up your NCX experience in one word or phrase, what would it be?

“After NCX, I want to continue developing the Mafelo theme. There are infinite spaces to explore — more rivers, more homesteads, urban corners, sacred sites, gathering places. I’m interested in working even larger in scale, potentially creating installation pieces that audiences can move through rather than just look at. I want to explore how my steel-based works could exist in public spaces, not just galleries, making them more accessible to broader communities.

“Long-term, I want my work to travel — to be seen by diverse audiences in different contexts. I want the Mafelo series to create dialogues across communities and cultures, helping people everywhere recognise the creativity, resilience and dignity in spaces they might overlook. I want to continue contributing to conversations about waste and value, about cultural memory and contemporary identity, about space and belonging in South Africa and beyond.”

Sum up NCX in one word or phrase.

“If I had to sum up my NCX experience in one phrase, it would be: ‘Making space to grow.’”

Spotlighting South African Talent

Making Space runs from 6 November 2025 – 20 January 2026 at HUB Gallery, Union House, in Cape Town. | nandoscreativity.co.za

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The post Sello Letswalo on ‘Making Space’ with Nando’s Creative Exchange appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Lucie de Moyencourt brings her distinct ocean-inspired aesthetic, ‘Shellegance’, to the V&A Waterfront as part of the annual Joy from Africa campaign. With more than 1 000 crafters and 190 small businesses involved, the initiative transforms the V&A Waterfront into a celebration of creativity and community, turning waste into wonder and handcraft into holiday magic.

Her showcase which was brought to life in collaboration with Quazi Design, Bishop Tarambawamwe and Ashanti Design, is on display outside Woolworths, alongside other awe-inspiring pieces throughout the mall.

For this year’s installation, Lucie’s signature ceramic shell designs have been reimagined as large-scale papier-mâché sculptures. “It’s a massive joy to be part of a festive campaign that champions locally designed, handcrafted decor,” says Lucie. “I’ve always admired the V&A Waterfront during the festive season – it’s unlike any other shopping destination in the world. Being part of it as a Cape Town creative is really special.”

The collection draws on Lucie’s ‘Shellegance’ design language, which celebrates the beauty and whimsy of the sea in a sophisticated, contemporary way. “I created ‘Shellegance’ as a way to bring shells into interior spaces in an elegant, grown-up way,” she explains. “It’s about indulging all your mermaid, shell-collecting fantasies but with refinement.”

Each of the 40 handcrafted shells – ranging in size from 40 to 70 centimetres – has been individually sculpted using sustainable materials and hand-painted in oceanic tones of aqua, turquoise, blue-green and teal.

“No two shells are the same – each is unique, capturing the natural beauty and individuality found in the ocean,” she says. “Local suppliers made metal structures inside the papier-mâché shells to ensure they hang perfectly on totems without bending; the shells are interspersed with other ocean-inspired pieces – such as sea urchins created by fellow artists – to bring the full installation to life.” | joyfromafrica.co.za

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Nando’s Creative Exchange (NCX) is the flagship artist development programme within the Nando’s Art Initiative, delivered in partnership with Spier Arts Trust. It recognises emerging fine artists from Southern Africa who demonstrate exceptional talent, providing the support they need to take the next steps in their careers.

Now in its 14th year, the programme continues to provide artists with mentorship, materials and exhibition platforms that help turn creative potential into sustainable careers. The latest exhibition, Making Space — which runs from 6 November 2025 to 20 January 2026 at HUB Gallery — features artworks by Debbie Field, Mduduzi Twala, Sello Letswalo and Fleur De Bondt. Guided by mentor Emma Willemse, they’ve each contributed a cohesive body of work exploring identity, resilience and connection.

We spoke with artist Fleur De Bondt to find out more about her Nando’s Creative Exchange journey.

What motivated you to join the Nando’s Creative Exchange, and how has the experience shaped you creatively and professionally?

“I wanted the opportunity to be mentored because I deeply value the impact that guidance and support can have on an artist’s growth. The main reason was to receive support in my process and to be guided in a new direction.”

How did your mentorship with Emma Willemse influence your work and approach to this exhibition?

“Emma encouraged me to embrace change throughout the process. The work I produced for this exhibition reflects a clear transition and a visible degree of experimentation. Rather than urging me to create a strictly cohesive body of work, she supported my need to explore and evolve. Her guidance allowed me to experiment freely, ultimately leading to the development of the final pieces I presented. She was amazing, and I really enjoyed her style of mentorship. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to work with her.”

What’s one insight or lesson from the NCX journey that will stay with you?

“Trust the process and keep going.”

Tell us about the body of work you’re presenting at House Union Block – what stories or ideas do you explore?

“I explore the vanishing and transformation of landscapes, particularly those altered by human influence. My work reflects on how greed and the relentless pursuit of power continue to reshape the earth, and often in ways that are irreversible. It is, in many ways, about loss: the quiet mourning of what once was. Yet, within that loss, I also look to the imagination as a form of refuge – a space where we can re-envision and rebuild, creating places of serenity and renewal amid the ruin.”

Did you experiment with any new materials, techniques or concepts in this collection?

“The concept is entirely new – so, yes, conceptually, very much so. I shifted from an internally driven approach to focusing on an external issue, one that I feel deeply helpless about. Once again, it became my way of processing something that, on a macro scale, is beyond my control.

“I also began working with soil and other materials sourced from the earth and mining, such as mica, iron oxide clay, calcium carbonate rock and calcium sulphate – some of which, through their extraction, carry a significant carbon footprint. Some materials were collected from poorly patched potholes (as Johannesburg is riddled with them) and from nearby nature reserves.

“Using these materials – each chosen with intention – I created what I call ‘sandscapes’, a form often dismissed as kitsch. I built a tank and formed images through the pouring and manipulation of layered sand, a process I had never attempted before. Many aspects of this work were completely new to me, and I pushed myself well beyond my comfort zone.

“For the imagery itself, I worked more from reference than ever before, using real photographs of planned obsolescence, industrial dumping, mining and chemical pollution.”

What do you hope visitors take away from your work?

“I hope this work serves as a visually compelling reflection of the state of things, not through the jarring and distressing imagery we are constantly bombarded with on social media and in the news, but through something softer and more aesthetic – through the narrative of art as a reflection of the times. I want it to spark conversation and awareness while offering a moment of visual calm. At the same time, I hope it reminds viewers that imagination remains our most beautiful and accessible form of power, a means to envision change and create something better, even when so much feels beyond our control.”

How has NCX helped you think differently about building a sustainable art career?

“I have learnt that I need to be fully focused and deeply dedicated to my practice, trusting that with persistence, things will work out. I recognise the importance of seeking input. I’ve discovered that I am capable of achieving far more than I often believe. By embracing a process of change, I can arrive where I need to be with my work. Equally, I understand the need to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to me – in this case, mentorship.”

Has the experience opened any new doors or opportunities for you yet?

“Not yet, but the team has ensured we’ve received publicity, which has definitely increased our online presence.”

Looking ahead, what’s next for you, and if you could sum up your NCX experience in one word or phrase, what would it be?

“I’m definitely excited to continue pursuing my new concepts and techniques. The experience has reinforced my unwavering commitment to my art practice.”

Spotlighting South African Talent

Making Space runs from 6 November 2025 – 20 January 2026 at HUB Gallery, Union House, in Cape Town. | nandoscreativity.co.za

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.

The post Fleur De Bondt on ‘Making Space’ with Nando’s Creative Exchange appeared first on Visi.