A hike up Table Mountain, the floral fantasy of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, watching the sunset from Signal Hill, enjoying the passing parade of people from all over the world at the V&A Waterfront, the stunning views from Cape Point and Chapman’s Peak Drive – these are among the many incredible experiences on offer in Cape Town.
But the city is also fast becoming the world’s newest art hot spot. For art aficionados, there are now attractions beyond the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London and the Louvre in Paris. Africa is finding its feet among the art capitals of the world – and not just because the traditional crafts that most people associate with the continent.
What characterises the art scene in Cape Town?
As with so many other forms of cultural expression, the art from Africa depicts the human experience of this region: people’s responses to colonial history, racism and other forms of bigotry, both institutional and unofficial, and the clash of progress with traditional practices and cultures.
These elements largely characterise the works of art on display in local art exhibitions, particularly at the two new additions to Cape Town’s art scene: the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (Mocaa) and the Norval Foundation Gallery. Read more