Hermanus is gearing up for the twelfth FynArts Festival from 7 to 17 June 2024, when a burst of creative activity will provide mid-winter entertainment and inspiration to festival goers from far and wide.
With an extensive programme jam-packed with exhibitions, performances, talks and presentations, various workshops, and food and wine events, FynArts appeals to a broad palate of artistic tastes and preferences.
This fusion of an arts festival and a winter school is also enthusiastically supported by art lovers for the range of exhibitions showcasing both groups and individuals. And the many charms of the town itself, nestling between fynbos-clad mountains and the ocean, with quaint coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and speciality shops, are an added bonus.
FynArts Legacy Award
William Kentridge is the recipient of the 2024 FynArts Legacy Award, bestowed in recognition of his longstanding and distinctive contribution to the arts in South Africa and beyond. William will also be the opening speaker of the Strauss & Co Series of Talks and Presentations on SAT 8 June at 09:00 in the Dutch Reformed Church, Hermanus. He will present his talk directly after being presented with the Legacy Award by the author, Christopher Hope, a member of the FynArts Advisory Board.
William Kentridge
Sculpture on the Cliffs
The visual arts remain a cornerstone of the Hermanus FynArts Festival, with its flagship outdoor exhibition of large sculptures taking advantage of the natural splendour of this popular seaside town. Exposed to the elements and weather conditions of all four seasons, these large sculptures have become part of the landscape, always engaging with the environment and the changing moods of the sea.
Strategically installed around the panoramic lookout at Gearing’s Point, Sculpture on the Cliffs features eleven artists, five of whom have previously taken part in the exhibition. They are Gordon Froud, Ian Redelinghuys, Jaco Sieberhagen, Jean Theron Louw, and Strijdom van der Merwe. The new artists who will take part for the first time this year are Janko de Beer, Wehrner Lemmer, Nkhensani Rihlampfu, Paul Stein, Mark Swart, and Francois Visser.
Following William Kentridge’s talk, festival goers can head off to the Windsor Hotel for the panel discussion titled Talking Sculpture. During this session a number of the eleven artists who have contributed to this year’s exhibition will engage in a discussion on the artwork each has created within the context of public art. Directly after Talking Sculptures on SAT 8 June at 11:00 in the Windsor Hotel, the opening of the Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition will follow at Gearing’s Point at 12:30.
Mark Swart – Sculpture on the Cliffs
Indoor Sculptures
All previous participants in Sculpture on the Cliffs are invited annually to exhibit a number of smaller works at an indoor venue. Previously known as Art in the Auditorium, this exhibition will be on display this year in The Marine Hotel. The thirteen participating artists include Nanette Ranger and Karen Lijnes, along with all eleven who will have a large work as part of Sculpture on the Cliffs.
The Marine is an iconic establishment with a colourful history. Perched on the cliffs above Walker Bay, this venue enjoys an equally spectacular setting and is filled with natural light. The Municipal Auditorium, which previously hosted the smaller sculpture exhibition, will be utilised as a festival hub this year – a place where festival goers can sit back and relax between events, or meet up with friends and enjoy light refreshments.
Chromatic Clay
Once again curated by Liz Coates, the annual ceramics exhibition in the Windsor Hotel has become a favourite among festival goers. After many years it was decided the time had come for this highly successful group exhibition to have a slightly new format. This year it will feature a larger selection of works by twelve artists – Catherine Brennan, Sandile Cele, Mark Chapman, Ella Cronjé, Gretchen Crots, Dale Lambert, Carin Dorrington, Adela Friedmann, Charmaine Haines, Sonia Kastner, Hennie Meyer, and Margot Rudolph. The focus will be colourful, fun, quirky, different.
As is always the case with the highly skilled contemporary artists who take part in FynArts ceramic exhibitions, these participants also have their own artistic approach and specific language to address their audience in the way they want their work to speak and communicate their own distinctive meaning. Chromatic Clay will be opened by guest speaker Nada Spencer on SAT 8 June at 10:30 in the Windsor Hotel.
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- Sonja Kastner
Nanette Ranger | Haven
Festival Artist
The fourth major exhibition is a solo show of photographic work by this year’s FynArts Festival Artist, Mikhael Subotzky, in the FynArts Gallery. Curated by the Subotzky Studio and Goodman Gallery, this exhibition draws from Mikhael’s early photographic works as well as more recent related collage and works on canvas. Currently based in Johannesburg, Mikhael’s works are the results of his fractured attempts to place himself in relation to the social, historical and political narratives that surround him.
As an artist working in film, video installation and photography, as well as more recently in collage and painting, he engages critically with contemporary politics of representation. His works are found in public and private collections around the world, including the MoMA in New York, Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Tate Modern in London and South African National Galleries, among others. The opening of this exhibition by Bina Genovese will be on SAT 8 June at 14:00 in the FynArts Gallery.
Mikhael Subotzky | Photo By Alexander Edwards
Hermanus Art Walk
In addition to the group shows and the Festival Artist exhibition, the galleries in the Hermanus CBD that form part of the First Fridays Art Walk will each be hosting an exhibition specially curated for the festival, as well as a number of studios. Festival goers are welcome to stroll from gallery to gallery, where they will meet the artists and gallerists who have contributed to Hermanus’ growing reputation as an art destination of note.
How to Book
Ticket sales opened on 16 March and the full programme, which includes several art-related presentations and various art workshops, can be found at hermanusfynarts.co.za. For accommodation options, click on Stay in Hermanus/Accommodation.
Tickets can be booked via the website, at Webtickets, Pick ‘n Pay stores countrywide, as well as Hermanus Tourism and the FynArts Gallery. The 2024 FynArts programme booklet is available at selected outlets in Hermanus, Cape Town, and further afield. These outlets will be listed and updated regularly in the coming weeks. The details can be found via a link on the home page of the FynArts website.