Covid arrived, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom – in fact, something amazing happened! The Zeitz MOCAA opened its arms wide to the talented people of Cape Town. They hosted an art exhibition titled ‘Home Is Where The Art Is’ – ‘A love letter to art, artists and our city, Cape Town’ (Zeitz www).
22 October 2020 – 31 October 2021
All Capetonians with a creative flair, young or old, professional or hobbyist, could submit one work. Zeitz MOCAA received over 2000 pieces that were collated and curated into this spectacular visual ensemble.
On display was a plethora of disciplines, a mixed bag full of mediums, and a cornucopia of vivid and inspiring imaginations. It was a feast for the eyes.
The exhibition was divided into 5 themes
- The Garden
- The Outside
- The Inside
- Relations
- Time
THE GARDEN
‘Explores the life of plants, growth and cultivation’ – (Zeitz www).
There was so much to enjoy, or be inspired by – from children’s drawings, to famous South African names.
The bright, sun-yellow room showcased the garden ensemble beautifully. The art literally blossomed, like flowers in a garden.
Here are a few examples (all cropped) that caught my eye:
0744: Jackie O by Judy Bumstead
0126: Grotto Road by Anthony Hodge
THE OUTSIDE
‘Encompasses landscape and public space’ – (Zeitz www).
Gritty urban landscapes, rendered in expressionistic strokes, hung side-by-side next to naive interpretations of Cape Town drawn by children.
In some cases, rooms were allocated to a particular theme – for example the seascape room, was decorated in fresh blues and greens.
Here are a few examples (all cropped) that caught my eye:
0119: Cath on a Sunday by Jorg Dieckmann
THE INSIDE
‘Includes interiors, domestic spaces and inner psychological states’ – (Zeitz www).
The Inside theme was a real assortment of creative talent, which included exquisitely, detailed ceramics, and tongue-in-cheek sculptures. The range on display was huge, including fabric creations, to performance art videos, and so much more.
Here are a few examples (all cropped) that caught my eye:
0660: Bed on Bricks by Lissa Claasens
RELATIONS
‘Celebrates inter-connectedness, relationships and communities’ – (Zeitz www).
This was the largest ensemble. The rooms were stacked with very creative portraits. The variety was incredible; from childlike doodles to old-baroque-master-like portraits. There were tender pieces and thought-provoking political ones. Mediums on show included photography, linocut, ballpoint pen, paint, fabric, metal, ceramics, etc to name a few.
Here are a few examples (all cropped) that caught my eye:
1053: Qhama Ntyantayambo by Themba Mkhangeli
1280: The Beard is my Gender lll by Nomusa Musa Mtshali
0112: Threads of Plagueweeks by Bev Gillespie
TIME
‘Notes the passage and marking of time as well as abstract expressions’ – (Zeitz www).
This room was curated with mostly abstract work. It was a feast of textures, patterns and colours.
Here are two examples (cropped) that caught my eye:
One interactive wall piece had me engaged. It was titled ‘Becoming’ by Rain. Viewers were invited to join in. Pre-printed cards with “To live a more fulfilling life, I still hope to ...“ were left for people to fill in. Completed cards were placed the hundreds of pegs provided. These are a few that tickled my curiosity.
DC Miller (Signart) painted the names of exhibiting artists’ names over two walls in a beautifully presented text-inspired graphic. It took him multiple hours to arrange and paint all the names. It finally read as HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS. A creative and fitting way to end this amazing exhibition.
‘I am happy to exhibit, but not to put myself on exhibition.’ – Jean Cocteau