The Crowned Crane Planter by Edwin Khomari
The Crowned Crane Planter by Edwin Khomari
Image: Supplied

Taking Flight Exhibition by Ardmore — Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel

 

Luxury homeware, fashion and ceramics brand Ardmore celebrates its 40-year anniversary with an exclusive exhibition will be taking place at Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel in Cape Town. Symbolising new beginnings and the brand’s continued growth in the creative industry, the exhibition entitled Taking Flight will provide a retrospective of Ardmore’s work throughout the years.  

Ardmore Design consists of a team of 53 local artists, ranging from painters to illustrators, whose work will be featured at the event. These artists include Senzo Ntshalintshali, the son of one of Ardmore’s founding artists Bonnie Ntshalintshali, sculptor Edwin Khomari, painter Mickey Chonco and sculptor Betty Ntshingila.

A central theme to the exhibition is the launch of their latest signature scarf design, “Phinda Pride”. Inspired by the lions at the Phinda Game Reserve, the design features two lions against the backdrop of a vibrant jungle. Much like many of their pieces, the detailed design features the colourful Turaco bird, known to symbolise freedom and new beginnings in African folklore. Resonating with the Turacos’ beauty and adaptability, the motif has inspired an entirely new collection that will be unveiled at the exhibition.

The “Taking Flight” exhibition runs from February 20-23 from 9am-5pm.

Georgina Gratrix Exhibition — Stevenson Gallery, Cape Town

Mexican-born, SA-raised Georgina Gratrix will present her latest works at her first solo exhibition at the Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town.

Gratrix is known for her expressive, impasto brushwork and bright, overly saturated colour palettes, often moving from textured, distorted portraits to childlike, expressionist still lifes. Her work offers a youthful, entertaining and occasionally mocking perspective, providing a provocative view of pop culture, personal experiences and a shifting view of her own existence.

The Georgina Gratrix exhibition opens on February 15 and will run until March 22. The gallery is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 10am-pm.

Georgina Gratrix, The Green Studio, 2024
Georgina Gratrix, The Green Studio, 2024
Image: Courtesy of Stevenson Gallery

iNtwasahlobo by Simphiwe Ndzube — Stevenson Gallery, Johannesburg

Eastern Cape-born multi-media artist Simphiwe Ndzube will present iNtwasahlobo, a solo exhibition of paintings at the Stevenson Gallery, Johannesburg.

Ndzube, who currently lives and works between Los Angeles and Cape Town, uses objects, media and 2D surfaces within his work to express his personal experience as a black man in post-apartheid SA. He often takes a mythological approach, exploring themes of African folklore, apartheid, history and world-building. The iNtwasahlobo exhibition will focus solely on the artist’s paintings, known for their magical realism and 3D approach.

The iNtwasahlobo exhibition opens February 8 from 10am-1pm at the Stevenson Gallery in Randburg, Johannesburg. Ndzube will give a walkabout of the exhibition on the day of the opening at 11am.

Simphiwe Ndzube, Untitled, 2024
Simphiwe Ndzube, Untitled, 2024
Image: Supplied

Ernest Cole: House of Bondage: Vintage works from the Ernest Cole Family Trust — Part 3 — Goodman Gallery, Cape Town

The Goodman Gallery is presenting the final iteration of their three-part exhibition “Ernest Cole: House of Bondage: Vintage works from the Ernest Cole Family Trust” in Cape Town this month.

After two major exhibitions in London and the publication of House of Bondage and The True America, republished in 2022 and 2023, this exhibition focuses on perspectives from SA and features critical analysis and insights on Cole’s work from various artists, writers and curators. Part 1 of the exhibition took place in London last November while part 2 is currently available for viewing in Paris, with each part focusing on different chapters within the SA photographer’s work.

Cole’s book House of Bondage, which was originally published in 1967, provides a candid view of the horrors and everyday violence that took place under the apartheid regime. Cole’s expansive body of work explores this oppression in a variety of settings, from the healthcare system to the mines. The exhibition will present a series of rare vintage prints that reveal the breadth of the work the photographer created during his career.

The ‘Ernest Cole: House of Bondage: Vintage works from the Ernest Cole Family Trust — Part 3’ exhibition happens at the Goodman Gallery in Cape Town from February 8 to March 20. The Goodman Gallery is open from 9am-5pm on weekdays and 9am-4pm on Saturdays.

Ernest Cole in exile, New York
Ernest Cole in exile, New York
Image: Courtesy of the Ernest Cole Family Trust

The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize 2025 finalists’ exhibition — Norval Foundation, Cape Town

The Norval Foundation, in collaboration with The Sovereign Art Foundation, will unveil the work of the finalists participating in the Norval Sovereign African Art Prize (NSAAP) 2025, sponsored by Schroders. Launched in 2021, the NSAAP provides a platform to celebrate the work of contemporary artists across Africa by increasing their global exposure and raising funds for art education programmes on the continent. During the finalists’ exhibition, the judging panel of global art specialists will visit the exhibition and select a grand prize winner who will be announced on February 18. The winning artist will receive a cash prize of $35,000 and a solo exhibition at the foundation next year.

This year, the finalists’ exhibition will feature the work of 28 artists from 18 countries with mediums ranging from painting and photography to sculpture and mixed media. Each piece explores the unique cultural and social structures of the artist’s homeland while showcasing the innovative practices that define the African art scene. The exhibition will be open to the public from February 4 to April 20.

The Norval Sovereign African Art prize 2025 finalists’ exhibition will run from February 4 to April 20 at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town. The Norval Foundation is open from 10am-5pm from Wednesday to Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Alioune Diouf, The Egg of the Spirit #2
Alioune Diouf, The Egg of the Spirit #2
Image: Supplied

Unfinished Symphony by Pascal Konan — The Melrose Gallery, Johannesburg

The Melrose Gallery presents “Unfinished Symphony” by Pascal Konan.

Born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, Konan is a mixed-media artist whose work explores the intersections between identity, memory and resilience, through the lens of the artist’s vibrant community and the precarity that lies beneath. Konan has won several awards, including the Christian Lattier in 2014, which allowed for a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and now teaches painting at his alma mater.

The “Unfinished Symphony” series features denim as a signature material, on which Konan uses bleach to produce a range of shades for depth and texture, alongside acrylic paints and Chinese ink. This series shows Konan’s exploration of the shifting narratives of the African identity due to the coexistence of tradition and modernity in an increasingly urbanised Africa.

The ‘Unfinished Symphony’ exhibition runs from February 7 to March 9 at The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg and no RSVP is required.

Pascal Konan, Heroes of Life
Pascal Konan, Heroes of Life
Image: Courtesy of The Melrose Gallery
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