Special Projects at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair
A glimpse at Cabinet/Trophy and WALL — two of this year’s Special Projects at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair
Special Project: Cabinet/Trophy
Cabinet/Trophy is the 8th iteration of Exhibition Match’s curatorial project, continuing their exploration of unconventional exhibition formats that challenge traditional modes of display and engagement. Through this approach, this section invites 10 galleries from across the world to furnish their (Trophy) Cabinet with works that capture the broad essence of ‘Play’.
‘Play’ has the power to transform audiences from passive onlookers into active participants, reconfiguring how space is experienced. This curatorial approach offers an open-ended, dynamic interaction between artworks and viewers. When entering an art fair, a visitor is immediately greeted by an energetic buzz, voluminous spaces and bright lights, mimicking the experience at a sporting event. Both are spaces where creativity, contest and commerce converge. In South Africa, the arts and sports share a ministry, highlighting their roles as cultural exports and nation-builders. Yet, these fields also reflect societal complexities around identity, gender, and sexuality.
“Some forms of play reward their winners with trophies; these objects often signify success, yet they can also represent static symbols of the past – things that sit silently on the wall,” said Richards and Setai. “Our ‘cabinet’ aims to host all these types of trophies in a field of play. We welcome three-dimensional or sculptural work of any scale or medium and encourage submissions that embody the complete disparity in interpretations of the idea of ‘Play’. Welcoming associations that are equally obvious, obscure, wholesome and irreverent.”
Cabinet/Trophy blurs the lines between spectator and player, art object and prize, spectacle and critical discourse — reclaiming the playful spirit of artistic creation.
Participating galleries include: Candice Berman Gallery (Johannesburg, South Africa), Cellar Contemporary (Trento, Italy), EBONY/CURATED (Cape Town, Franschhoek, South Africa), Eclectica Contemporary (Cape Town, South Africa), Everard Read (Cape Town, Franschhoek, Johannesburg, South Africa and London, UK), Red Room Gallery (Cape Town, South Africa), Southern Guild (Cape Town, South Africa), The Melrose Gallery (Johannesburg, South Africa), WALL (Cape Town, South Africa), WORLDART (Cape Town, South Africa).
Special Project: WALL
Another of this year’s Special Projects features an exhibition by Wall — an established, modern gallery featuring innovative, contemporary artwork. Operating primarily in the secondary market, WALL presents exhibitions of exceptional images by South African artists who have succeeded in elaborating aesthetic languages that are innovative in approach to traditional and contemporary subject matter while remaining conscious of historical precedent.
WALL’s lineup of 8 artists at this year’s art fair is nothing short of iconic, featuring legendary South African artists across different eras and mediums, like Cecil Skotnes who pioneered modernist woodcut prints, and Sydney Kumalo who is well-known for reinterpreting African iconography through metal sculptures. The lineup also features art veterans Christo Coetzee, Penny Siopis, Robert Hodgins, Cinga Samson, and Willem Boshoff. Together, these artists are a beacon of inspiration for young artists, and a valuable addition to this year’s art showcase.
Investec Cape Town Art Fair runs from Friday 21 February to Sunday 23 February 2025
12:00 — 7:00 PM at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), 1 Lower Long Street.
