• Stellenbosch Triennale

Stellenbosch Triennale: Reimagining Our Future Through The Lens of Art

Posted on Tue March 17, 2020.

The patient art of wine making, culinary delights and traditional Cape Dutch architecture has historically been associated with the Stellenbosch creative scene; but with the start of a new decade comes a refreshing and necessary kind of artistic expression through the inaugural Stellenbosch Triennial. This exciting new art exhibition opened on 11 February and will be running until 30 April, transforming this old, historic town into a destination for multidisciplinary contemporary art from across the African continent.

(Images: Stellenbosch Triennale Curators’ Exhibition Opening, Stellenbosch Triennale, 2020)

Chief curator Khanyisile Mbongwa hopes that through this exhibition we will be able to begin the process of healing through looking at the divided past, the collective present and the imagined future, by showcasing work from all over Africa for the world to see. “It takes public art in Stellenbosch to new heights in terms of its international reach, the scope and variety of the art to be showcased, as well as its intention to place creativity in critical dialogue with society.” (About | Stellenbosch Triennale, 2020).

(Image: On the Cusp Exhibition, Stellenbosch Triennale, 2020.)

The Stellenbosch Triennale features installations, dialogues and film as a responsive medium to the shifting landscape of visual engagement. Artists are completely free to expand on these traditional visual art mediums in however way they want. Unlike most festivals in town, you won’t have to contend with traffic and limited parking as this exhibition is best enjoyed on foot, giving you time to reflect on the deeper messages and engage with different perspectives or narratives along the way. With a total of eight exhibitions spread over Stellenbosch, you can access the map and plan your route here: map.

With art, you can do anything, and the Stellenbosch Triennale is testament to this, paving the way forward and asking us to think about the other not through connections but through the complexities of division.

(Image: On the Cusp Exhibition, Stellenbosch Triennale, 2020.)