The upcoming international showcase, extraordinary in terms of international reach and extent of art on show, will place creativity in critical dialogue with the society that fosters and exhibits it. The theme Tomorrow There Will Be More of Us informs the further seven multidisciplinary platforms – that provide meeting points for engagement with the divided past, the collective present and imagined futures.
The Curators’ Exhibition compiled by chief curator, Khanyisile Mbongwa, with two Triennale co-curators: Bernard Akoi-Jackson and Nontobeko Ntombela will feature 20 artists from a range of African countries, and will interpret the theme.
The multidisciplinary art exhibition situated inside The Woodmill and on the surrounding precinct, will provide a gateway where visitors will be introduced to the Triennale’s other exhibitions and installations. Says Mbongwa: “African creatives confront us with what is possible for a renewal to happen utilising art as a lens, a course correction, a stimulus around curiosity and imagination. Through the Triennale, we bring work from the continent to the southernmost tip as an intersection of time – where the past, present and future are in dialogue.”
The journey of the Stellenbosch Triennale will take in various sites of engagement:
On the Cusp will be a critical engagement by graduating visual art students and emerging visual artists from across the continent with the concept of being at an apex before the onset of something. Ten emerging artists will be invited to participate from countries across Africa.
From the Vault exhumes archives and engages with buried museum collections as a critical resource in contextualising and mapping contemporary society and culture. As part of the education programme, it focuses on art history as a mirror to society.
The Pavilion designed by award-winning architect Pieter Mathews and situated on the centrally located Die Braak in town will provide a platform for education, talks, information gathering and dialogue. The pavilion itself will be an artwork, temporary in nature, highlighting the ethos of the sponsor and the curator, speaking to social and environmental issues.
Concepts of Freedom Film Festival is curated by Kenyan filmmaker Silas Miami and will be shown throughout the town. Venues will be both outdoors and indoors; workshops will be held for aspiring filmmakers.
Performative Art Practices Festival is to be curated by celebrated South African curator and choreographer Jay Pather and Bernard Akoi-Jackson and will use as its location the town of Stellenbosch, allowing for dialogue with its history and architecture.
The Imaginarium will provide a unique learning opportunity for learners of all ages. It will provide a supplementary, online, open source (free) discovery/learning resource centre, accessed through the Triennale website. It is designed to stimulate imagination and support 21st century learning skills.
For more information, visit Stellenbosch Triennale’s website.
