The inaugural HEAT Winter Arts Festival in Cape Town’s city centre between 12 and 21 July 2024 presents 14 art exhibitions alongside a lineup of jazz, opera and theatre performances, and Kizomba-dance programming. Spier Arts Trust and House Union Block have curated two compelling exhibitions for the festival, highlighting current and former members of the Creative Block programme.
Under the theme ‘Common Ground’ – which explores the necessary conditions for social coherence in times of economic, ecological and political turmoil – HEAT connects galleries, artists, performers, venues, collectors, theatre practitioners and epicureans during Cape Town’s cold and quiet month of July.
Homecoming at Union House celebrates the growth of the Spier Arts Trust community. With Nando’s continued support, Spier Arts Trust has facilitated artists’ career development for the past two decades, forming close relationships and fostering a community of artists which shares with, learns from, and encourages each other. The Creative Block programme, which invites select artists to create individual works on a small blank block to be exhibited together in a rich and striking expression of contemporary South African culture, has formed a unique common ground between many artists and afforded them a regular income.
Homecoming will focus on a cohort of Cape Town-based artists and former participants of the Creative Block community. Each artist will present new work, including a Creative Block artwork, offering collectors an opportunity to own work by established artists. Participating artists include Barbara Wildenboer, Dion Cupido, Elize Vossgätter, Elsabé Milandri, Khaya Sineyile, Kilmany-Jo Liversage, Lindile Magunya, Liza Grobler, Marlise Keith, Norman O’Flynn, Ricky Dyaloyi, Ronald Muchatuta, Selvin November, Shakes Tembani, Swain Hoogervorst, Tafadzwa Tega, Wonder Marthinus and Zemba Luzamba.
The second exhibition, Unfiltered, will be held at Sisonke Gallery at the Cape Heritage Hotel. In a world where art censorship is increasingly prevalent, Unfiltered will display work from artists participating in the Creative Block programme in an exhibition spotlighting art censorship. Subject matter such as political incorrectness, violence and sex are typically deemed inappropriate to draw attention to in public spaces but Unfiltered aims to give a voice to these silenced opinions by championing the authentic expression of artists.
Artists play a crucial role in challenging power and speaking out against oppression. As journalist Dashka Slater explained, they are ‘canaries in the coal mine…[having] a special role to play in sounding the alarm and pushing back against the forces that want to make us be quiet’. The artists featured in Unfiltered include Adrian Owen, Anthony Charles Morton, Andrew Weir, Cassian Robbertze, Chris Kriek, Effo Munguanzo, Elize Vossgätter, Ernest Fulani, Frank Coffie, Godfrey Mawethu Ntakana, Ilené Bothma, Jacob van Sckalkwyk, John Dickin, Judy Woodborne, Katherine Bull, Kufa Makwavarara, Ley Mboramwe, Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa, Lindile Magunya, Lizette Chirrime, Ludumo Maqabuka, Lynne Lomofsky, Madeleine van Manen, Makhosandile Mbuku, Mkhuseli Mramba, Mookie Chapman, Nicholas Hauser, Nkoali Nawa, Nosipho Nombuso Maseko, Paul Painting, Qhamanande Maswana, Ronald Muchatuta, Sandile Ashabangane Mhlongo, Sifiso Temba, Songezo Zantsi, Sue Greeff, Tharien Smith, Timothy Zantsi, Velile Soha, Wonder Marthinus, Xolile Mtakatya, Yael Feldman, Zandri Oosthuysen & Zolani Siphungela.
Together, these exhibitions find ‘Common Ground’ in championing artists as both income-generating professionals and beacons of authentic expression and questioning.
The Heat Festival concludes in July but these exhibitions are available for public viewing until the end of August 2024.
