Page 70 - Designing Ways 286

ALL ABOUT
ART

To Breathe and Pause

The Stellenbosch Triennale invites you to Rehearse for the Future

he Stellenbosch Triennale, a sociologist, sangoma and Chief Curator themes that explore spirit, breath and
pivotal event in the global art Khanyisile Mbongwa titled, BA’ZINZILE: improvisation. “I am in the labour of my
Tcalendar, will once again transform A Rehearsal for Breathing. purpose. My work is always expansive and
the historic town of Stellenbosch into The Stellenbosch Triennale debuted a deep-time conversation with amadlozi
a dynamic, open-air gallery from 19 in 2020 with a bold vision: to elevate (ancestors), uNkulunkulu (God/Source),
February to 30 April 2025. The brainchild Stellenbosch as a premier destination for and Abahlali (the collective of beings); as I
of the Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture multidisciplinary art in Africa, and to create move through and in the world, I’m invited
Trust (SOST), a non profit organisation a platform where public art and creativity into different geographical locations and
and supported by Outset Contemporary engage critically with society. The inaugural called into spiritual ancestral indigenous
Art Fund, the Triennale, that is free to event set a high standard with its array of conversations,” explains Mbongwa.
the public, promises to be a profound provocative installations and performances
exploration of art, community and that challenged visitors to rethink their A Tradition of Artistic Innovation
existence under the evocative theme by surroundings and themselves. The inaugural Stellenbosch Triennale
Building on this foundation, the 2025 took place at the start of the COVID-19
edition seeks to push boundaries even global pandemic, which cut the
further. As Chief Curator Mbongwa Triennale’s duration short and changed
explains, “For this Triennale I want us many lives. Project Director and Trustee,
to enter into a rehearsal space as a way Andi Norton, draws parallels to this year’s
of imagining how we can co-create in exhibition sub-theme of rehearsal. “We
the real world, how exhibition making in had no idea that it would only be open for
itself is a rehearsal space for the things we such a short time in 2020, we had worked
want to do. And as such, I have invited hard and sacrificed so much and to have it
artists to make their work on-site over all be shut down so soon was devastating.
a ten day period that can be recycled It was only after a year or two that we
or disintegrated back to land after the could start exploring doing another
Triennale, so as to minimise my carbon one.” Norton continues, “Only now can
footprint by not transporting artworks we look back on it and see the incredible
back and forth. In this way, we get to rehearsal space that it was for us. Through
enact a playfulness in the making and the theme, the curator is giving us, the
witnessing the work.” This commitment organisers and artists, permission to
to sustainability and process forms part experiment and play.”
of the curators' practice of Care & Cure. The theme, BA’ZINZILE: A Rehearsal
Mbongwa - a Stellenbosch university for Breathing, invites artists and
alumnus who works within public realm, audiences alike to contemplate the act of
interventions and interdisciplinary breathing — both a fundamental physical
practices - in this project heeded the process and a metaphor for resilience and
call from her ancestors to mediate on survival. “Breathing in states of duress,

70 Issue 286 • dw