A bold new exhibition has brought together some of the most compelling artistic voices from South Africa and Africa to adorn the walls of the Mount Nelson Hotel.
The exhibition, in partnership with the Norval Foundation and curated by RESERVOIR is entitled: Disrupting the Dream: Surreal Narratives.
The showcase draws inspiration from the spirit of surrealism, an artistic movement originally rooted in a response to the anxieties of its time—war, colonialism, and the mechanisation of society.
Reframing Surrealism beyond its Eurocentric origins, curators Heinrich Groenewald and Shona van der Merwe of RESERVOIR have drawn on artistic expressions from across the Global South. “We started by thinking about leisure, slumber, dreaming and travelling,” they explained.
“And how a flurry of fantasy could take flight within Mount Nelson. By creating a focus on the power of the subconscious, we’re exploring motifs within figurative painting and photography that reach beyond mere representation, examining the works of African artists from the 60s until now through a renewed lens.”
The exhibition takes viewers on a journey from the external to the internal, with languid portraits and liminal spaces inviting discovery throughout Mount Nelson’s public areas. Visitors can sit among the artwork in the hotel’s legendary lounge or indulge in its infamous Afternoon Tea surrounded by works that challenge the imagination.
Comprising largely of figurative paintings, photography and mixed media, the exhibition includes pieces from a host of celebrated artists including Dada Khanyisa, Aviwe Plaatjie, Gregory Olympio, Kate Gottgens, Georgina Gratrix, Wole Lagunju, Portia Zvavahera, David Goldblatt, Zanele Muholi, Berni Searle, Cassi Namoda, Dawit L. Petros, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, Virginia Chihota, Mawande Ka Zenzile, Gerhard Marx, Cheri Samba, Richard Mudariki and Karel Nel.
The 19 artists beckon visitors into both the personal and collective subconscious, revealing the fluidity of African storytelling and the power of artistic metamorphosis. Portia Zvavahera’s intimate dreamlike compositions and Mawande Ka Zenzile’s layered landscapes reimagining the land as a site of memory invite the subconscious to take form. Disrupting the Dream brings historical narratives to life through an African lens.
“This exhibition allows us to highlight artists who are redefining visual storytelling in Africa,” said Caroline Greyling, Museum Director of Norval Foundation. “We are delighted to collaborate with Mount Nelson, a place deeply rooted in Cape Town’s cultural fabric, to present a collection that reflects the depth and diversity of artistic expression on the continent.”
The exhibition will be on display end October 2025.
Weekend Argus