The Stellenbosch Triennale returns from 19 February to 30 April 2025 with three exhibitions that embody the rich interplay of past, present and future in global art. From the Vault, In the Current and On the Cusp —under the curatorship of Khanyisile Mbongwa, Chief Curator of the Stellenbosch Triennale, with Assistant Curator Dr Mike Mavura — encourage audiences to engage in interrogating space, time and history. The 2025 Stellenbosch Triennale, free to the public, invites artists and audiences to explore the evocative theme BA’ZINZILE: A Rehearsal for Breathing, which contemplates breathing as both a fundamental physical act and a metaphor for resilience and survival.
Launched in 2020, the Stellenbosch Triennale 2025 thrives through the collaborative efforts of the non-profit Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust (SOST) and its supporter, the Outset Contemporary Art Fund. These partnerships ensure that public art continues to transform Stellenbosch into a vibrant hub of culture and dialogue. “As an educator, mentor and practising artist, I greatly respect this century’s generation. It is preparing to carry forward the struggle for social-conscious freedom of artistic expression,” says Dr Rose Kirumira, SOST Trustee and current artist-in-residence at Stellenbosch University.
From the Vault, In the Current and On the Cusp are profound and immersive experiences designed to connect the past and present while sparking dialogue about the future of art, culture and society. Mbongwa reflects, “I’m more curious about what the artists will create or how they will engage with the space and the theme. Which path will they choose? Perhaps even one that I, as a curator, am unaware of — because, like anyone else, I have blind spots. There are things I don’t always see, and through the artist, something new is revealed.” The creative process Mbongwa has introduced is deeply exploratory, with artists arriving with only ideas that evolve organically as they respond to the place over 10 days in Stellenbosch.
Taking place at the Rupert Museum & Stellenbosch University Museum, From the Vault exhumes archives and buried museum collections to recontextualise historical narratives. It offers a space where hidden works are brought to light, allowing for an unravelling of history and an undoing of rigid narratives. From the Vault shows how the artefacts in museum collections are not just relics but tools for imagination and transformation.
This year’s featured artists are Kemang wa Lehulere (South Africa), Lungiswa Joe (South Africa), world-renowned ceramicists and sculpture artists Andile Dyalvane (South Africa) and Sisonke Papu (South Africa) who demonstrate the enduring power of ceramics, clay – or udaka, in Nguni languages. “Udaka reflects African heritage, serving as a historical and archaeological archive that stores knowledge of the land. Andile and Sisonke – embody this lineage while reimagining it through their art. I’m engaging them as Abe’Mbo, people representing the broader Southern African community, instead of a singular South African tribe,” explains Mbongwa.
A new addition to the Stellenbosch Triennale, this exhibit explores urgent global narratives and contemporary artistic expressions. Participating artists include: Alexandre Kyungu Mwilambwe (Democratic Republic of Congo), Aline Motta (Brazil), Aziz Hazara (Afghanistan), Lebohang Kganye (South Africa), Simphiwe Ndzube (South Africa), Thierry Oussou (Benin), Torkwase Dyson (United States of America) and William Miko (Zambia).
Referencing one of the featured artists whose country has just gone through a major political turning point, Mbongwa says about the USA’s Torkwase Dyson’s work, “Her practice integrates abstraction, black geographies and architecture, creating a space for reflection on histories of identity, resilience and refusal. Torkwase’s work is a continuous reflection on historical, current and future ‘American’ realities and what that can mean for Black-Indigenous peoples. What intrigues me is how her perspective will shift when placed in Stellenbosch, a location with its own fraught history. South Africa and America share parallel experiences of oppression and resilience and I’m curious to see how her work bridges these contexts, exploring black geographies across the transatlantic divide. For me, America and South Africa are two sides of the same coin”.
On the Cusp
Designed to spotlight emerging artists from Africa and the diaspora, On the Cusp serves as an incubator for creativity and innovation. “This exhibition represents a generation of artists unafraid to confront complex histories and reimagine them,” says Dr Kirumira.
Featured artists include: Astrid González (Colombia/Chile), Helen Zeru (Ethiopia), Kasangati Godelive Kabena (Democratic Republic of Congo), Manyaku Mashilo (South Africa), Nandele Maguni (Mozambique), Simphiwe Buthelezi (South Africa), Takunda Regis Billiat (Zimbabwe) and Tuli Mekondjo (Namibia).Dr Kirumira explains the significance of having the Stellenbosch Triennale challenge artists by creating artworks in real time, “Artists are physical entities, they have no other choice but to engage with spatial realities and dimensions”, emphasising that creating meaningful connections between the artists’ work, the audience and their surrounding environment is crucial. Together, these exhibitions will transform Stellenbosch into a canvas for creativity, reflection, and dialogue.
For more information, visit the Stellenbosch Triennale website.