The Must-See Architectural Wonder Giving A Voice To African Art Cape Town's New Museum of Contemporary Art – the Zeitz MOCAA – is a Game Changer for All.
Built in a 1920s grain silo, which was once the tallest building in Africa, the Zeitz MOCAA is the first of its kind, dedicated solely to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. "This Museum is a symbol, an icon, of the confidence we feel about being African, the confidence that we feel about our place in the world. And that's what makes this so extraordinary," explains former Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz MOCAA, Mark Coetzee, who was recently succeeded by Koyo Kouoh.
It's not just the works on display within the Zeitz MOCAA that makes it such an impressive establishment, but the building that houses them, which is also a work of art in its own right. Long before it was decided that the decommissioned grain silo would become a world-class museum, V&A Waterfront had already begun talks with acclaimed British architect Thomas Heatherwick, to explore possibilities.
These discussions eventually evolved into designs for an art museum with 9500 square metres of gallery and exhibition space across nine floors, in the 57-metre tall historic site. The distinctive central cavity, an atrium and light source for the museum, carved through a number of the original 42 closely-packed silos, is a remarkable feature.
On the topic of its unique design, Heatherwick Studios explains, "Rather than strip out the evidence of the building's industrial heritage, we wanted to find a way to celebrate it." Other partners in the development included architectural firms VDMMA , Jacobs Parker and Rick Brown and Associates.
The Museum is the gem of the recently refurbished Silo District in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront. The area is becoming increasingly popular, putting Cape Town on the international stage as an up-and-coming destination for cultural exchange. The project, finished in late 2017, was the brainchild of a collaboration between V&A Waterfront, Mark Coetzee and German businessman turned philanthropist, Jochen Zeitz, whom the museum is named after. However, these parties had been planning such a venture years earlier unbeknown to one another before joining forces. As stated by V&A Waterfront spokesperson, Carla White, the total investment into the Silo District project by V&A Waterfront shareholders Growpoint and The Government Employee Pension Fund is estimated to be worth "over R2.5-billion".
Interestingly, the majority of the art at the museum is on loan from the Zeitz Collection, but only for the lifetime of its collector, Jochen Zeitz. This raises questions about the future of the museum, especially since other namesake galleries such as the Tate or Guggenheim have been bestowed their respective collections permanently. Nevertheless, there is an extensive and intriguing array currently on display. The following exhibitions, which I had the pleasure of viewing recently, are all breaking new ground.
Inspired by Pendleton Ward's comic 'Adventure Time', this exhibition investigates the evolving nature of progress in post-colonial Africa and the "phenomenon of travel and migration," referencing both real and imaginative destinations. One particular artist, Cristina de Middel, looks into the dreams of Edwuard Makuka Nkoloso, a Zambian science teacher, translator, resistance fighter and a sergeant, who founded the Zambia National Academy of Science, Space Research and Philosophy in 1960. His goal was to beat American and Soviet organisations in the race to the moon. Edwuard dubbed his team 'the Afronauts', also the title of Cristina's narrative body of work featuring letters, photographs, and diagrams.
It explores various themes through seven sections: shemurenga, politics, land, spirituality, patonaz, memory, and diaspora. Duncan Wylie and Richard Mudariki are two of the artists exhibited, both with their own unique perspective. Duncan has three paintings in the exhibition, including 'Self Construct' (2018), which explores empowerment in the Zimbabwean context of inequality, economic crisis, and displacement. On the other hand, Richard subverts well-known symbols and figures to voice his concerns, as can be seen in his 2011 painting 'The Passover', which is an appropriation of Leonardo da Vinci's, 'The Last Supper'.
The Zeitz MOCAA is undeniably one of the most striking buildings in all of Cape Town and houses an incredible collection of contemporary African artwork. Innovatively displayed and brilliantly curated across thought-provoking exhibitions, these artworks allow visitors to gain a deep understanding of Africa as it is today. Exploring each artist's unique perspectives gives visitors an insight into the history of such a diverse continent and the current conditions that have stemmed from past events. I strongly believe there is no better way to learn about a culture than through the mind and eyes of its people. In addition, this groundbreaking venture fills a gap in the art world in representing the artists of Africa and its diaspora, giving them a much-needed voice on the global stage.
Previous article Kayaking with Dolphins at Sunrise!