Thanks to an ongoing partnership with the Norval Foundation, Western Cape’s beloved vineyard and historic farm, Boschendal, has recently added world-class art to its ever-growing list of reasons you absolutely need to make your way down there.
We were lucky enough to be invited to an immersive tour of their new exhibitions Horizon and Vessel curated by Clare Patrick and Stefan Hundt which celebrate unique collections of South African art.
So on a cold, wet, wintery morning, Cape {town} Etc’s Tauhira Ajam and a few media representatives were whisked away for a quintessential experience of fine art, ceramics, and citrus-inspired artisanal chocolates.
If an overcast sky or a little bit of rain is ever the reason you feel that today is not the day to visit the farm or the exhibitions, trust me when I say come hail, rain, or snow, Boschendal remains one of the most picturesque gems of the Cape Winelands no matter the elements.
HORIZON
The immersive experience begins before even entering the Manor House. Upon arrival, we were greeted by an abstract metal sculpture embodying both the guardian and host of the farm’s historic monument which houses the exhibitions.
With landscapes as its theme, Horizon is a group exhibition bringing together a century of tension, memory, and knowledge entangled into the physical spaces of our land’s past, present, and future.
The exhibition comprises landscapes ranging from the early 20th century to contemporary works selected from the Sanlam Art Collection by the likes of JH Pierneef, David Goldblatt, Maggie Laubser, and Nita Spilhaus.
As I walked through the exhibition, I found myself almost automatically pondering the paradoxical placement of these South African landscape pieces within the Manor House, built by french Huguenots, which in itself is steeped in a controversial past of displacement and servitude.
Something I believe the exhibition purposefully induces in order to bring the ongoing debates of our physical and conceptual lands to our attention.
Horizon is on until 27 September 2022.
VESSEL
In the room on the right, as you enter the Manor House, you are transported to Vessel, a world of textured art and ceramics adorned with artisanal wildflower arrangements by Mr Munro.
This room represents a commercial space celebrating the transformation of land into objects and the connection between land, material, and form; while the exhibition investigates the materiality of ceramics in the works, proposing the idea of ‘vessels’ as a culturally discursive object.
The group exhibition highlight recent works by three local ceramic artists – Alistair Blair, Jade Paton, and Ben Orkin – exhibited alongside selected artists from Art Gazette, a curated platform of acquired contemporary fine art.
What struck me most about the exhibition was the openness of the space. Unlike most museums that place their treasures underneath glass cages surrounded by ‘do not touch’ signs, the exhibition opted for accessibility, intimacy, and movement.
In addition to the pieces placed on platforms, there are pieces placed in an unlocked cabinet that visitors are welcome to open for an intimate encounter with the artists’ works.
All the pieces are available for sale ranging from affordable to slightly more expensive, embodying the concept of accessibility.
Vessel is on until 15 August 2022.
Whether you’re an art connoisseur or simply hooked on the intriguing elements of the pieces, a walkabout of the exhibitions offers a perfect opportunity to be immersed and informed. You can even join the curators for a personal, 30 to 60-minute guided tour to discover the ideas and stories behind the pieces.
The details:
- Monday to Sunday
- 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Entrance is free
- Walkabout date and times: Saturday 13 August 10 am, Sunday 24 September 11 am
WINE AND CITRUS CHOCOLATE
They say the Cape was always known for its generous hospitality. The tradition most certainly lives on to this day. In celebration of citrus season and in line with the concept of immersive art, we were treated to the treasures of the Boschendal landscape: handcrafted 56% dark citrus-inspired artisanal chocolate and wine tasting.
Disclaimer: I’m not a drinker so I can’t speak from personal experience. However, from observing my fellow media representatives, the 1685 pinotage with its cinnamon ganashe-filled chocolate pair and the Vin D’Or with its clementine curd-filled chocolate pair seemed to be the crowd’s favourites.
The chocolate and wine pairing experience as a whole was so satisfying that some even volunteered to stay and continue the party, in order to keep Jean le Long’s tradition of days-on-end-soirees alive.
Make of that what you will when planning your next visit to Boschendal.
Come for the art and stay for the wine, or come for the wine and stay for the art. Either way, you’re in for an unforgettable experience of the nuanced dialogue between the past and the present.
For more information, please visit www.boschendal.com.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc gallery
