From the Mundane to the Sublime. ZeitzMOCAA. Cape Town.
The Waterfront complex, located on Cape Town’s foreshore presents a sprawling mix of shops, businesses, restaurants and hotels. An entertainment arena for both locals and tourists, it includes open air activities and enclosed malls. Overlooked by Table Mountain and fronted by a gloriously busy harbour with working boats, yachts and the QEII from time to time, it now boasts the newly opened ZeitzMOCAA. A soaring receptacle for contemporary art from the continent of Africa which arose from an inspired collaboration between Mark Coetzee, the curator, Jochen Zeitz, the collector, and the Waterfront property management.

The vision for restructuring the old grain silos of a bygone era into a cathedral like space for African contemporary art, lies solely with the UK design and architectural firm of Thomas Heatherwick. The interior inspiration, according to the firms spokesman was taken from the kernels of grain that were stored within the silo. The interior has cut out loops which define the spaces and create lift shafts and stairwells. Galleries run off either side of the floors. The stair climbing experience alone allows one to feel the cavernous internal space, a rotunda, with viewing platforms at each level, with sight lines onto the extraordinary flying dragon, by Nicholas Hlobo.
Once inside, the soaring space one can only compare it to being inside a cathedral of light and purpose. The scale overwhelms and the gaze turns upwards to the massive lightwells which fill the gallery natural light. It’s awe inspiring.
The galleries contain the best contemporary art works and the collections include work from many diaspora artists. Some favourites are listed below.
Zimbabwian artist Kudzani Chiurai: {in Exile} a retrospective of Multimedia works, including an example [below] of a special collaboration with South African Couture Queen, Marianne Fassler, who deigned the bloodied dress which appears in his work entitled “16SNLV” (a film classification defining the age at which it is permissible to be exposed to sex, nudity, [coarse] language and violence) & takes on issues of violence and mourning in the public realm.
Dress from Moyo. In collaboration with Marianne Fassler
Kudzani Chiurai. State of the Nation. Bronze. Edition of 5 + 1 AP
A wonderful William Kentridge. [South Africa] a light and shadow play video installation. “More Sweetly Play The Dance”
A spectacular wall hanging from El Anatsui. [Ghana]
Cyrus Kabiru. Macho 05 2014. [Kenya]
A floor photographs, showing a series of masks [150 x120] [ Pigment ink on HP Premium Satin Photographic paper. ] But where were the masks? Intricate sculptural works made from found material, pushing the boundaries of conventional craftmanship.
A floor dedicated to Swazi artist Nandipha Mntambo.

The scene is now set. Cape Town offers more than beautiful vineyards, good wine, great restaurants, beaches and fun. It has captured the ultimate art venue in the ZeitzMOCCA museum for an entire continent. Time to pay a visit!
