I attended the latest exhibition, Water Wars, of the world renowned Belgian artist William Sweetlove a month ago at the retro chic Club 9 on Bree Street (my first First Thursdays experience I might add). Now I’m no art fundi but I’d heard a lot about this exhibition through social media but had never got around to viewing it at the V and A Waterfront where some of the sculptures were displayed throughout the month of March. The evening also rang in the official launch of the Cape Town Art Agency by Dirk Durnez and William Vaesen.
Willam Sweetlove aims to spread awareness on the impacts of climate change through his unique artworks and has been doing so for almost 50 years through over 600 exhibitions worldwide. It is therefore fitting that Sweetlove and the Cape Town Art Agency, who represents the artist in Africa, have chosen the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to host his first exhibition in South Africa, after the successful pre-show of some of the large sculptures at the V and A Waterfront.
From 11 May to 11 June, Sweetlove’s Water Wars exhibition will be on display at Kirstenbosch, highlighting the reality of how the excesses of humanity are threatening our natural resources. The exhibition can be seen in two places in the garden – the Fisherman-hunter sculpture will be on display at the Old Dam and more than 60 penguin sculptures will be set up in the Vlei Garden. The message is simple:
“Water is temporary. Extinction is forever”.
The exhibition will be making its way through South Africa over the next couple of months, starting at Kirstenbosch in Cape Town and ending in Pretoria. Be sure not to miss it.
xxx Tulips & Phoenixes xxx
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What a great event to attend. Love that the art work brings awarness about Climate Change.