Zeitz MOCAA Presents 'Were It Not for Shadows …' Featuring Six Koyo Kouoh Atelier Artists
From 12 November 2026 to 29 August 2027, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) will host a group exhibition titled 'Were It Not for Shadows …' on Level 3. Curated by Dr. Phokeng Setai alongside fellows Bulelwa Kunene and Reem Aljeally, the exhibition showcases six artists based in Cape Town who participated in Koyo Kouoh Atelier residencies from 2019 to 2025: Kemang Wa Lehulere, Haroon Gunn-Salie, Thania Petersen, Igshaan Adams, Unathi Mkonto, and Berni Searle. Featuring diverse artistic expressions, the exhibition honors creative processes and draws inspiration from Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's 1933 essay and the 'Crystallist Manifesto' from Sudan. The museum, supported by the Mellon Foundation and BMW South Africa, is situated at V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, and welcomes visitors daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Key facts
- Exhibition dates: 12 November 2026 to 29 August 2027
- Location: Level 3, Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa
- Curated by Dr Phokeng Setai, assisted by Bulelwa Kunene and Reem Aljeally
- Artists: Kemang Wa Lehulere, Haroon Gunn-Salie, Thania Petersen, Igshaan Adams, Unathi Mkonto, Berni Searle
- Residencies took place between 2019 and 2025
- Title inspired by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's 1933 essay 'In Praise of Shadows'
- Second conceptual framework: 'Crystallist Manifesto' by the Crystallist School in Khartoum, Sudan
- Supported by the Mellon Foundation and BMW South Africa
Entities
Artists
- Kemang Wa Lehulere
- Haroon Gunn-Salie
- Thania Petersen
- Igshaan Adams
- Unathi Mkonto
- Berni Searle
- Dr Phokeng Setai
- Bulelwa Kunene
- Reem Aljeally
- Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
- Koyo Kouoh
Institutions
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
- Zeitz MOCAA
- Koyo Kouoh Atelier
- University of the Western Cape
- Zeitz MOCAA & University of the Western Cape (UWC) Fellowship Programme
- Crystallist School
- Mellon Foundation
- Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
- BMW South Africa
- BMW Group
- BMW Centre for Art Education
- MINI
- Rolls-Royce
- BMW Motorrad
Locations
- Cape Town
- South Africa
- Khartoum
- Sudan
- Silo District
- South Arm Road
- V&A Waterfront