MATEREALITY V2 Explores Materiality at Iziko South African National Gallery

The Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town is presenting 'MATEREALITY V2', an exhibition that focuses on the materiality of art, examining the social, cultural, and political histories embedded in the physical substances artists use. The show encourages viewers to look beyond image and form, considering how texture, surface, weight, and process transform ordinary materials into meaningful expressions. It highlights how materials carry traces of place, production, human labor, and inherited knowledge, prompting questions about value, memory, identity, and belonging. In an era dominated by screens, the exhibition advocates for close attention to the tangible, reminding audiences that art is not only seen but also made, handled, altered, and felt. The exhibition runs from 21 August 2026 to 30 June 2027 at the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town.