South African Art Scene in March 2015: Exhibitions, Zeitz MOCAA Concerns, and ARTTHROB Relaunch

In March 2015, South Africa's art scene saw significant activity, highlighted by several notable exhibitions. Kemang Wa Lehulere, the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year, presented his second major solo show at Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town, with reviewer Tim Leibbrandt noting his impactful work. Igshaan Adams exhibited at blank projects in Cape Town, where Lloyd Pollak observed Adams subverting Islamic iconographies to express discontent, diverging from South Africa's figurative trends. Penny Siopis had a retrospective, Time and Again, at the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town, praised as one of the best shows there; William Kentridge recalled competing with her for an art prize in 1980s Johannesburg. Meanwhile, anticipation grew for the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa's 2017 opening in Cape Town's Waterfront, though the Cape Town Art Fair was marred by dismay over the Zeitz MOCAA Ball, prompting an open letter to Jochen Zeitz and director Mark Coetzee. ARTTHROB relaunched with a new website design and backend, despite minor ongoing issues. The period featured numerous art fairs in Cape Town, set against a backdrop of sunny weather and distant concerns in the art world.