The 12th edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Africa’s largest contemporary art fair, confirmed its status as a dynamic platform for local and international exhibitors to showcase a full spectrum of contemporary artworks and practices. With 30 first-time exhibitors and an impressive range of diverse artworks, from innovative materials to bold new artistic expressions, the fair showcased 124 international exhibitors, presenting works by 500 artists from 58 countries and drew over 30,000 visitors.
e fair continues to maintain a unique balance between local and international galleries, acting as a vital space for discovery, networking and fostering meaningful connections for collectors and galleries from around the world on the African continent,” says Laura Vincenti, Director of Investec Cape Town Art Fair. “This year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair invited exhibitors to reimagine the role of art as an interactive and transformative experience, with a focus on artistic process and experimentation.”
“It was also rewarding to see the curatorial theme of PLAY interpreted through the creative exploration of innovative use of materials. This reflects the global shift towards reimagining traditional art forms and embracing diverse, tactile materials in contemporary art,” added Vincenti.
Emerging talent and diverse artistic practices
The emphasis on emerging talent was noticeable across the fair, which comprised a robust Main section surrounded by impactful curated sections overseen by five independent curators. The outcome was a rich plurality of work, ranging from paintings to multi-media installations and sculpture, alongside presentations of photography, ceramics and textiles. Tomorrows/Today, a much-loved section curated by Dr Mariella Franzoni, drew attention to the resurgent popularity of fibre art, with four solo presentations of textile pieces from Asma Ben Aissa (Blue Wind Project), Soukaina Joual (Spiaggia Libera), Georgina Maxim (Goodman Gallery) and Anthony Ngoya (Galerie Caroline O’Breen), amongst others.
Emerging artists working in transformative ways were awarded noteworthy prizes. Cameroonian multi-media artist Agnes Essonti Luque (The Over, Barcelona) received the prestigious Tomorrows/Today Prize, an important early-career accolade presented to emerging and under-represented artists. Adjudicated by three international judges, the prize included a cash award of R80 000, sponsored by Fiera Milano Exhibitions Africa, the fair’s producers. Collaborating South African artists Ben Stanwix and Xhanti Zwelendaba (Reservoir, Cape Town) received the inaugural Investec Emerging Artist Award. The RDC Acquisition Prize, awarded to an artist who aligns with RDC Property Group’s values and goals, went to Egyptian collagist Ibrahim Khatab (Eclectica Contemporary, Cape Town).
Painting continued to feature strongly. No style or genre dominated in the work on display, hinting at shifting interests and tastes after a period in which figurative painting was dominant. This anything-goes zeitgeist was palpable in the solo exhibitions of emerging African painters Joy Adeboye (AMG Projects, Lagos), Thando Phenyane (Eclectica Contemporary, Cape Town) and Adeoluwa Oluwajoba (Soto Gallery, Lagos). Another solo exhibitor, Lilianne Kiame (Jahmek Contemporary Art, Luanda) underscored painting’s limber, on-the-go qualities when she completed two site-specific paintings on the night before the fair’s effervescent VIP opening.
Sculptures and ceramics were powerfully present, too. Curators Alexander Richards and Dr Phokeng Setai’s Cabinet/Trophy section featured three-dimensional and sculptural works inhabiting an imaginary trophy cabinet, and featured emerging artists Boytchie (Martin Projects, Cape Town) and Geena Wilkinson (WORLDART, Cape Town) showing alongside prominent artists like Zanele Muholi (Southern Guild, Cape Town & Los Angeles) and Brett Murray (Everard Read, Cape Town). Curator Céline Seror’s SOLO section featured ceramics by Frances Goodman (SMAC, Cape Town) and bronzes by Stanislaw Trzebinski (Southern Guild, Cape Town & Los Angeles) amongst others.
An energetic programme of guided art walks, talks, in-fair and after-hours hospitality further enhanced the experience of the fair’s growing number of VIP guests. The Art Walks programme, curated by Art School Africa – who also curated the talks series – offered both new and returning visitors exclusive insights into the captivating works on display. A related programme of talks and panel discussions, supported by iTOO Artinsure, brought together established professionals to discuss hot-button topics like studio practice, branding, digital media, social and environmental responsibility, as well as how African artists are reshaping global narratives. A spacious layout and exciting ticket options contributed to the fair’s success and made it an enjoyable experience for those who attended. An expanded The Outside Courtyard, along with off-site activations with collaborators like The Gin Bar, for an after-hours hub, and AKJP Studio, showcasing a pop-up window display with rotating artworks by local exhibiting galleries, were all hits amongst visitors.
Now entrenched as the preeminent event in South Africa’s arts calendar, the 2025 Investec Cape Town Art Fair provided impetus for important exhibition openings and social events at the Iziko South African National Gallery, Norval Foundation and Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. The launch of the second Stellenbosch Triennale also coincided with the fair’s dates, adding to the astonishing riches available to international collectors and industry professionals visiting Cape Town in 2025.
The forthcoming 13th edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair (20-22 February 2026) will return in 2026 with diverse and innovative presentations from galleries that visualise a new and always-transforming world. Exhibitor applications will open in May 2025.
Article by Joburg Style.
