Spier’s Manor House is now home to a new exhibition featuring leading South African artists.
Titled Occupants of the Inhabited, the exhibition showcases works by artists including Athi Patra-Ruga, Billie Zangewa, Thandiwe Msebenzi, and Igshaan Adams.
Curated by Kefiloe Siwisa in collaboration with Spier Arts Trust, the exhibition will be displayed through 2021 in this historic space, along with excerpts from interviews with some of the featured artists.
‘In a sense, the selected artists become occupants, the building’s second skin. The works have been selected to challenge the Manor House’s spatial history, exploring and acknowledging the physical and psychological impact of colonial architecture and how it sits in this moment of postcolonial movement, making, and transformations.’
Kefiloe Siwisa
The works invite viewers to consider the complexities of heritage preservation, recent appropriations, and repurposing of colonial sites.
‘These works cannot be asked to heal the spirit of place but rather they can bear witness to the weight of the past and carry new dialogues into the present,’ adds Siwisa.
The full list of exhibiting artists is: Athi Patra-Ruga, Ayana V Jackson, Billie Zangewa, David Koloane, Cinga Samson, Heidi Sincuba (performance), Igshaan Adams, John Murray, Restone Maambo, and Thandiwe Msebenzi.
Occupants of the Inhabited is open for the duration of 2021. The Spier Manor House is booked for events from time to time. Be sure to check availability online before your visit. Entry to the exhibition is free of charge. Read the full curatorial statement here.
