Schools might have closed on 11 July, the opening day of the HEAT Festival, however, the storm had fortunately already blown its way through Cape Town and the 15 galleries that participated in the inaugural edition filled with curious people that evening.
- This was a testament to the fact that if there are interesting cultural events, inclement weather doesn’t stop Capetonians from appreciating art – or jazz. The Central Methodist Church rocked to the sounds of Operation Khataza, which closed the first evening of this new festival, including opera, theatre and comedy.
This week the festival is bursting with interesting and varied events, from art, opera in galleries and churches, National Arts Festival hits and a night of standup, giving locals a reason to brave the cold.
Art eventsÂ
It will be the last week to catch 15 exhibitions curated to the ‘Common Ground‘ theme which are showing at; artHarare, The AVA, Christopher Moller, Ebony/Curated, Eclectica Contemporary, Kalashnikovv, 99 Loop Gallery, Iziko South African National Gallery, Michaelis Galleries, Nel Gallery, Reservoir Projects, Sisonke Gallery, Under the Aegis, Union House by Spier Arts Trust, Vela Projects and WORLDART.
Two walkabouts of selected exhibitions guided by HEAT curators will take place on Friday 19 July at 4pm (with Nkgopoleng Moloi) and Saturday 20 July at 12pm with Voni Baloyi. Lebo Kekana, the curator of Reservoir’s exhibition of works all fashioned from wood in the exhibition, iSenzo Sak’dala , will be in conversation with art dealer Anelisa Mangcu of Under the Aegis.
Theatre’s big hitters
Two of the shows this week by Aldo Brincat, The moon looks delicious from Here, and Pichi Keane, with Freshly Squeezed, picked up Standard Bank Ovation Awards at the recent National Arts Festival. Rob van Vuuren’s Dangled, a dark, psycho-sexual horror, which heads to the Edinburgh Festival next week, will also be a highlight, having picked up numerous awards since it debuted.
Sue Pam-Grant‘s dark feminist performance-cum-installation, why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night, was a sell-out show last weekend and will be on at 2pm this Saturday at Iziko SA National Art Gallery. This is an ideal setting for a work that meditates on overlooked female artists. (see Instagram HERE)
Opera paired with art
Acclaimed conductor and pianist Jeremy Silver has curated three operatic concerts to tie in with the Common Ground theme of the festival and art. The second of which, connected voices, will be performed in the cavernous Central Methodist Church by some of Opera UCT’s most promising students – Connected Voices on 19 July at 6pm. Four tenors, Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi, Luvo Maranti (photo above), Dumisa Masoka and Vuyisa Xipu, will feature in a programme on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at Spin Gallery.
Kizomba and comedy
Angolan salsa workshops led by a leading dancer from that country, Klinsmann Ferreira, will break the ice between strangers and get people in touch with their bodies and the rhythm on Wednesday 17th and Saturday 20th at 8pm.
A night of stand-up-comedy curated by S’Qhamo Mangcu and Nishen Pather, headlined by Yaaseen Barnes will conclude the first HEAT Festival on a high note at Outlore at 6pm.
HEAT is staged at multiple venues across Cape Town’s city centre – if necessary take a brolly, but do not miss out!
WHAT: HEAT Festival
WHERE: Cape Town’s city centre
WHEN: July 11 to 21 2024
INFO: Visit | E hello@heatfestival.org | See also HEAT – Cape Town’s new winter arts festival
PHOTO: Luvo Muranti, one of the tenors part of the UCT Opera Tenors event on 21 July at Spin Gallery.
