The Stellenbosch Triennale returns to transform Stellenbosch into an expansive, open-air gallery from 19 February to 30 April 2025. This year’s theme, Ba'zinzile: A Rehearsal for Breathing, explores art as both a practice and an invitation to reflect, connect, and imagine.
A New Chapter in Art and Community
The Stellenbosch Triennale first captivated audiences in 2020, establishing Stellenbosch as a destination for multidisciplinary African art. Though that inaugural event was cut short by the pandemic, it laid a foundation of resilience and community.
Project Director Andi Norton reflects, “We had no idea that it would only be open for such a short time… It was only later that we could look back on it and see the incredible rehearsal space that it was for us.”
Under Chief Curator Khanyisile Mbongwa, the 2025 Triennale invites artists and audiences alike to pause, breathe, and share in a meaningful collective experience.
“For this Triennale, I want us to enter into a rehearsal space as a way of imagining how we can co-create in the real world,” says Mbongwa. “Exhibition making itself is a rehearsal space for the things we want to do.”
Sustainability in Every Detail of Stellenbosch Triennale
This year, sustainability is woven into every facet of the Triennale. By creating artworks on-site, the 2025 event minimises transport emissions and roots each piece deeply within the Stellenbosch landscape.
“We get to enact a playfulness in the making and witnessing of the work,” Mbongwa explains, “where each piece can be recycled, donated, or returned to the earth.”
Guided by Mbongwa’s principles of “Care & Cure,” the 2025 Triennale honours both ancestral wisdom and environmental consciousness.
“I am in the labour of my purpose,” she shares. “My work is always expansive and a deep-time conversation with amadlozi (ancestors), uNkulunkulu (God/Source), and Abahlali (the collective of beings).”
Stellenbosch Triennale: A Living Exhibition
The Stellenbosch Triennale 2025 will offer visitors a constantly evolving experience. Over two months, audiences will encounter a mix of improvisational works, compositions, and interventions that explore the nature of breath and resilience. Assistant Curator Dr. Mike Mavura describes this approach as “an invitation for artists to think about breath in multiple ways—what happens when you breathe deeply, when you are short of breath, or even when you can’t breathe?”
Among the talents featured are Lebohang Kganye from South Africa, Aziz Hazara from Afghanistan, and Astrid González from Colombia-Chile. Mavura emphasises that the Triennale aims to “activate all the senses, providing a holistic experience that challenges and delights.”
Stellenbosch Triennale supported by a Community of Partners
The Stellenbosch Triennale is made possible through the generous support of the Outset Contemporary Art Fund and the Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust. Key sponsors include Afreximbank, Remgro, Michael Silver & Stephanie Thomas, Heineken, Art Bank SA, and BASA. Additional support comes from Beanstalk, Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch Municipality, Visit Stellenbosch, Africa Open Institute, Stellenbosch Visio, Between 10 and 5, Jumpin' the Gun, and The Woodmill. Together, these partners are committed to sustainable, impactful art that uplifts and engages the community.
Art as a Call to Action
Next year’s Triennale goes beyond an exhibition, offering a profound call to action for a sustainable and creative future. Mbongwa poses a powerful question:
“If death is the given condition, how do we prepare to live?”
By offering Stellenbosch as a curated laboratory of creative engagement, the Triennale seeks to create a space where visitors can breathe, reflect, and prepare for a world that values care and connection.
Join us at Stellenbosch Triennale 2025—a space to pause, reconnect, and reimagine. For more information, visit stellenboschtriennale.com.
The Stellenbosch Triennale takes place from 19 February - 30 April 2025 at Oude Libertas, the Woodmill, Rupert Museum and Stellenbosch University Museum. Entry is free to the public.
Follow Stellenbosch Triennale on X (Twitter) @stbtriennale, Instagram @stellenboschtriennale and Facebook @stellenboschtriennale.
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