Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2025 to explore emerging trends and transformative works

14 Feb 2025

This year, the art world promises to shape the future of global creative expression with trends emerging that highlight the intersection of innovation, sustainability and technology.

Image by Anton Scholtz

The rise of digital art, alongside an increased focus on diverse narratives and environmental responsibility, signals a crucial new wave of artistic exploration.

With this in mind, the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, taking place from 21-23 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, has revealed the artist lineup for the Tomorrows/Today section.

Tomorrows/Today was started as a special project at the fair in 2016 and features talent from across the globe. This expertly curated space embodies the forward-thinking spirit of contemporary art.

Artists were invited to create works within the framework of the curator, Dr Mariella Franzoni's 'Experience, Attempt, Experiment’.

The selected artists not only reflect the latest trends in artistic practice but also challenge traditional boundaries, offering audiences an exciting glimpse into the future of art, culture, and society.

This has resulted in an impressive array of textile work, photography and paintings. The 12 artists exhibiting in Tomorrows/Today section represent a diverse range of contemporary practices that reflect current global art trends rooted in identity, socio-political commentary, and cultural exchange.

The artists

Zehnlin Zhang (tHEIR) from China specialises in oil painting, and critiques the loss of diversity and the trend of blind conformity in our society.

His work for Tomorrows/Today will highlight the traditional techniques and compositional methods rooted in his lived experience.

Georgina Maxim (Goodman Gallery) from Zimbabwe engages in painting and installation art that critiques colonial histories and explores post-colonial identity, aligning with the importance of African narratives in the art world. Going in a new direction, her work for Tomorrows/Today will be grounded in the style of sewing and mending referred to as ‘dhunge mutunge’ in Shona'.

Mulambö (Reiners Contemporary) from Brazil utilizes vibrant textile art and performance to celebrate heritage, as an act of anti-racist resistance in dialogue with Afro-Brazilian traditions and personal experiences. This in turn contributes to the resurgence of craft and materiality as vital art forms.

Agnes Essonti Luque’s (The Over) work in mixed media addresses dialogues around femininity and socio-political issues within Spain, echoing the trend of feminist perspectives in contemporary art. For Tomorrows/Today she’ll be focusing on food and cooking as a connection to history, community, home and ultimately what sustains us.

Mankebe Seakgoe’s (BKhz Gallery) works question conventional ways of communicating and understanding. Her unique drawings and sculptures, done in charcoal, paint, PVC pipes, beads, wire and light often reference Black thought and literature.

Mareli Lal (SMAC Gallery) is a visual storyteller from South Africa, who is guided by authenticity and a sensitivity towards her subjects. Her artistic process is organic and the final outcome is shaped by her inherent response to the nuances of the moment and a dialogue of juxtaposition.

Warren Maroon (Everard Read) grew up in the Cape Flats in South Africa, an often problematic space where he witnessed repeated violence. These traumatic experiences have driven his sculptural works that communicate his and many other residents' lived experiences.

Joy Adeboye’s (AMG Projects) from Nigeria, use of installation art highlights the collective experience of women, deconstructing organised religion, female sexuality and the unspoken rules of which women govern themselves in social engagement.

Asma Ben Aissa (Blue Wind Project) from Tunisia uses textiles for an aesthetic exploration of the landscape. Utilising fabric, she evokes imagery of her family and explores memory and identity politics.

Soukaina Joual (Spiaggia Libera) from Morocco uses textiles and installation to challenge traditional narratives, reflecting a trend toward reinterpreting cultural histories and the female body/experience.

Anthony Ngoya (Galerie Caroline O’Breen), based in France, examines diasporic experiences through painting and digital techniques, contributing to dialogues on migration and cultural hybridity.
Thando Phenyane (Eclectica Contemporary) utilises photography and video to highlight youth culture and socio-political issues, emphasising authenticity and lived experiences.

Dr Mariella Franzoni will be curating Tomorrows/Today for the third time. A contemporary art curator who lives and works between Spain, Italy and South Africa, Franzoni has chosen not to adhere to a strict curatorial theme but instead embraced ICTAF 2025’s wider theme of PLAY as an integral part of the curatorial and artistic process.

“The Tomorrows/Today section at Investec Cape Town Art Fair is a space for forecasting the leading names of the future. But it’s also a platform for amplifying the voices, ideas, and themes that are already emerging among these artists. Looking at what emerging artists are doing today offers us a glimpse into the practices, themes, and modes of working that will define the future art scene.” Dr Mariella Franzoni, Curator

Franzoni continues, “Tomorrows/Today brings together South African artists with artists from around the world, creating a space for rich dialogue and unexpected encounters. When this happens, magic materialises.” According to Franzoni, Tomorrows/Today remains the most international section of the fair and this dynamic intersection of local and global perspectives is what makes it so exciting for her.

For more, go to www.investeccapetownartfair.co.za.