Cape Town February 2018 part 2

To those of you reading this in Cape Town, the heat on this day will be a distant memory. It was about 33 degrees C. It's a distant memory to me too, even though it's supposed to be summer here. We live in hope.

I was still living in Cape Town in 2014 when the proposal for this museum in a grain silo was mooted, so I have watched the development with anticipation as well as interest. What a fabulous place it is! Actually the whole development of the V&A Waterfront has been genius, in my opinion. From a down at heel, dockside area, to this wonderful, exciting destination which encompasses retail, residential, historical, cultural - easily accessible to locals as well as tourists - that took some foresight and more than a little bit of luck.

On a Wednesday, for African citizens, entrance is free to the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa). Children under 18 go free at all times.

From the outside, it's quite an interesting building. From the inside though, you clearly see the genesis of the silos. The conversion started in 2014 under the direction of London based architect,Thomas Heatherwick and was officially opened on 22 September 2017.

As with anywhere in the city bowl, the surrounding views are spectacular - you can tell that I love this city, can't you?

Imagine washing these windows, though!

And so, to the Art ...

Jochen Zeitz, a German businessman, is the Patron of the museum and has loaned his art collection to the museum for his lifetime. Roger Ballen donated his entire archive (some of the most disturbing photography I've ever seen). William Kentridge is a big supporter. Many, many more and curators have been given the scope to draw on loans.

I'm an enthusiastic ignoramus where it comes to art, but this is fun!

A completely new take on embroidery and fabric art - I love it.

There are 100 galleries spread over nine floors - if you have a problem with heights you may not get this far up.

Works to appreciate from a visual perspective, but also to educate and to engage critical faculties. Works as political statement. Works as message and reminder. Something for everyone. Free entrance for children will allow them to see that Art comes in many shape, forms, sizes. What an exciting place.

I was particularly taken by these art works by Kudzanai Chiurai. There was so much to see in the museum that, of necessity, I didn't spend a lot of time on most of the works, but these - these made me stop and look again and again. Initially they appear light hearted and humerous, but look closer. Violence, anger, aggression - all graphically represented. Fascinating.