Dates: 16 April – 16 June 2026
Opening event: 18:00 on Thursday, 16 April 2026
Walkabout event: 11:00 on Friday, 17 April 2026
Venue: Reservoir Gallery, Oliewenhuis Art Museum, 16 Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein
Àṣẹ́: Grounded in Being, Rising in Thought
Oliewenhuis Art Museum is proud to present Àṣẹ́: Grounded in Being, Rising in Thought, a new exhibition conceived and curated by six Art Museum Guides: Lepedi Seqebu, Babalwa Manyungwana, Letlhogonolo Potsanyane, Refilwe Molebatsi, Boikanyo Mathe and Karabelo Matuka. The exhibition explores how contemporary artistic practices remain grounded in human experience while adapting to evolving tools, technologies and social realities. The exhibition runs from 16 April to 16 June 2026 in the Reservoir Gallery.
Drawing its title from the Yoruba philosophical and spiritual principle of Àṣẹ́ – the vital life force that carries the power to bring intention to form and transform thought into reality. The exhibition examines art as an active site of reflection, resistance and transformation.
Unfolding across five interconnected themes, the exhibition features a carefully considered selection of paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures drawn from the Permanent Collection of Oliewenhuis Art Museum and the ArtbankSA Contemporary Collection. Together, these works reveal art as a conscious and evolving practice shaped by presence, history, knowledge systems and choice.
About the Exhibition
Presentness and Transcendence. In an era defined by anxiety, social isolation and constant distraction, the exhibition opens with works that anchor viewers in the here and now. Drawing on the quiet intelligence of the natural world, these artists offer art as a grounding force which invites audiences to slow down, reconnect with inner capabilities and move beyond the limitations imposed by society or the self.
The Evolution of Artistic Learning. The exhibition traces the contrasting yet equally valid paths of self-taught and formally trained artists. Through the works of artists such as Daniel Tladi and Lebo Thoka, visitors can explore how background, access to education and historical context shape medium choices, conceptual depth and creative decision-making, revealing artistic learning as an ongoing dialogue between tradition, experimentation and innovation.
Means of Art Production. From Helen Sebidi’s foundational practice, which demonstrates that artistic value is not dependent on advanced tools to the photography of Nomusa Makhubu and Lebo Thoka, this section examines how expanding access to technology reshapes ideas of skill, labour and authorship. It raises critical questions about what contemporary artists inherit from established practices and how new technologies continue to transform the artistic world.
Human Touch Against AI. Drawing a line from Resistance Art produced under apartheid by artists such as Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba to contemporary debates around machine generated work, this theme interrogates authorship, originality and the risks of an over-automated art world. The exhibition calls for ethical integration of AI that preserves the human consciousness and emotional depth at the heart of authentic artistic expression.
Postfeminism and Identity. This section centres the lived experiences of women and in particular Black women navigating the legacies of colonialism and patriarchy in contemporary democratic societies. Artists Mary Sibande, Nomusa Makhubu and Lebo Thoka use visual language as a tool for resistance and empowerment, engaging with labour, race, gender and the ongoing challenge of gender-based violence.
Curators’ Statement
“This exhibition affirms that while technology may expand artistic possibilities, it cannot replace human consciousness, memory and care. Across generations, artists have demonstrated that creativity is not defined by access to tools or systems of power, but by the capacity to remain present, responsive and ethically engaged.”
The public is invited to join Oliewenhuis Art Museum for the opening of Àṣẹ́: Grounded in Being, Rising in Thought. The event will take place at 18:00 on Thursday, 16 April 2026 in the Reservoir Gallery at Oliewenhuis Art Museum.
Everyone is welcome and entrance is free of charge. Refreshments will be served.
A walkabout of the exhibition will be conducted by the curators at 11:00 on Friday, 17 April 2026.
Oliewenhuis Art Museum is located at 16 Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein and is open to the public from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 17:00, and on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays between 09:00 and 16:00. A ramp at the entrance of the main entrance provides access for wheelchairs, while a lift provides access to the Permanent Collection display areas on the 1st floor. A R10 parking fee will be charged, payable in cash only, but entrance to the museum is free.
For more information on Oliewenhuis Art Museum please contact the Museum at 078 968 4300 or oliewen@nasmus.co.za. Stay up to date by following Oliewenhuis Art Museum on Facebook, Instagram and X for all upcoming exhibitions and events.
