In Acts of Alchemy | Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2027

We are delighted to announce the curatorial concept for our 2027 edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair: In Acts of Alchemy.

 

Our curatorial concept, In Acts of Alchemy, is a witness of transformation. As an ancient practice of metamorphosis, alchemy is the process where natural materials are transformed into something more tangible. Its processes are defined by an unwavering belief in the possibilities of change.

 

In Acts of Alchemy is rooted in a history of transmutation and evolution. It draws from stories and speculation which span thousands of years. Alchemy merges spiritual realms and early science with curiosity. Tales of turning lead into gold nurture traditions of making and questioning. This practice offers a lens to consider what transformation can look like and what shifts are possible to occur across materials and identities, both within and beyond the collective, and into the future.

 

Artists, in many ways, work as alchemists: transforming material, creating meaning, and revealing relationships between thoughts. Artistic processes are often informed by transformation as a principle. In this, transformation co-exists with an ongoing practice of meaning-making. Meaning continues to be formed in a continuous process each time art is encountered.

 

The viewer, in turn, becomes a part of this alchemical process. This encounter, like the possibilities that alchemy helps to realise, plays a role in shaping new realities and tangibilities.

 

With In Acts of Alchemy, artistic processes lead to the emergence of something precious. Through processes that are a force for combining elements and ideas, art as alchemy recalls moments when material, artist, and viewer fuse and forge.

 

Over the coming months, In Acts of Alchemy will unfold across the fair's curated sections, the selection and presentation of galleries, artists and artworks, the programming, and the many ways in which you can encounter contemporary art at the fair itself, including opportunities for conversations, connections and cross-cultural exchange.

 

As the leading and largest international contemporary art fair on the African continent, we look forward to revealing each step of this process with you, and witnessing what emerges when people, materials and meaning meet.

 

 

For any exhibitor queries or more information on how to apply, please get in touch with Mia Louw at mia@fieramilano.co.za

For any marketing, communications and press queries, please get in touch with Jess Wright at jess@fieramilano.co.za