2024 represents a landmark historical moment: it is 30 years since the first democratic elections were held in South Africa and since the African National Congress (ANC) came into power, heralding Nelson Mandela’s inaugural term as president of a then divided nation. “Democracy is not something we have; it is something we do. The art in this exhibition challenges the past, questions the present, and envisions a future where democracy is something we continually create together", explains van der Watt.

Four general theses that engage with a different aspect of South African society are utilised to examine the country's democratic evolution: To Belong addresses the lasting effects of colonial and Apartheid-era land dispossession on people's sense of belonging. To Protest looks at social movements fighting for equality and the challenges of protest violence. To Care focuses on environmental issues, highlighting the intersection of environmental and social justice. To Be Heard critiques the idea of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ and promotes ‘world-making’ as another way to embrace South Africa’s diverse society and how to navigate it.

Bongoy’s Killing Time (2017) and Muholi’s Miss Lesbian II, Amsterdam, 2009 are the two selected works in the exhibition. Indawo Yami, which means 'my place' or 'my space', is the overarching concept at the centre of Muholi’s practice as they continue to explore the implications of being Black and queer through a range of different series and strategies. Miss (Black) Lesbian sees Muholi add a performative element to this exploration by casting themself in different roles, namely that of the beauty queen, aka Miss Lesbian.

Bongoy’s work to date has largely reinterpreted the ongoing human and environmental erosion, violent economic extraction, forced migration and exploitation in his native DRC. Mixing rubber with other waste materials such as hessian sacking, industrial packaging and textiles, he cuts and weaves these together to create complex, layered sculptures and three-dimensional reliefs.

“Coming past the 30th anniversary of such a monumental moment in our country’s history – the very advent of our democracy – we’ve taken a step back to reflect on how artists have responded to the transformations and changes that have taken place in our young country. We trust this exhibition will be interesting to guests, both young and old, offering insights into visual narratives crafted throughout the past three decades”, shares Norval Foundation Museum Director, Caroline Greyling.