The inaugural Hazendal Festival, which will be held from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October, has invited eminent curator, visionary and Stellenbosch University alumna Khanyisile Mbongwa to curate the inaugural edition of the extravaganza.
The festival, which takes place at Hazendal Wine Estate along Bottelary Road, aims to spark meaningful dialogue among artists, scientists and cultural practitioners through a “community in practice”, with the aim of encouraging leaders of their respective fields to think, create and debate together about important dynamics affecting our shared world. From a two-day symposium to artist installations and performances, children’s workshops, live music, wine and dining experiences, the three-day event will engage all the senses through a series of unique experiences.
Mbongwa’s edition of the Hazendal Festival will engage with our conceptions of geological time in the spirit of holding space for both grief and love, working with soil as an archive that holds shared stories of the past, present and future. This, the “Soil Edition”, will be guided by the Nguni proverb Belele nje, Abathulunga, which translates as “they may be asleep, but they are not quiet.”
“The commissioned works of the invited artists, scientists, spiritual healers and cultural innovators interlock to understand the fertility of soil from the varying practitioners’ points of view,” Mbongwa, the former curator for Liverpool Biennial, explained.
The special commissions include a sculptural piece from Thania Petersen, a live intervention from Sethembile Msezane, an installation from Sisonke Papu, a wine-tasting intervention by Queezy Babaz and the presentation of the special edition Hazendal MCC label designed by Athi-Patra Ruga.
The festival’s explorations and celebrations of soil will also include performances by Zolani Mahola, Tebego Louw, music and sound explorations by Chimurenga as well as DJ Daddy, DJ Phastoki and DJ Attiyah Khan. There will be a live dance performance choreographed by Luke de Kock, short film screenings by filmmakers, including Lerato Shadi and Santiago Mostyn, a sensuality self-discovery workshop by Tapiwa Guzha and a weaving and natural dye workshop by Tinyiko Makwakwa.
The culinary offering will be created by the fine-dining Zulu chef Vusi Ndlovu together with Hazendal’s head chef Michelle Theron. The interdisciplinary curiosity of the Soil Edition will also feature a symposium hosted by Lungi Morrison, which will facilitate public conversations between the artists and South Africa’s leading academics including, Dr Christian Lueme, Prof Kensese Mossanda, Dr Uhuru Phalafala, Li’Tsoanelo Zwane, Ukhona Ntsali Mlandu and Prof Simeon Materechera.
There will also be a children’s programme compiled by Faatimah Mohamed-Luke, which will run at Wonderdal from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday, parallel with the rest of the festival’s day-time programme.
- Weekend passes and day tickets are available for purchase on www.hazendal.co.za.
