When the Cape Town sun is shining, the cocktail bars are full and glistening bodies stream to the beaches, it’s unlikely you’ll be thinking of heading to a museum.
I had been planning to visit this exhibition for a while, but kept being distracted by more ‘interesting’or ‘cool’ events. But that sun wasn’t going to stop shining just to suit my agenda, so despite the heat I strengthened my resolve and headed through the portals of the South Africa Museum.
The museum was tranquil, yet bustling with visitors. I was impressed. There was a full mix from the artsy- fartsy art lovera, to students, young children, pensioners, tourists and ordinary Capetonians enjoying their city. And frankly the exhibition itself had me at the air-conditioning.
I was also impressed at the way in which the Iziko Museum had showcased the exhibition – very modern and sleek. We drifted around the hall dazzled by the images of nature captured within its elements. There were images in the line-up that made me wince, others that made me coo, and still others that made me laugh out loud. The precision of each moment snapped was breathtaking – the crow apparently taking a ride on the back of a great horned owl, an ant ‘milking’ a black bean aphid… Talents from all over the world had competed in this competition – and when I came across South African portraits, I swelled with proud patriotism. And there was plenty of reason to be proud – Adrian Bailey and Andrew Schoeman had both received high commendations, and Bridgena Barnard’s image of a startled springbok, four legs in the air, just a second before it is killed by two ice-cool cheetahs, won the Behaviour: Mammals category. Go Bridgena!
I left the exhibition to stroll happily through the avenues of Company Gardens, glorying in a renewed respect for the nature around me. Next time I’m at the beach, I’ll have plenty to dream about. And I’ll take a camera, just in case.
@woict_living
