Art and Exhibitions
Nelson Mandela charmed the world with his bright, patterned Madiba shirts and his ability to dance. In this, his centenary year, Madiba will also be celebrated in song, dance and other forms of art.
“During the worst years of repression, when all avenues of legitimate protest were closed by emergency legislation, it was the arts that articulated the plight and the democratic aspirations of our people. This affirmation was demonstrated through drama, dance, literature, song, film, paintings and sculpture that defied the silence that apartheid sought to impose.” – Nelson Mandela
| Event | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bassline Africa Music Festival 2018 | May 2018 | |
| Africa's Travel Indaba | May 2018 | |
| 10th World Choir Games | 4-14 July | Based on the Olympic ideals, which aim to peacefully unify people and nations, this choir competition aims to forge connections between people through song. |
| Exhibition by FotoZA | 5 July 2018 | Rosebank Mall, in partnership with PhotoZA, hosts an exhibition throughout the Johannesburg mall, celebrating the life and times of Nelson Mandela. |
| "Letters from Mandela" play | 10 July 2018 | In partnership with the Market Theatre, the much-acclaimed play based on letters written by Nelson Mandela while in prison will have a run a the National Arts Festival. |
| Unveiling of Prof Pika Ntuli's black granite sculpture | 11 July 2018 | The Melrose Gallery, Melrose Arch. The exhibition features work inspired by Mandela and the principles for which he stood. Photography, painting, sculpture, tapestry, mixed media and signed, limited-edition prints will be available. |
| Launch of the South African Reserve Bank's commemorative banknotes and coin | 13 July 2018 | The South African Reserve Bank issues commemorative notes in honour of Nelson Mandela's centenary. The notes will be released nationally on 18 July. |
| Legacy Concert (Porto) | 18-20 July 2018 | A three-day musical festival celebrating Nelson Mandela's contribution to the world. |
| Public opening of exhibition at The Melrose Gallery | 18 July 2018 | A celebration of Mandela's birthday. The exhibition continues to 19 August. |
| Letters from Mandela | 18 July | A special performance piece, to commemorate Nelson Mandela's centenary, conceived and directed by James Ngcobo. Hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Market Theatre Foundation. |
| uMbatha – The Zulu Macbeth | 30 July 2018 | A 1970 play, written by South African playwright Welcome Msomi, as an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. |
| Minnesota Orchestra South African Tour (Cape Town) | 8 August 2018 | The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'Harmonia Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. |
| Minnesota Orchestra South African Tour (Cape Town) | 11 August 2018 | The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'Harmonia Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. |
| Minnesota Orchestra South African Tour (Durban) | 12 August 2018 | The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'Harmonia Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. |
| Minnesota Orchestra South African Tour (Tshwane) | 15-16 August 2018 | The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'Harmonia Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. |
| Minnesota Orchestra South African Tour (Soweto) | 17 August 2018 | The Minnesota Orchestra's South African tour, including the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's 'Harmonia Ubuntu', a new work written in honour of Nelson Mandela. |
| Drums of the World | 15 September 2018 | A choreographed stage production showcasing all South African ethnic groups in a powerful celebratory extravaganza and drum symphony to serve as a conduit through which poignant messages will be communicated to all corners of the world in a symphony of music, song and dance. |
| Moncalieri Jazz Festival (Italy) | 3-25 November 2018 | Dedicated to the theme of human rights and to the memory of Nelson Mandela, the late former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner. The festival will conclude with a concert by the National Symphony Orchestra RAI-Italian State Broadcaster and the performances from important musicians such as Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet) and Rosario Giuliani (sax). South African singer-songwriter Simphiwe Dana is to perform in a play specifically written and directed by Stefano Fonzi. |
| 100 Years of Iconic Fashion | January 2019 | An initiative that identifies and showcases global fashion icons who make a difference in the world. |
| The Island | 25 April 2019 | A powerful play, written by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona. The drama, set in the apartheid era, unfolds on an unnamed island clearly depicting the infamous Robben Island, where Mandela was incarcerated. |
