The Riebeek Valley is once again hosting Solo Studios Intimate Art Encounters, a richly varied and stimulating visual arts event, seasoned with the best in local wine and food.
From Friday 26 August to Sunday 28 August the organisers are spotlighting the valley, which has become the nexus of a vibrant and growing artistic community.
Artists will open their homes and studios to a limited number of visitors with pre-booked tickets. Guided tours are also being arranged, stopping at the venues of participating artists and all the galleries in Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West, which have lined up shows for the event.
“We pride ourselves in creating an easy-going, social and joyful atmosphere, while catering to the tastes of avid art collectors,” says founder and organiser Klaus Piprek. “We want to eliminate all the hassle and amplify the fun. Studios are well-signposted and also clearly indicated in a printed catalogue and map, but for some it’s easier to let an insider show them around. Tour guides are conversant with local arts and culture and can provide a very useful context to visitors.”
While there will be strong focus on local artists, non-resident artists have also been invited to collaborate and curate some of the exhibitions.
The event will open on Friday 26 August, at Die Kunshuis, with the world première of Sculpting This Earth, the new documentary feature film from Cape Town’s CineSouth Studios about the work of internationally renowned Stellenbosch land artist Strijdom van der Merwe.
Filmed and directed by CineSouth’s Victor van Aswegen, the 95-minute documentary follows the artist over the course of four consecutive seasons, from summer to summer, as he makes ephemeral artworks from natural materials in a wide range of striking natural settings.
While Van der Merwe has made land artworks on invitation in more than 20 countries, Sculpting This Earth shows him at work in local landscapes to which he has strong personal and emotional connections: in and around his home base of Stellenbosch, at Churchhaven in the Langebaan lagoon, and in the Tankwa Karoo vast expanses.
The world première screenings over the course of the Solo Studios weekend in the Riebeek Valley’s new state-of-the-art Kelderteater offer the opportunity to see the film with the director in attendance, along with soundtrack composer Kristi Boonzaaier, before it sets out on its journey around the world on the global film festival circuit.
Sculpting This Earth is scheduled for international release later this year.
To celebrate the best in Riebeek Valley wine and food, the Riebeek Valley Wine Co will offer wine blending sessions, while Solo Kitchens will provide ample opportunity to engage with some of the finest hosts in the valley, on Saturday 27 August. There will be several other opportunities to taste the best in local fare.
Pricing ranges from R150 for a day pass to R395 for a premier weekend pass. Visit solostudios.co.za to purchase tickets. For more programme details, visit www.solostudios.co.za.
