Art School Africa | Between Place & People

This summer, The President Hotel, in partnership with Art School Africa, presents Between Place & People, an exhibition that reflects the spirit of place and community. Building on The President Hotel’s renewed focus on ’locality,’ the exhibition invites emerging artists from across Africa to respond to the contours of the environments they inhabit - the streets and hills that shape daily life. Each work explores how human activity leaves its imprint on these geographies, creating a visual record of the neighbourhoods and communities that define our collective sense of belonging. This is not an exploration of self, but an outward gaze – an invitation to reflect on the environments that hold us. Each work, rooted in its own place, contributes to the larger whole of our continent, coming together to form a resonant mosaic of shared belonging.

The President Hotel

The President Hotel is embracing a new chapter of independence, one marked by defining its own mission and deepening its commitment to place. At the heart of this mission is a continued engagement with local artists and a celebration of locality: art that emerges from and belongs to the very spaces we live in.

The hotel sustains two ongoing art initiatives that affirm this ethos:

• A digital art collection that invites guests to discover, connect with, and collect the work of Cape Town’s community of creatives.

• A rotational fine art exhibition that transforms the hotel into a living gallery.

This rotation is presented in collaboration with Art School Africa as part of their annual Summer
Exhibition initiative, continuing to highlight and support emerging artists.

Art School Africa

Art School Africa, a pioneering non-profit, empowers art practitioners from across the continent with essential business skills, mentorship and market access opportunities. While Africa is home to a rich cultural history, access to global markets and educational resources often remains limited. Art School Africa responds to these challenges by serving as a cultural engine, fueling bold, relevant and research-driven programming both independently and through strategic collaborations.

The Summer Exhibition is a key part of Art School Africa’s mission. It gives early- to mid-career artists a democratic platform to show their work and reach new audiences, while also offering visitors a revitalised space for engaging with critical artistic voices, taking the conversation beyond the gallery and into the wider public sphere.

Partners

Special thanks to our collaborators on this important initiative, Latitudes Online and ORMS, for their generous support. The exhibition will be available to view online through Latitudes Online, while ORMS has provided crucial printing and framing assistance, ensuring artists have access to these essential resources.

Presented by The President Hotel
Curated & Produced by Art School Africa
In Partnership with ORMS and Latitudes Online”