Annual showcase affirms WHAG’s Youth Month commitment to inclusive representation and emerging talent
Macduff Valashiya, Inkwenkwe, 2025. Digital print, 42 x 60cm. Image courtesy of the artist. © Macduff Valashiya
Opening in July 2025, the William Humphreys Art Gallery (WHAG) presents the latest edition of its Bi-annual Northern Cape Artists Exhibition—a vibrant showcase celebrating the breadth and depth of artistic practice across the province. Featuring works in drawing, painting, collage, photography and illustration, the exhibition brings together established names and first-time exhibitors alike, reflecting the diversity and evolving nature of the Northern Cape’s cultural landscape.
The 2025 iteration was shaped by an open call issued earlier this year, inviting submissions from artists living and working in the province. The response was both enthusiastic and multigenerational, with a powerful showing from younger artists. Many of these are exhibiting their work in a national museum context for the first time, a significant milestone that aligns with WHAG’s commitment to supporting emerging talent and broadening access to the visual arts.
“This exhibition is a vital expression of the Northern Cape’s creative pulse,” said the WHAG curatorial team. “It gives voice not only to the region’s seasoned artists but also to a bold new generation, many of whom are sharing their work with the public for the very first time.”
By creating space for artists from underrepresented or rural contexts, the exhibition seeks to challenge traditional notions of visibility and value within the national art landscape. It also reinforces WHAG’s broader institutional role as a platform for cultural exchange and community engagement—particularly within a province where such platforms are few.
The Bi-annual Northern Cape Artists Exhibition continues through September 31 2025. For more information, please visit the William Humphreys Art Gallery.
