ARTdacity

ARTdacity S3 E15: Mr Philip Boyd 13.03.2026 46min

In this deeply moving episode, Jo-Ann Strauss reunites with the man who first opened her eyes to the world of art. Philip Boyd, a towering figure in South African ballet, reflects on a career that spans the prestigious stages of CAPAB to the classrooms of Gugulethu. He recounts his transition from being a principal dancer performing roles like Albrecht in Giselle to becoming a mentor who brought "Ballet for All" to the townships during the height of Apartheid.

ARTdacity S3 E14: Thebe Magugu 13.03.2026 36min

Jo-Ann Strauss hosts a landmark celebration at the iconic "Pink Lady" of Cape Town—the Belmond Mount Nelson—to launch the Thebe Magugu Suite and Magugu House. In this episode, LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reflects on a decade of his brand and his mission of "Afro-encyclopedic" fashion: using cloth as a powerful tool for preservation, advocacy, and memory.

ARTdacity S3 E13: Franziska Wendler 05.03.2026 4min

Guest: Franziska Wendler (Director, Galerie EIGEN + ART) The Conversation: Jo-Ann connects with Franziska Wendler to discuss a historic milestone: the gallery’s participation in the inaugural edition of Art Basel Doha. This episode focuses on the presentation of Neo Rauch, the most prominent figure of the New Leipzig School and one of Germany’s most influential living painters.

ARTdacity S3 E12: Cyril Moumen 05.03.2026 17min

Jo-Ann connects with Cyril Moumen to explore the "nomadic" spirit of Gallery Nosco. After relocating his program from London to the South of France and Brussels, Cyril brings a globally-minded presentation to Cape Town centered on the 2026 theme of "Appropriation".

ARTdacity S3 E11: Franziska Wendler & Brett Seiler 05.03.2026 16min

Fresh from his residency in Germany, Brett Charles Seiler discusses his life as a "swallow," chasing the sun between Europe and South Africa. Brett and Franziska explore the creation of "Low Budget Love Story" and how his raw, poetic use of materials like bitumen and text continues to capture urgent, intimate moments.

ARTdacity S3 E10: Franziska Wendler & Gabrielle Kruger 05.03.2026 16min

A deep dive into the "radical experimentalism" of Gabrielle Kruger’s studio. Gabrielle explains her unique process of peeling and weaving paint into 3D sculptural "skins" and "hanging landscapes". Franziska discusses the gallery’s long-standing connection between Leipzig and Cape Town and their 2026 booth featuring Birgit Brenner’s powerful social installations.

ARTdacity S3 E9: Danda Jaroljmek & Sujay Shah 05.03.2026 20min

Jo-Ann sits down with the team from Nairobi’s Circle Art Gallery to discuss their return to the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. Sujay Shah reveals the evolution of his practice—moving from satirical takes on colonial trophy hunting to complex, ambiguous "hybrid" and "cyborg" figures that challenge the viewer to look closer. Danda shares the gallery’s 14-year journey and the vital importance of building cross-continental collector bases and critical dialogue within Africa.

ARTdacity S3 E8: Cape Town Art Fair 2026 03.03.2026 53min

The air at the Cape Town Art Fair is electric. It feels as though the entire world has descended on the tip of Africa to experience the pulse of contemporary art. In this whirlwind episode of ARTdacity, we bridge the gap between high-level curation and the raw, human stories that power the industry. I sat down with art historian Liese van der Watt to discuss her "labor of love and relief," the book We, The People, which traces 30 years of South African art and democracy. We also welcome home Rita Mawuena Benissan, whose monumental atrium commission at the Zeitz MOCAA left patrons in tears, as she reflects on the profound "coronation" of culture and the enduring legacy of Koyo Kouoh.

ARTdacity S3 E7: A Protea Is Not a Flower 26.02.2026 5min

Tonight, the red walls of the Zeitz MOCAA aren't just a design choice—they are a provocation. I am honored to be at the opening of the exhibition A Protea Is Not a Flower, a deep-dive research project that places contemporary giants Robin Rhode and Lerato Shadi in a haunting, vital conversation with the legacies of Bessie Head, Gerard Sekoto, and Don Mattera. In this segment, we stand before a staggering 1:1 ratio mural of the facade of John Vorster Square, the notorious Johannesburg police station. This fragment of architecture serves as a backdrop to the poetry of Don Mattera, specifically his 1970s work "Fallen Fruit," dedicated to the mother of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol. As we walk through the monochromatic photography offset by these visceral red surfaces, we aren't just looking at art; we are questioning the very mechanics of history: Who records it? Who is pushed to the periphery? And how do we celebrate the "grandness" of figures like Bessie Head, who lived in humble poverty but left a legacy that is computationally priceless?

ARTdacity S3 E6: Johannes Segogela 26.02.2026 4min

The beauty of the Cape Town Art Fair lies in its serendipity. While grabbing breakfast at "Between Us," I followed a "rabbit hole" led by London-based gallerist Isaac and found myself in an extraordinary, hidden space dedicated to the late Johannes Segogela. Johannes (1936–2018) was a master of wood sculpture whose work remains a powerful, if sometimes overlooked, pillar of the South African art landscape. Despite his presence in major global museums and a long history with the Goodman Gallery, Segogela is a reminder of how easily legendary African artists can slip into the digital shadows—even today, the internet erroneously lists him as still living. In this episode, we explore his dogmatic, tender, and often startling world: a place where angels film the tragedies of the African Renaissance and the struggle between sin and salvation is carved into every figure.

ARTdacity S3 E5: From Modernist Masters to Hair Matters - Strauss & Co 26.02.2026 8min

Cape Town is alive with the electric energy of Art Fair season, and we’re right in the heart of the action at Strauss & Co.to explore two extraordinary exhibitions that bookend the story of South African art: “Portway to Cohen” and the deeply poignant “Hair Matters.” I’m joined by art specialist Wilhelm and researcher Kirstie Pietersen to navigate this rich landscape—from the modernist legacy of Douglas Portway and the provocative, identity-driven performances of Steven Cohen, to a pan-African exploration of hair as a crown, a commodity, and a powerful vessel for history. We discuss the works of trailblazers like Tracey Rose, Hank Willis Thomas, and Adebunmi Gbadebo, uncovering how art serves as both a mirror and a catalyst for liberation.

ARTdacity S3 E4: Nicola Brandt 26.02.2026 27min

There is a silence in Namibia that speaks louder than words—a vastness that Jo-Ann Strauss describes as a place where one can truly "hear God." In this episode of ARTdacity, we sit down with Namibian-born artist, photographer, and scholar Nicola Brandt to discuss her breathtaking new book, Reducing The Distance Within. Nicola takes us on a decade-long journey through her homeland, working with the legendary "King of Print," Gerhard Steidl, to birth a project that is as much an academic inquiry as it is a visual soul-searching mission. We delve into the "cosmic lottery" of birth, the complexity of navigating a post-apartheid identity, and the hidden scars left on a landscape often mistaken for empty. From the haunting legacy of eugenics in Rehoboth to the "God complex" of landscape art inspired by the late Santu Mofokeng, this conversation bridges the gap between private and public memory.

ARTdacity S3 E3: Chris Soal 26.02.2026 29min

You can’t miss Chris Soal—not just because he is frequently the tallest person in the room, but because his work possesses a magnetic, architectural gravity that pulls you in. Ahead of the launch of his new monograph, I sat down with this visionary young artist to trace a career that has rapidly ascended from the "Jozi hustle" to the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum and SFMOMA. Chris has a rare gift for transforming the overlooked—millions of single-use toothpicks, discarded beer bottle caps, and worn sandpaper—into writhing, tactile sculptures that bridge the gap between intuition and intention. In this episode of ARTdacity, we discuss his formative time at the RAW Academy in Dakar, the profound influence of luminaries like Koyo Kouoh and Otobong Nkanga, and his philosophy on "perceptive capacity"—the discipline of finding value in what society has already dismissed.

ARTdacity S3 E2: Masekhaya 26.02.2026 11min

In this deeply personal season milestone, we gather at the Zeitz MOCAA Members Lounge to celebrate more than just a birthday—we are birthing a dream. I am officially launching the Masekhaya Foundation, a name that bridges my worlds: ‘Ma se-’ (my mother’s) and ‘khaya’ (home). This episode is a reflection on the roots that sustain us. I share stories of my childhood in Blackheath during the 1980s, the "beautiful crazy" of my mother—my first art teacher—who turned pillowcases into canvases, and the memory of my brother, who I carry with me every day. From an outreach ballet project that gave a seven-year-old girl a stage, to my current mission of dancing on point in 2026, I explore the idea that a dream delayed is never a dream denied. Masekhaya is my way of ensuring that art is no longer just "something that hangs on rich people's walls," but a space where every African child feels they belong.

ARTdacity S3 E1: Intro 26.02.2026 3min

It feels surreal to be standing at the threshold of Season 3, exactly one year since we launched ARTdacity on Valentine’s Day 2025. This milestone is more than just an anniversary; it’s a beautiful, full-circle moment as we celebrate the official launch of the Masekhaya Foundation—a dream that has come to life through a shared commitment to telling African stories in African voices. In this season opener, I reflect on the seismic shifts we’re seeing in the global art ecosystem, from the inaugural Art Basel in Doha—a sophisticated blend of art fair and biennale—to our very own upcoming debut at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. For the first time, ARTdacity moves from the sidelines to the center stage as an exhibitor. Our booth may be just six square meters, but it is a space with the biggest heart, serving as a physical "love letter" to the contemporary African artists and creatives who inspire us every day.

Season2 E12: Emotions of the Sun 08.12.2025 23min

We're basking in the light and optimism of Veuve Clicquot's incredible exhibition, "Emotions of the Sun," showing at the Youngblood Art Gallery until December 21st. I speak with three of the eight phenomenal, world-renowned photographers Christina de Middel, Newsha Tavakolian, and South Africa’s own Lindokuhle Sobekwa - who were given carte blanche to interpret the sun, the ultimate source of light and life, as their muse.

Season 2 Episode 11: Reflections on Season 2 and looking forward 05.11.2025 3min

As we close Season 2 of ARTdacity, I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible artists, curators, and listeners who’ve joined this journey -exploring how art shapes who we are and how we see the world. This season has deepened our conversations about creativity, identity, and connection across the continent and beyond. As we look ahead to Season 3, we’re already planning inspiring new interviews and moments that will continue to celebrate the audacity of art - its power to challenge, heal, and unite. Thank you for listening, for engaging, and for believing in the transformative force of contemporary African art.

Season 2 Episode 10: Zolani Mahola 05.11.2025 9min

In Episode 10 of ARTdacity Season 2, I sit down with Zolani Mahola- celebrated singer, storyteller, and creative force. Her roots in the Eastern Cape have profoundly shaped her artistry and worldview. We explore how her journey, music, and spirituality intertwine to create a deeply authentic expression of art and identity.

Season 2 Episode 9: Klop Klop by @halfandhalve Collective Under the Aegis 05.11.2025 23min

In Episode 9 of ARTdacity Season 2, I sit down with the creative collective Half and Halve to unpack their exhibition, Klop Klop, hosted at Under the Aegis - a space founded by Anelisa Mangcu. We explore how identity, collaboration, and art intersect in their bold, thought-provoking practice.

Season 2 Episode 8: Albie Sachs 05.11.2025 39min

In Episode 8 of ARTdacity Season 2, I sit down with Albie Sachs-freedom fighter, former Constitutional Court judge, and art lover -at his home in Clifton, just before he left for London for The Albies, a global human rights award ceremony. We discuss his exhibition Spring is Rebellious, currently showing at Zeitz MOCAA, and how art has shaped his lifelong pursuit of justice.