The La Motte Ateljee presents Van Horison tot Horison (from Horizon to Horizon), a compelling new exhibition open from 7 March 2026 in the Franschhoek Valley. Exploring the enduring pull of the South African landscape, the exhibition places contemporary artists in conversation with historical masters – bridging past and present through shared themes of place, legacy and reinterpretation.
Inspired by Blydskap, a poem by acclaimed Afrikaans poet and academic Lina Spies, the exhibition reflects on the landscape as a site of quiet observation, resilience and renewal. Spies’ writing captures the subtle shifts of season and spirit, echoing a long tradition of artists who have turned to the South African terrain for inspiration.
La Motte’s own connection to legendary landscape painter JH Pierneef provides a natural foundation for this dialogue. Alongside Pierneef, artists such as Maggie Laubser and Irma Stern redefined the visual language of the land – Pierneef through structured, contemplative compositions; Laubser through emotive colour and imaginative expression; and Stern through bold, dynamic brushwork that captured the vibrancy of Africa.
Van Horison tot Horison honours this legacy while inviting a new generation of artists to engage with it. Fourteen contemporary artists, including Alice Toich, Conrad Oosthuizen, Ella Thomson, Emma Willemse, Frances Wedepohl, Inge Semple, Jenny Parsons, Johann Booyens, Joshua Miles, Kristen McClarty, Michael Amery, Rentia Retief, Ros Koch and Thea Burger, present works across painting, printmaking, sculpture, sound, installation and artist books.
Echoes of the past are visible throughout: Pierneef’s geometric precision finds resonance in the work of Michael Amery, Frances Wedepohl and Joshua Miles; Laubser’s distinctive palette surfaces in Rentia Retief’s colour sensibility; and Stern’s expressive energy is reflected in the painterly gestures of Jenny Parsons and Thea Burger.
Extending beyond the visual, the exhibition offers an immersive, multi-sensory experience. At its centre, Emma Willemse’s sculptural boat installation, paired with delicate paper pulp drawings, anchors the space, while sound artist Conrad Oosthuizen reimagines Spies’ Blydskap as a sonic landscape, adding depth and dimension to the exhibition narrative. A curated programme of workshops further invites audience participation and engagement.
Across disciplines and generations, Van Horison tot Horison unfolds as a rich dialogue between landscape and interpretation, image and sound, memory and reinvention. It reaffirms the South African landscape as an ever-evolving source of inspiration, one that continues to shape, challenge and inspire from one horizon to the next.
Where: La Motte, Franschhoek
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 09:00 – 17:00