ARTS AND CULTURE
THIS IS
WHAT
SOUNDS LIKE
BY BYRON LUKAS
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CONTINENT’ S LEADING ART FAIR CHOOSES TO LISTEN RATHER THAN SHOUT? THIS MONTH, THE INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR RETURNS FOR ITS 13TH EDITION WITH EXPANDED SCALE, SHARPER FOCUS, AND A THEME SUITED TO THE MOMENT.
From 20 to 22 February 2026, the Cape Town International Convention Centre will again be at the heart of the contemporary art world. The theme for the year, Listen, is not framed as a slogan. It is presented as a mood and a clear stance, rooted in restraint within a culture driven by constant noise.
“ In a world saturated with noise, urgency and individualistic self-expression, listening is an increasingly radical act,” the fair’ s team says.“ Listening is not passive. It is an active, embodied, ethical gesture.”
This direction sets the tone for Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2026. The focus shifts away from work that demands attention through volume or spectacle. Instead, the emphasis rests on art that invites closeness, softens its presence, and asks viewers to pause and remain engaged.
TEN WAYS TO LEAN IN
Under the Listen theme, the fair unfolds across ten distinct sections, blending established favourites with newly reworked formats. The core remains intact. Main, Lookout, Editions, Connect, and Capsule continue to anchor the programme. Capsule expands into a refreshed retail space that blurs the line between browsing and collecting. The most significant shift is in the four curated sections, led by an internationally connected group of curators whose perspectives set the tone.
Barcelona-based curator Mariella Franzoni leads Tomorrows / Today, titled If You Listen Carefully, The Air is Full of Laughter. Drawing on The Famished Road, the section moves between worlds. The visible and the invisible. Memory and imagination. The works resist immediate explanation. They pause, breathe, and reward patience.
Amsterdam-based curator Céline Seror presents SOLO under the title Echoes of Humanity. The section focuses on artists who treat listening as a relational act. These works respond rather than perform. They inhabit the in-between, inviting viewers to slow down and pay attention.
The Generations section is curated by Tandazani Dhlakama, based in Toronto, and framed as Call and Response. The focus is on lineage, inheritance, and dialogue across time. Artists engage with those who came before them and those still finding their voice, creating exchanges that feel intimate, urgent, and deeply human.
26 INBOUND SA / FEBRUARY 2026