After a highly acclaimed exhibition at the Kunsthalle Zürich, contemporary artist Igshaan Adams presents Holy Terrain at blank gallery in Cape Town, South Africa, running until January 25, 2025. Known for his exploration of the interplay between materiality, identity, and spirituality, Adams continues his deep investigation into how we inhabit the world and sanctify both intimate and collective spaces.
Materiality as a Visual and Spiritual Language
Comprising around fifteen works, Holy Terrain follows in the footsteps of Adams’ previous exhibitions, such as Weerhoud (2024), Lynloop (2024), and Desire Lines (2022). His artistic language is built on an approach where material itself becomes a vehicle for identity and spiritual narratives. The artist employs linoleum, thread, beads, cotton, and fabric, revealing a true poetry of materials. This modernist aesthetic, which champions material truth, is also imbued with ideological and political significance: his woven compositions reflect a constant dialogue between the spiritual, the cultural, and the ecological.
Adams’ work is also characterized by a participatory process. Behind each piece, a collective of hands contributes to shaping the forms and patterns. This collaborative creative process redefines the notion of sole authorship, embracing a concept of scenius—a form of collective intelligence that transcends individual genius. This inclusive and horizontal approach challenges traditional artistic production models, fostering an environment of exchange and shared knowledge.
“Holy Terrain” : A Cartography of the Intimate
This exhibition unfolds as a true geography of human experience. Adams explores themes of space and the body through compositions that merge abstract cartographies with bodily textures. His multi-layered works create both interior and exterior landscapes that question the body’s place in the world. The intimate nature of his materials, often bearing imprints and fragments of personal histories, reflects a desire to capture the poetry of everyday life.
Art as a Space for Reflection and Transformation
Beyond its formal beauty, Holy Terrain invites reflection on identity formation and resilience in the face of trauma. Adams deconstructs and reconstructs spaces of memory and self-reappropriation. His work demonstrates art’s ability to translate invisible narratives and create bridges between past and present, the individual and the collective.
An International Artistic Journey
Originally from Bonteheuwel, a suburb of Cape Town, Igshaan Adams has gained international recognition through exhibitions at the Kunsthalle Zürich, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, the Hayward Gallery in London, and the Venice Biennale (2022). His installations are part of major public collections, and he was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Art in 2018. Through his work, Adams continues to push the boundaries of textile art and sculpture while engaging in a profound exploration of cultural and identity borders.