Montague Contemporary, in partnership with The Cape Cadogan Hotel, proudly presents "Rooms of Resonance," a transformative contemporary African art exhibition featuring the works of Marc Standing, Miska Mohammed, Wole Lagunju, Mongezi Ncaphayi, and Birhane Worede. The exhibition engages with themes of transience, identity, and cultural exchange within the intimate yet shifting environment of the boutique hotel.
Inspired by Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space, the exhibition reimagines the hotel as a “house of thresholds”—a place of passage and transformation, where each artist’s work occupies a metaphorical room, inviting viewers into a rich dialogue on the fluidity of place, belonging, and memory. The hotel, a site of temporary residence and continuous movement, serves as an ideal setting for this dynamic engagement, where contemporary African artists challenge and expand notions of identity, tradition, and connection.
By transforming the hotel into a living gallery of personal and collective narratives, "Rooms of Resonance" seeks to bridge the transient with the permanent, offering audiences an immersive encounter with contemporary African art that is both deeply personal and globally relevant.
Inspired by Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space, the exhibition reimagines the hotel as a “house of thresholds”—a place of passage and transformation, where each artist’s work occupies a metaphorical room, inviting viewers into a rich dialogue on the fluidity of place, belonging, and memory. The hotel, a site of temporary residence and continuous movement, serves as an ideal setting for this dynamic engagement, where contemporary African artists challenge and expand notions of identity, tradition, and connection.
By transforming the hotel into a living gallery of personal and collective narratives, "Rooms of Resonance" seeks to bridge the transient with the permanent, offering audiences an immersive encounter with contemporary African art that is both deeply personal and globally relevant.
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Wole LagunjuThe King of Stars, 2024Signed and DatedOil on Canvas60 x 49 1/2 in.
152.4 x 125.7 cm.Courtesy of Montague ContemporaryCopyright The Artist -
Miska MohmmedMara, 2022Signed and DatedAcrylic on Canvas23 1/2 x 59 in.
60 x 150 cm. -
Miska MohmmedMountainous Region, 2022Signed and DatedAcrylic on Canvas47 x 67 in.
120 x 170 cm. -
Marc StandingThe Exquisite Conduit, 2023Signed and DatedAcrylic on Canvas33 1/2 x 29 1/2 in.
85.5 x 75 cm.Courtesy of Montague Contemporary -
Marc StandingDrifter, 2023Signed and DatedAcrylic on Canvas33 1/2 x 29 1/2 in.
85.5 x 75 cm.Courtesy of Montague Contemporary -
Birhane WoredeA Screen World, 2024Oil on Canvas51 x 39 1/2 in.
130 x 100 cm. -
Birhane WoredeContentment in a Space 2, 2024Oil on Canvas39 1/2 x 31 1/2 in.
100 x 80 cm. -
Birhane WoredeUntitled, 2024Oil on Canvas51 x 39 1/2 in.
130 x 100 cm. -
Birhane WoredeAmor (a story of Frida Kahlo), 2024Oil on Canvas35 1/2 x 35 1/2 in.
90 x 90 cm. -
Mongezi NcaphayiOf the Tree of Life, 2024Signed and DatedIndian Ink and Watercolour on Fabriano Paper54 1/2 x 53 in.
139 x 134 cm. -
Mongezi NcaphayiAtlas, 2024Signed and DatedIndian Ink and Watercolour on Fabriano Paper39 1/2 x 53 in.
100 x 134 cm. -
Mongezi NcaphayiMalay Tone Poem, 2024Signed and DatedIndian Ink and Watercolour on Fabriano Paper39 1/2 x 53 in.
100 x 134 cm.
ABOUT WOLE LAGUNJU
Wole Lagunju’s intricate and arresting compositions reimagine Yoruba cultural traditions, particularly the aesthetics of the Gelede masquerade, within a contemporary global context. His art juxtaposes traditional Nigerian motifs with modernist influences, creating a dialogue between past and present, heritage and reinvention. His vivid, layered paintings challenge Western depictions of African identity, reclaiming cultural narratives through a lens of innovation and transformation.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Lagunju’s works serve as portals between historical memory and contemporary reimagining, reflecting the exhibition’s broader themes of identity and cultural fluidity. His ability to merge historical references with contemporary aesthetics transforms the hotel into a space of cultural negotiation—where guests are invited to reflect on the weight of history within transient spaces.
Lagunju, originally from Nigeria and now based in the United States, has exhibited internationally, including at the Denver Art Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art, SLAM, the Saatchi Gallery, amongst others. His work is widely recognized for its compelling reinterpretation of historical African traditions in a modern context.
ABOUT MISKA MOHMMED
Miska Mohammed’s visually striking and emotionally charged paintings delve into themes of migration, displacement, and the complexities of identity. Her works draw upon her Sudanese heritage, navigating the tension between rootedness and movement, presence and absence. Through a bold interplay of color, form, and gesture, she captures the psychological landscape of migration, exploring the lived realities of navigating multiple cultural spaces.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Mohammed’s paintings frame the hotel as a metaphor for temporary refuge and the fluidity of belonging. Her works offer a poignant reflection on movement and memory, urging viewers to contemplate the transient nature of both personal and collective histories.
Born in Sudan and currently based in the UAE, Mohammed has exhibited widely across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Her work has been recognized for its raw emotional depth and has been featured in esteemed international art fairs and exhibitions. Her work was included in the groundbreaking "Africa Supernova" group show at Kunsthal Kade in Amersfoort, Netherlands.
ABOUT MONGEZI NCAPHAYI
Mongezi Ncaphayi’s artistic practice is deeply influenced by jazz and movement, translating rhythm and improvisation into visual form. His abstract, gestural paintings explore notions of freedom, migration, and the invisible forces that shape human existence. Through fluid lines and layered washes of color, his works evoke a sense of motion—mirroring both physical journeys and metaphysical wanderings.
Within "Rooms of Resonance," Ncaphayi’s works function as sonic and spatial mappings of transient states, reflecting on the impermanence of places and the emotional imprints they leave behind. His compositions introduce an element of dynamic flux into the exhibition, echoing the imperceptible rhythms of movement and change within the hotel’s transient setting.
Ncaphayi, a South African artist, studied printmaking at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg and further honed his craft at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award, and has exhibited internationally in North America, Europe, and Asia.
ABOUT MARC STANDING
Marc Standing’s ethereal and abstract practice is heavily inspired by his personal life experiences, exploring themes of identity, memory, and transformation. His mixed-media works blend organic textures, cellular structures, and subconscious imagery, creating dreamlike compositions that exist in a state of flux. His visual language oscillates between the deeply personal and the universally symbolic, engaging with notions of collective consciousness and individual introspection.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Standing’s paintings mirror the transient nature of memory and identity, positioning the hotel as a liminal space where histories, emotions, and energies momentarily reside before dissolving. His work invites viewers into a contemplative dialogue on the impermanence of place and self.
Born in Zimbabwe and currently based in London, Standing studied Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. He has exhibited extensively across Europe, Asia, and North America, participating in notable residencies in Mexico, China, and the Maldives. His work is housed in prominent collections such as Artbank Australia, The Rockefeller Foundation Permanent Collection, and The Groucho Club.
ABOUT BIRHANE WOREDE
Birhane Worede’s evocative paintings explore the tension between physical and digital presence, portraying figures absorbed in the digital world, disengaged from their surroundings. His loose, washy compositions create timeless, formless spaces, where the only tangible elements are color, gesture, and surface. His process is deeply intuitive, moving between abstraction and figuration, allowing color to dictate form, often identifying his figures only in the final stages of creation.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Worede graduated from the Ale School of Fine Art & Design, Addis Ababa University in 2021. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at Chilli Art Projects in London, Circle Art Gallery’s "New Visions" in Nairobi, and Urevbu Contemporary in the United States. He has also contributed to public art projects such as “Art to Earth” with Addis Street Art in Ethiopia.
Wole Lagunju’s intricate and arresting compositions reimagine Yoruba cultural traditions, particularly the aesthetics of the Gelede masquerade, within a contemporary global context. His art juxtaposes traditional Nigerian motifs with modernist influences, creating a dialogue between past and present, heritage and reinvention. His vivid, layered paintings challenge Western depictions of African identity, reclaiming cultural narratives through a lens of innovation and transformation.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Lagunju’s works serve as portals between historical memory and contemporary reimagining, reflecting the exhibition’s broader themes of identity and cultural fluidity. His ability to merge historical references with contemporary aesthetics transforms the hotel into a space of cultural negotiation—where guests are invited to reflect on the weight of history within transient spaces.
Lagunju, originally from Nigeria and now based in the United States, has exhibited internationally, including at the Denver Art Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art, SLAM, the Saatchi Gallery, amongst others. His work is widely recognized for its compelling reinterpretation of historical African traditions in a modern context.
ABOUT MISKA MOHMMED
Miska Mohammed’s visually striking and emotionally charged paintings delve into themes of migration, displacement, and the complexities of identity. Her works draw upon her Sudanese heritage, navigating the tension between rootedness and movement, presence and absence. Through a bold interplay of color, form, and gesture, she captures the psychological landscape of migration, exploring the lived realities of navigating multiple cultural spaces.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Mohammed’s paintings frame the hotel as a metaphor for temporary refuge and the fluidity of belonging. Her works offer a poignant reflection on movement and memory, urging viewers to contemplate the transient nature of both personal and collective histories.
Born in Sudan and currently based in the UAE, Mohammed has exhibited widely across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Her work has been recognized for its raw emotional depth and has been featured in esteemed international art fairs and exhibitions. Her work was included in the groundbreaking "Africa Supernova" group show at Kunsthal Kade in Amersfoort, Netherlands.
ABOUT MONGEZI NCAPHAYI
Mongezi Ncaphayi’s artistic practice is deeply influenced by jazz and movement, translating rhythm and improvisation into visual form. His abstract, gestural paintings explore notions of freedom, migration, and the invisible forces that shape human existence. Through fluid lines and layered washes of color, his works evoke a sense of motion—mirroring both physical journeys and metaphysical wanderings.
Within "Rooms of Resonance," Ncaphayi’s works function as sonic and spatial mappings of transient states, reflecting on the impermanence of places and the emotional imprints they leave behind. His compositions introduce an element of dynamic flux into the exhibition, echoing the imperceptible rhythms of movement and change within the hotel’s transient setting.
Ncaphayi, a South African artist, studied printmaking at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg and further honed his craft at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award, and has exhibited internationally in North America, Europe, and Asia.
ABOUT MARC STANDING
Marc Standing’s ethereal and abstract practice is heavily inspired by his personal life experiences, exploring themes of identity, memory, and transformation. His mixed-media works blend organic textures, cellular structures, and subconscious imagery, creating dreamlike compositions that exist in a state of flux. His visual language oscillates between the deeply personal and the universally symbolic, engaging with notions of collective consciousness and individual introspection.
In "Rooms of Resonance," Standing’s paintings mirror the transient nature of memory and identity, positioning the hotel as a liminal space where histories, emotions, and energies momentarily reside before dissolving. His work invites viewers into a contemplative dialogue on the impermanence of place and self.
Born in Zimbabwe and currently based in London, Standing studied Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. He has exhibited extensively across Europe, Asia, and North America, participating in notable residencies in Mexico, China, and the Maldives. His work is housed in prominent collections such as Artbank Australia, The Rockefeller Foundation Permanent Collection, and The Groucho Club.
ABOUT BIRHANE WOREDE
Birhane Worede’s evocative paintings explore the tension between physical and digital presence, portraying figures absorbed in the digital world, disengaged from their surroundings. His loose, washy compositions create timeless, formless spaces, where the only tangible elements are color, gesture, and surface. His process is deeply intuitive, moving between abstraction and figuration, allowing color to dictate form, often identifying his figures only in the final stages of creation.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Worede graduated from the Ale School of Fine Art & Design, Addis Ababa University in 2021. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at Chilli Art Projects in London, Circle Art Gallery’s "New Visions" in Nairobi, and Urevbu Contemporary in the United States. He has also contributed to public art projects such as “Art to Earth” with Addis Street Art in Ethiopia.