In Mowa, Atang Tshikare expands his sculptural practice into an immersive environment shaped by ideas of air, spirit and transformation. The title, which carries meanings of both “air” and “spirit” within Tswana, Sotho and Pedi traditions, forms the starting point for an exhibition that considers the unseen forces that influence human experience and spiritual growth.

Working across sculpture, suspended forms and spatial installation, Tshikare creates an interconnected landscape where symbolic elements guide visitors through the gallery. Birds appear as messengers between earthly and ancestral realms, while trees become living structures of memory, healing and renewal, linking the physical world with the spiritual. Small fruits recur throughout the exhibition as emblems of fertility, continuity and future generations.

Rather than presenting these symbols as fixed narratives, Mowa allows them to operate as part of a larger visual language. Light, shadow and architectural space become active materials, encouraging viewers to move through the exhibition and experience shifting relationships between form, elevation and absence. The result is a carefully choreographed environment in which sculpture extends beyond the object to shape the atmosphere of the gallery itself.

The exhibition marks a significant development in Tshikare’s practice. Known for work that draws on African visual traditions while engaging contemporary design and sculpture, he moves here towards a more immersive approach in which individual works function collectively as a single spatial composition. Mowa offers a thoughtful exploration of ancestry, transformation and the enduring connections between the visible and invisible worlds.

Opening Reception: 6 AUGUST 2026 @ 5:00PM