“In this series of paintings, I explore the fragile boundary between constraint and overwhelm – the unsettled state of being flustered. Working with layers of oil paint, I build surfaces that shift between control and disruption, where gestures are interrupted and reworked. Color and brushstrokes create movement and turbulence within forms drawn from the natural landscape. These natural elements blur, dissolve, and echo a sense of “fluster.”
Through this process, the paintings hold a tension between structure and collapse. Familiar shapes begin to lose their clarity, caught in a moment of transition. I am interested in how this state of imbalance reveals the multiple layers of reality – where uncertainty opens space for new ways of seeing.” – Zarah Cassim
Zarah Cassim's Exhibition - Fluster, at 99 Loop Gallery Cape Town runs 7–30 May 2026. Immersive paintings of decadence, dreamscapes, and visual dichotomies in this contemporary solo exhibition
07 May 2026 until 30 May 2026
Zarah Cassim is a South African artist based in Europe. Her practice explores the boundaries of perception, using the medium of painting as a ‘tool of illusion.’ Her work reflects a sensitive, romanticized view of the world, where natural landscapes serve as vehicles for disorientation and introspection. By blending flat, textured marks with atmospheric depth, Cassim creates surfaces that both seduce and evade the viewer.
Event Details
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Event Schedule
Opening Reception: 07 May 2026



















