Summary: In Residence: Zarah Cassim is on view at The President Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town, from 1 September 2026 to 11 January 2027. Presented with Art School Africa, the exhibition features Cassim’s oil paintings exploring landscape, perception, memory and the space between reality and imagination.
Art does not always need a white gallery wall and a hushed room.
At The President Hotel Cape Town, contemporary art becomes part of the everyday through In Residence, an ongoing exhibition series presented in collaboration with Art School Africa.
The latest chapter features South African artist Zarah Cassim, whose work explores landscapes, perception and the shifting boundary between what feels real and what might be imagined.
- Her exhibition, In Residence: Zarah Cassim, runs from 1 September 2026 to 11 January 2027 at The President Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town. Cassim works primarily with layers of oil paint, creating landscapes in which natural forms blur, dissolve and reappear. Changes in colour, light and brushwork give the paintings a sense of movement, with soft blush tones and deep earthy foliage emerging through a shifting haze. The result is work that sits somewhere between the familiar and the surreal.
The exhibition is particularly interested in how places remain in memory after their finer details start to fade. Cassim explores the relationship between memory, perception and illusion, creating landscapes that can be experienced through feeling as much as sight. Her approach is intuitive, with her brushwork responding closely to her state of mind.
Among the works featured are the expansive The Dance I, alongside smaller pieces including Sherbet, Berry and Bleed. The selection spans oil on canvas, board and Fabriano paper, offering a look at Cassim’s continuing exploration of natural forms and spatial illusion.
Cassim graduated from the University of Cape Town, completing an Honours in Fine Art in 2014. In 2021, she co-founded Hotel Hernandez Art School, a peer-to-peer art programme for emerging and established artists, and later curated its graduate exhibition at the Iziko South African National Gallery. Her exhibition history extends across South Africa and internationally, including Australia, Spain and France.
The In Residence series reflects The President Hotel’s commitment to bringing contemporary art beyond traditional gallery spaces. Presented with Art School Africa, it places work by local artists into the everyday spaces of the hotel, creating opportunities for guests and visitors to encounter contemporary Cape Town creativity in a more accessible setting.
The setting adds another layer to the experience. The President Hotel sits along Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard in Bantry Bay, between the ocean and the slopes of Lion’s Head. Its public spaces feature contemporary African artworks as part of its ongoing collaboration with Art School Africa.
Quick details
- Exhibition: In Residence: Zarah Cassim
- Artist: Zarah Cassim
- Venue: The President Hotel Cape Town
- Location: Bantry Bay, Cape Town
- Presented with: Art School Africa
- On view: 1 September 2026 to 11 January 2027
- Works: The Dance I, Sherbet, Berry, Bleed and other selected works
- Mediums: Oil on canvas, board and Fabriano paper
- Focus: Landscape, perception, memory, natural forms, spatial illusion, reality and imagination
- Exhibition price: Not specified in the supplied information
- Exhibition contact: info@artschoolafrica.com
- Hotel: The President Hotel Cape Town
FAQs
When is In Residence: Zarah Cassim on view?
The exhibition runs from 1 September 2026 to 11 January 2027.
Where is the Zarah Cassim exhibition taking place?
It is being presented at The President Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town.
Who is Zarah Cassim?
Zarah Cassim is a South African artist and University of Cape Town Fine Art graduate whose practice explores landscapes, perception, memory and the space between reality and imagination.
What artworks are included in the exhibition?
The selection includes The Dance I, Sherbet, Berry and Bleed, alongside other works exploring landscapes, natural forms and abstracted gestures.
What mediums does Zarah Cassim use?
The exhibition includes works in oil on canvas, board and Fabriano paper.
Is there an admission price for the exhibition?
No exhibition admission price is specified in the supplied information.
Who can be contacted for more information?
Exhibition enquiries can be directed to info@artschoolafrica.com
