Zeitz MOCAA [Museum of Contemporary Art Africa]

The museum building was constructed from the conversion of the 57m tall historic Grain Silo, originally built in 1921 and decommissioned in 2001. The architects, Heatherwick Studio,aimed to conserve and celebrate the original structure's industrial heritage, while simultaneously excavating large open spaces from the 42 densely-packed concrete cylinders from which it is was comprised. Using a variety of concrete-cutting techniques the interior of the building has been carved-out to create a number of galleries and a large central atrium. The remaining concrete shafts have been capped with strengthened glass in order to allow natural light to enter and create a "cathedral-like" interior. [Wikipedia]

Zeitz MOCAA houses the largest collection of contemporary African art on the continent and is the  only museum of its kind in Africa.





The exhibits portray reality from an African perspective and challenge western domination of art form. Some pieces are post modern, graphic and jarring exploring ideological and racial conflict and tension. Others reflect African heritage.

The work of artists include Nicholas Hlobo, Cyrus Kabiru, Hank Willis Thomas, Jody Paulsen, Kendell Geers and William Kentridge. Nandipha Mntambo’s solo exhibition, which spans five rooms is unmissable, while Kudzanai Chiurai’s mixed-media work goes right around the floor.

The focus is exclusively on 21st-century work from Africa and the diaspora, centred around the private collection of Jochen Zeitz.