Zeitz MOCAA’s current Atelier artist-in-residence, Berni Searle, presents her residency titled On Site, offering visitors an intimate engagement with her creative process.
Launched in 2019, the Zeitz MOCAA Atelier residency programme provides Cape Town-based artists with a space to explore and develop their work.
Searle’s Atelier residency began on 20 June 2024 and will run until 2 March 2025.
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(Cape Town, 30 July 2024): Now in its sixth cycle, the Zeitz MOCAA Atelier residency welcomes Berni Searle as its latest resident for an eight-month period. Born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1964, Searle’s experiences growing up under apartheid have profoundly shaped her artistic expression. Her residency, titled On Site, opened on 20 June 2024 and will conclude on 2 March 2025.
Searle’s multifaceted practice spans photography, video, performance, and installation, offering visitors a unique opportunity to engage closely with her evolving work. The residency features selections from her previous projects, along with sketches, objects, and publications, while she generates new ideas within the space.
The Atelier’s layout serves distinct purposes, including a room showcasing an extensive collection of her moving image works. Other areas are designated for conversation, relaxation, photography backdrops, and the development of large-scale installations. Searle’s project-based approach brings together diverse skills and expertise, and her residency in the Atelier allows for continuous work and reflection, offering museum visitors a window into her creative process.
“The city of Cape Town is integral to my practice, deeply connected to the narratives and experiences of its people, history, and the complex poetics of the place,” Searle notes. “This residency celebrates that connection, situating me within my context and using the studio as a site for reflection, observation, and play,” she adds.
Located on Level 2 of Zeitz MOCAA, the Atelier is a 400-square-metre experimental platform, providing an exploratory space for Cape Town-based artists. It is open to the public, offering visitors insight into the artists’ creative processes. Past residents include Kemang Wa Lehulere, Thania Petersen, Haroon Gunn-Salie, Igshaan Adams, and Unathi Mkonto.
Zeitz MOCAA’s curatorial and exhibition programming is generously supported by Gucci, the Mellon Foundation, and BMW Group South Africa.
For further media materials, including Berni Searle’s full biography and images, click [here]. For media enquiries, contact Evaan Jason Ferreira at evaanjason.ferreira@zeitzmocaa.museum.
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About Zeitz MOCAA
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a non-profit institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. The museum hosts international exhibitions, fosters intercultural dialogue, and offers educational programmes to promote understanding and access for all. In addition to its rotating exhibitions, the museum houses the Centre for Art Education (CFAE) and the Atelier, a residency programme for Cape Town-based artists.
Zeitz MOCAA is located at the Silo District, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, and is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm (last entry at 5.30 pm). Visit zeitzmocaa.museum for more information.
About Gucci
Established in Florence in 1921, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury brands. Under the leadership of President and CEO Marco Bizzarri and Creative Director Alessandro Michele, Gucci continues to redefine luxury while staying true to its heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. Gucci is part of the global luxury group Kering. Learn more at gucci.com.
About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the largest supporter of arts and humanities in the United States. Since its founding in 1969, the Foundation has been driven by the belief that the arts and humanities are essential to human understanding. Through its grants, it seeks to foster just communities enriched by meaning, critical thinking, and imagination. Learn more at mellon.org.
About BMW Group
The BMW Group is a global leader in premium vehicles and services, with over 30 production sites worldwide and an expansive sales network. The company’s commitment to responsibility and sustainability is reflected in its core values and strategic goals, aiming to make a meaningful contribution to a more sustainable world. For more information, visit bmwgroup.com.