Mount Nelson Unveils The New Thebe Magugu Suite and Concept Store Celebrating the South African Designer

Mount Nelson debuts three new exhibitions in collaboration with leading artists and institutions, transforming the hotel’s iconic spaces into platforms for contemporary African art.

After debuting the Afro-modernist retreat Magugu House earlier this year, the hotel is working with the Norval Foundation and Goodman Gallery to showcase dynamic, boundary-pushing art from influential African artists across a range of themes, mediums, and spaces.

The Foreign Familiar

This exhibition, co-curated by Thebe Magugu and Julia Buchanan, delves into the history of colonial exchange and how its objects, images, and systems transform over time. With a combination of fine art and fashion, these works examine how forms derived from empire are absorbed and reshaped in a Southern African context.

A collaborative sculpture between Magugu and Mary Sibande merges Victorian silhouettes with Basotho blanket textiles, while Sibande’s accompanying works on paper further explore themes of leisure, imagination and Black interiority.

Other works by Wim Botha distort the visual language of Western art history through fragmented sculptures, while Magugu’s Mafeteng capsule collection is inspired by the iconic Basotho blanket and its layered history of cultural reclamation after colonial exchange.

When: Tuesday – Saturday | 10am – 6pm | On show until 27 August 2026

Interior Weather

Curated by the Norval Foundation’s Carmen Joubert, Interior Weather spans six decades of African art, exploring how changes in colour and material can significantly impact feeling and atmosphere. The artworks are woven into the very halls, lounges, and corridors of Mount Nelson, shaping their mood, texture, and emotional resonance.

Visitors can expect to see works such as Kate Gottgens’ atmospheric Hot as Hell, as well as pieces from Dada Khanyisa, Eddy Kamuanga Illunga and modernist painter Ephraim Ngatane.

The exhibition is on show until February 2027.

Sculpture trail through the gardens

In collaboration with Goodman Gallery, this exhibition transforms Mount Nelson’s famous gardens into a walkthrough experience, where guests discover and reflect on a range of outdoor sculptures at their own pace.

It features works by internationally acclaimed artists, including: Yinka Shonibare’s Fabric Bronze II, a dynamic bronze sculpture that appears suspended mid-motion; Walter Oltmann’s Carpobrotus (2026), which reimagines indigenous coastal fynbos through woven anodised aluminium; Ghada Amer’s sculptural works which manifests language into reality through physical structures of interwoven Arabic script; and William Kentridge’s bronze pieces depicting branches, vessels and animals, translating his celebrated drawing practice into three-dimensional form.

The exhibition is on show until February 2027.

Mount Nelson’s Commitment To Cape Town Art

Created by Thebe Magugu in collaboration with StudioLandt, Magugu House is both a concept store and cultural hub celebrating African fashion, art, and creative exchange. The space functions as both a gallery and a showroom, presenting limited-edition collections, archival pieces, art, photography, books, and objects, with rotating quarterly exhibitions.

Building on the launch of the Thebe Magugu Suite and Magugu House in 2026, these new exhibitions continue to reflect Belmond’s vision, in which cultural exchange and connection are at the heart of hospitality. With its efforts to broaden the Mount Nelson’s list of collaborators, the iconic hotel stays deeply connected to Cape Town’s thriving creative spirit.

Guests wanting to experience all three exhibitions first-hand can book a stay at the hotel and join ARTROUTE’s complimentary guided weekly art tour held every Thursday at 5pm. To make a reservation, please contact [email protected].