Igshaan Adams: Between Then and Now

Igshaan Adams (b. 1982, Cape Town) creates layered compositions that blur the boundaries between textiles, sculpture and performance. His early interest in weaving began with the handmade baskets his family collected during his childhood. His artistic practice has evolved through a deeply intuitive approach to textiles: ’I deliberately avoided getting weaving training so as not to know, and to operate from that not-knowing.’

Through a collaborative practice, Adams’ work draws on personal memory, spirituality and shared histories, transforming overlooked materials from daily Cape Town life into powerful reflections on identity, value and belonging.

Igshaan Adams: Between Then and Now. is conceived as a woven timeline of the artist’s work, embedded with residues of history and echoes of his past. Raised in Bonteheuwel, a racially segregated suburb of Cape Town during apartheid, Adams navigated the tensions of a deeply divided society and grew up at the intersection of conflicting identities. These experiences inform his practice, which often explores the spiritual dimensions of healing and transformation.

The exhibition begins with an expansive installation of textile swatches, which visitors are invited to touch, immersing them into Adams’ studio environment. His signature tapestries and ‘cloud’ sculptures are presented alongside his dance prints, shown here for the first time as a large-scale environment. Together, they form a silent choreography that turns movement into a language of liberation.