HERMANUS FYNARTS 2023

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Hermanus will again be abuzz with visitors when the annual FynArts Festival returns from 9 – 18 June. Festivalgoers can look forward to a stimulating and entertaining arts and culture programme spanning the full ten days.

Youth Day falls on the second Friday of the festival, which coincides with the long weekend and the start of the winter school holidays. Look out for an extended programme for children this year.

The uniqueness of this festival, now in its 11th year, lies in the breadth of its offering which encompasses a range of visual arts disciplines: music performances, from soloists to ensembles and orchestras, the Strauss & Co series of Talks and Presentations, culinary arts which this year will include both demonstrations and workshops; wine tastings and special dinners; and a variety of workshops, from sculpting, painting and crafting, to writing, photography, cooking and flower arranging.

Despite many challenges the festival has continued to grow into a well-rounded arts event to delight all cultural palates.

As always, there will be a sharp focus on the visual arts, starting with the installation of the 2023 outdoor group exhibition, Sculpture on the Cliffs, sponsored by Pioneer Freight.

This year’s exhibition, curated by Melvyn Minnaar, is titled Walking back to Happiness. The exhibition will feature works by 10 artists who include a few new names and several who have participated in previous years.

Gracing the coastline around Gearing’s Point, these sculptures are an example of how public art can enhance a sense of well-being among both residents and visitors to Hermanus.

The 2023 FynArts Festival Artist is Paula Louw. Her exhibition, Shaking off the Dust will be on display at the FynArts Gallery. Additional exhibitions and walk-abouts will be hosted by the many other art galleries and open studios in Hermanus, and on wine estates in the area.

The annual ceramics group exhibition hosted at the Windsor Hotel, is again curated by Liz Coates. Thirty-nine top South African ceramicists will interpret this year’s theme, Earth, Wind and Fire. A selection of small sculptures will be displayed in the Municipal Auditorium, also the venue for many presentations and performances.

The FynArts Advisory Board annually presents a FynArts Legacy Award and this year the recipient is the iconic actor, author and playwright, Pieter-Dirk Uys, who will also be back with a new one-man show, Sell-by Date The ever-popular Strauss & Co Series of Talks will deliver a variety of fascinating presentations and talks on a wide range of topics, offering festivalgoers the opportunity to get up close and personal with authors, radio producers, actors, artists and art historians, amongst others. For those interested in learning something new or perfecting their craft there is a range of informative and fun workshops to choose from.

For wine enthusiasts there will be no less than six presentations by well-known wine personalities with topics ranging from The Art of Blending to Six Decades of South African Wine. The FynArts Culinary Series has been extended from being a series of culinary demonstrations, to include workshops and dinners hosted at scenic venues by some of Hermanus’s top chefs and restaurateurs.

Each year the arrival of art lovers in Hermanus coincides with the return of the whales in Walker Bay. Although early in the season, visitors might well spot these gentle giants while sipping on a cocktail or enjoying a lunch break between shows.

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