This exhibition offers an important, intercontinental dialogue on the enduring legacies of slavery, colonialism, and the global pursuit of freedom. In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World is a major international travelling exhibition developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Cape Town marks the third stop on its global tour, following its debut in Washington and Brazil.
Presented as a part of the Global Curatorial Project, this ambitious showcase serves as a significant cultural homecoming, effectively bridging the stories of the African Diaspora with the continent’s lived histories to envision a more equitable future. The exhibition features contributions from an international consortium of museums and scholars, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives on history and what it means to live in the wake of slavery.
Comprising close to 190 objects, 250 images, and 10 multimedia interactives and films, the exhibition thoughtfully integrates historical artefacts, immersive media, and contemporary artworks into South Africa’s national art collection. Highlights include artist Daniel Minter’s large-format immersive installation, Universe of Freedom-making, which provides a dedicated space for contemplation, imagination, and exploring the diversity of Black freedom-making practices.
Additionally, the exhibition includes Unfinished Conversations, a central oral history initiative featuring filmed interviews of descendant communities discussing slavery, memory, race, and place. These narratives not only inform the exhibition content but also shape live programming at the venue, inspiring dialogue and action toward a more just future.
The exhibition is developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture alongside leading museums and scholars worldwide.
Associated Public Programming & Events:
In tandem with the main exhibition, Iziko Museums is hosting a series of live public events to further engage with these critical histories:
- The Unfinished Conversations Series: Colonial Slavery and Its Afterlives in South Africa: This initiative serves as a new form of curatorial practice, public engagement, and programming designed to collect, give voice to, and provide a platform for untold histories, memories, and narratives. Connecting the past and the present, this exhibition offers a glimpse into the archive of interviews generously shared with the project to link local stories to global communities.
- Date: Thursday, 28 May 2026
- Time: 19:00 – 21:00
- Venue: Iziko Slave Lodge, Corner of Adderley Street and Wale Street, Cape Town
- Documentary Screening: Uncorking the Bitter Truth – Slavery’s Legacy in Cape Wine Join us for a screening of this vital documentary, which exposes the painful legacy of South Africa’s famous winelands. The film reveals how the history of colonial slavery continues to affect farmworker communities today through poverty, low wages, poor working conditions, and restricted housing rights. It highlights the devastating generational trauma and alcoholism left behind by the ‘Dop system’, while using personal stories to emphasise the ongoing struggles for dignity, land, and justice among the descendants of enslaved people who cultivate the Cape’s world-class wine.
- Date: Saturday, 30 May 2026
- Time: 12:00 – 14:15
- Venue: T H Barry Lecture Theatre, Iziko South African Museum, 25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Exhibition Details:
- Venue: Iziko South African National Gallery, Company’s Garden
- Dates: 22 May to 31 October 2026
- Opening Hours: Open daily from 09:00 – 16:00
- Tickets: Available online via Webtickets or at the door
