Apr 28, 2026
2 min read
[ 6 August to 17 September 2026 ]
Cairn
Through this exhibition, we aim to highlight the human relationship with nature and how engagement with the natural environment can lead to personal growth. When tracking through difficult terrain, there is an ancient anthropological tradition of piling stones on top of each other to indicate what direction to follow. This human-made pile of rocks is known as a cairn and is still used today when following footpaths or hiking trails. The symbolism behind a cairn is not to indicate that the path forward will be without obstacles, but rather an indication that hikers before you have chosen to travel along this route. As each passer-by adds a single stone, the cairn is gradually and collectively formed over time. The selfless act of contributing one stone to a beacon that will guide others along the route establishes a sense of community among hikers to act in order to assist others. This act of kindness leads to personal growth. When a cairn is observed at a crossroad, this tower created from stones represents a communal act of benevolence, as these hikers who once walked this path thought of those wanderers who will need guidance after they have left.
A cairn is an example of societal and humanistic perseverance and how powerful human connection can be, even when the only material you have at your disposal is a seemingly mundane rock. We propose that this exhibition is a metaphorical cairn, one that is built one artwork at a time, using art practice as a symbol to guide, to question and to suggest how we interact with nature and how our legacy will be perceived. When we consider what the impact of our actions can amount to, we recognise that the mere act of living is a position of power and responsibility. Any path we choose to walk, is an opportunity to affect change. When the path to be chosen is unclear, the guidepost created by others becomes both a guiding light and a projection of responsibility as we have the option to contribute a stone to this guiding beacon of hope. As artists we promote the role of responsible stewardship. This idealistic notion is a response to the current pollution of the natural environment and to the unethical exploitation of natural resources. This exhibition invites viewers to become stewards of nature who gradually and caringly build a legacy of nature conservation for future generations. It is our contention that small acts of kindness and empathic gestures, such as the ritual of building a cairn, may demonstrate the potential uplifting impact of human engagement.
Exhibiting artists
Geneve Potgieter . Josly Liebenberg . Lelani Nicolaisen