"Simonsberg View" by Frances Wedepohl.
The La Motte Ateljee is excited to announce "Van Horison tot Horison", a new art exhibition opening at its Franschhoek Valley address on 7 March 2026. This exhibition, directly translated as From Horizon to Horizon, focuses on the South African landscape by placing contemporary artists in dialogue with historical precedents, embracing the influence and inspiration of both place and legacy, tradition as well as reinterpretation.
The exhibition draws from Lina Spies’s poem Blydskap and considers the enduring role of the South African landscape as a site of reflection and inspiration. In her writing, Afrikaans poet and academic Spies witnesses the resilience of the horizon and the subtle changing of seasons. Her verses are rooted in observation and introspection, forming part of a creative lineage of artists who turned to the South African landscape for their inspiration.
La Motte’s association with renowned South African landscape artist, JH Pierneef, is well recorded, and the same horizon that inspired his art is described in Spies’ poetry. Alongside JH Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, and Irma Stern also often turned to the landscape for inspiration, developing visual languages of their own. Pierneef, often referred to as the Cézanne of South Africa, sought to capture the essence of the land in its vastness and stillness. Laubser celebrated the specialness of the ordinary, using an imaginative and emotive colour palette, while Stern depicted the vibrancy and intensity of Africa through bold, expressive brushwork with raw colour and movement.
"Van Horison tot Horison" acknowledges the historical importance while also inviting contemporary artists to respond and enter the dialogue with both the landscape and the visual language of their predecessors, while shaping their own evolving narratives.
The exhibitions present fourteen contemporary artists: Alice Toich, Conrad Oosthuizen, Ella Thomson, Emma Willemse, Frances Wedepohl, Inge Semple, Jenny Parsons, Johann Booyens, Joshua Miles, Kristen McClarty, Michael Amery, Rentia Retief, Ros Koch, and Thea Burger. All working across painting, printmaking, sculpture, sound, installation, and artist books.
Pierneef’s structured geometry reappears in the precise, composed work of Michael Amery and in the stylised trees of Frances Wedepohl and Joshua Miles. Laubser’s approach to colour echoes in Rentia Retief’s palette, while Stern’s expressive strokes are found in the brushwork of Jenny Parsons and Thea Burger.
The interactive La Motte Ateljee experience also features Emma Willemse’s sculptural boat installation, accompanied by paper pulp drawings, in the centre of the gallery, while the exhibition reaches beyond the visual and tactile with sound artist, Conrad Oosthuizen’s composition of Spies’s Blydskap into a sonic landscape, adding another dimension to reinterpretation. A captivating schedule of workshops has been announced and are open for reservation.
Across the exhibition, a shared dialogue unfolds between past and present, landscape and representation, image, text, and sound. Van Horison tot Horison affirms the South African landscape as a continuing source of inspiration, one that invites ongoing interpretation, response, and renewal from one horizon to the next.
"The White Paper Boat" by Emma Willemse.
Programme of workshops
Do not miss an exciting line-up of art workshops at La Motte Ateljee.
Plein Air Oil Painting with Alice Toich
28 and 29 March 2026
Join Alice Toich for an in-depth two-day intermediate plein air painting workshop while being inspired by the La Motte landscape and historic buildings. Alice will facilitate all demonstrations and guide guests on the best materials and tools for painting en plein air.
Botanical Charcoal Portrait Drawing with Mariè Stander
11 and 12 April 2026
Join Mariè Stander for an in-depth two-day portrait workshop using the tactile medium, charcoal. Guests will be introduced to the finer art of portraiture, focusing on elements like observation and intuitive drawing. You will be working from a live model and visual imagery, working with charcoal and introducing an element of colour with soft pastel.
Watercolour Landscape and Architecture with Maak Creative Studio
25 and 26 April 2026
This step-by-step beginner-friendly watercolour workshop will focus on the painting of landscapes with architecture, drawing inspiration from La Motte’s historic buildings. Beginners will have the chance to learn more about watercolour painting, while more experienced painters will also have the chance to improve their techniques and learn some new skills.
Watercolour Still Life Painting with Beth Lowe
9 May 2026
As part of the Van Horison tot Horison exhibition focusing on the works by South African masters, especially landscapes and still lifes, Beth Lowe will be sharing her expertise on painting a still life artwork in watercolour. Through her guidance, guests will delve into the techniques of color mixing, brushwork, and capturing the essence of light and shadow, while using a double primary palette.
Open-Spine Accordion Bookbinding with Heléne van Aswegen
6 June 2026
This workshop with Heléne van Aswegen will introduce participants to the creation of a blank open-spine accordion book—a beginner-friendly binding method that covers the fundamental principles of bookbinding. The accordion structure (also known as leporello or concertina binding) naturally supports the theme of landscape, as the book can be fully extended into a panoramic format.
Carve and Print Your Own Linocut Artwork on a Tote Bag with Lino Eatery
20 June 2026
Join the Lino Eatery and dive into the world of lino printing! Guests will design, carve and hand print their very own custom artwork onto a white tote bag. Tarryn Robinson from Lino Eatery will give clear guidance on how to make a beautiful artwork, and all levels of expertise are welcome.
For more details and reservations, click HERE.
"Life Dust" by Ella Thomson.