Solo Exhibition: Daniël Hugo 'Camissa Alterna' Curated by Andrew Lamprecht

May 21, 2022 - July 02, 2022

6 Spin Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, South Africa

ESCAP3 Gallery in proud collaboration with 6 Spin Street Gallery are delighted to host the Debut Solo Exhibition by South African Artist Daniël Hugo: 'Camissa Alterna', Curated by Andrew Lamprecht, Saturday 21 May – Saturday 02 July 2022. The Vernissage & First Thursday June 2022 is generously supported by the Muratie Wine Estate of Stellenbosch.

Address: 6 Spin Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001

Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10:00 - 17:00 (GMT+2)

Please note the Gallery will be Closed on Saturday 04 June 2022


The exhibition title alludes to an alternative history of the the Cape of Good Hope ('Camissa', meaning ‘sweet waters’, being a KhoeKhoen word for the river that flows from Table Mountain into the bay). Hugo envisages and presents a legendarium of enormous scope and magnitude.

Many years in the making, and originally appearing in independent comics in South Africa, Hugo has produced a major (wordless) graphic novel that explores the world of 'Oneironaut' which features 'Die Strandloper', a female protagonist's adventure/journey stretching a hundred pages long. Emerging from this rich tapestry, the paintings and prints on 'Camissa Alterna' present moments in the alt-history of a Cape Town that could have been.

Hugo’s artistry is realistic but fantastical and deeply embedded in a complex universe of symbol, legend, dreams and make-believe. The realism of his style only adds weight to the believability of this mythography. Produced in a wide variety of media, including acrylic paint, charcoal, pen amongst others, the painting and prints on this exhibition show a glimpse of the wide-ranging talent a major comic book artist in a gallery context for the very first time.

About The Curator

Andrew Lamprecht is Curator of Historical Paintings and Sculpture at the Iziko South African National Gallery. For over 20 years he worked as an art historian and theorist at the Michaelis School of Fine at Art at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He has over 40 local and international exhibitions to his credit and has published widely on his speciality, contemporary African and Diasporic art.