By Eddah Waithaka
The vibrant heart of the city’s creative district just got brighter. Youngblood Gallery on Bree Street unveiled Emotions of the Sun yesterday, transforming into a beacon of Veuve Clicquot’s iconic yellow and bathing the street in a warm, creative glow.
This major international exhibition, a partnership between the celebrated Maison and the legendary Magnum Photos agency, brings a world of sunlight to Cape Town after successful runs in Milan and New York.
For its duration, until 21 December, the gallery itself, painted in Pantone 137c, stands as a radiant landmark.
The exhibition gathers forty powerful works from eight renowned Magnum photographers, including giants like Steve McCurry and Alex Webb. Each artist explores the sun not just as light, but as a profound emotional force.
While their lenses have captured moments from Japan to Iran, Mexico to France, the collection finds a perfect home in Cape Town.”Cape Town’s light and its appetite for creativity made this a fitting next chapter,” said Thomas Mulliez, President of Veuve Clicquot, at the star-studded launch on 3 December.
Hosted by Nomzamo Mbatha, the evening shone a spotlight on three of the featured photographers: Cristina de Middel, Newsha Tavakolian, and South Africa’s own Lindokuhle Sobekwa.
Sobekwa’s homecoming provided one of the night’s most poignant moments. His series, Blooming in the Sun, captured in the local landscapes that shaped him, anchors the global exhibition in intimate, South African sunlight.
“Seeing the work here, in the light that raised me, gives it a different weight,” Sobekwa shared with the captivated audience.Inside the yellow-hued gallery, visitors now embark on a global journey.
They can move from Steve McCurry’s serene Mount Fuji sunrise to Trent Parke’s monumental Australian outback scenes, and from Olivia Arthur’s quiet French summer to Newsha Tavakolian’s luminous narratives of Iran.
Together, the images form a stunning visual lexicon of how sunlight shapes memory, place, and emotion across continents.The experience extends beyond the walls.
In the Sun on Your Plate Cafe, culinary curator Seth Shezi translates solar energy into a menu of flavour, colour, and texture. An exclusive boutique offers limited-edition summer pieces and personalised Veuve Clicquot collectables.
The coming weeks promise even more, with exclusive hosted tours and a series of intimate La Grande Dame dinners and Bold Conversations events, continuing the Maison’s tradition of fostering audacious creativity and community.
Tickets for the immersive Emotions of the Sun experience are R200 via howler.co.za, including a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and full access to the exhibition, café, and boutique.
Exhibition: Emotions of the SunVenue: Youngblood Gallery, 70 Bree Street, Cape Town Dates: 4 – 21 December Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am – 6pm Tickets: R200 via howler.co.za
