On Friday, 5 September 2025, the Michaelis School of Fine Art opened its landmark centenary exhibition, 100 Years: 100 Objects, at the Michaelis Galleries. The exhibition marked a hundred years since the Cape Town School of Art was officially incorporated into the University of Cape Town in 1925, and offered visitors an extraordinary opportunity to reflect on a century of artistic teaching, experimentation, and innovation.

The opening night brought together students, staff, alumni, and friends of Michaelis, who filled the gallery spaces in celebration of this historic milestone. In her remarks, Professor Shose Kessi, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, spoke of Michaelis as more than just a school of art:

“We are opening more than an exhibition. We are opening up memories, stories, fragments of lives lived in these studios and classrooms. One hundred years can sound like a distant number, but here, in this gallery, it feels close and alive. Because what we are really marking is not time as an abstract thing, but people.”

Professor Kessi reflected on Michaelis’ legacy of both tension and resilience, acknowledging its role in reshaping the South African art landscape while also reminding the audience that transformation is an ongoing practice. She also paid tribute to the often-unseen work of technicians, administrators, and support staff who keep the school’s creative life in motion.

Curated by Associate Professor Fritha Langerman with the support of Michaelis Galleries curator Jade Nair, the exhibition presented an unofficial history told through 100 objects, images, and anecdotes, many contributed by past and present staff. Rather than presenting a single, linear account, 100 Years: 100 Objects wove together fragments and memories to capture the complexity of Michaelis’ past and present.

The exhibition runs until 8 October 2025, inviting visitors to reflect on the school’s history while sparking imagination for the next hundred years of artistic inquiry, innovation, and dialogue.