Please join us for the public programme and exhibition ‘Hiving & HUMing: Material Realms & Sonic Immersions’ from 26 March - 20 April 2025. Thembalezwe Mntambo and Dunja Herzog have undertaken a year-long collaborative research-driven project that centres bees’ logics and sensing capacities between bees, plants and humans and considers how through vibration and instrument making new modalities of restorative reciprocation between beings can be established. The project's initial public moment was a practical alternative beehive making workshop at Ikhaya Kulture Garden in Khayelitsha, followed by presentations and cross-pollination of ideas with local and international beekeepers, gardeners and artists at POOL in Green Point Park in March 2024. ‘Hiving & HUMing: Material Realms & Sonic Immersions' sees the project culminate in an interdisciplinary performance programme and an exhibition taking place within the garden at Philippi Village.

The public programme begins on the 26th of March at the Kirby Collection of Musical Instruments, housed at the University of Cape Town’s School of Music, with a thought piece by Brandon H. Andrews, a PhD student in Ethnomusicology. This is followed by a sonic presentation by Farai Matake and Ntomb'Yelanga entitled ‘Humming Vibrations’ foregrounding the challenges regarding access and engagement with indigenous musical instruments.

The exhibition, opening on the 28th of March, at Philippi Village takes place in and around a twelve meter shipping container bringing together performance, sonic and sculptural works.

The exhibition and programme opens with a collaborative choreographed dance performance by Lisa Wilson & dance students from the Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, University of Cape Town, developed in response to artist Simnikiwe Bulungu’s synthesized score. The response performance seeks to activate and move the sculptural pieces within the exhibition which includes commissioned beehives by KZN master weavers Angeline Masuku, Beauty Ngxongo and Sinegugu Ngxongo as well as brass listening devices and reimagined beehives by Mntambo and Herzog. The programme moves on to a participatory performance led by Neil Rusch !goin !goin - an aerophone device deployed by the Xam Bushmen to communicate with bees; and a soundscape composed by Meryl Van Noie with a choreographed response developed by the dance students.

The programme draws to a close with spoken word and music presentations from Treenity and Vuyo Myoli, with the final act ‘Humming Vibrations’ performed by duo Farai Matake and Ntomb'Yelanga. The programme extends into the month of April with scheduled dance performances and concludes with a talk by Thembalezwe Mntambo and Dunja Herzog on the 20th of April.

This final iteration of the project draws together the different strands of engagement and interaction. In foregrounding bees’ agency, cyclical relationship and swarm logics, and emphasizing different means of sensing, this transdisciplinary event in Philippi Village invites new engagements across multispecies realities. 

Kirby Collection of Musical Instruments: In collaboration with African Music, SA College of Music, and the University of Cape Town

Wednesday 26 March, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Kirby Collection, S.A. College of Music, Rondebosch

·        Reimagining a Sonic Landscape through the Kirby Collection by Brandon H. Andrews (PhD student, Ethnomusicology, UCT)

·        Humming Vibrations featuring Farai Matake and Ntomb'Yelanga

Philippi Village: Performances, Sonic Installations &Sculptural Works

Friday 28 March, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Philippi Village, 1 Cwangco Cres, Philippi

·        10:30 AM: Exhibition Opening

·        11:00 AM: Embodied Reciprocity dance performance - collaborative choreography by Lisa Wilson & CTDPS dancers

·        11:30 AM: !goin !goin performance with Neil Rusch

·        12:00 PM: Lunch Break

·        1:00 PM: Body Sonic dance performance with soundscape by Meryl van Noie, collaborative choreography by Lisa Wilson & CTDPS dancers

·        1:30 PM: Treenity

·        1:45 PM: Vuyo Myoli

·        2:15 PM: Humming Vibrations featuring Farai Matake and Ntomb'Yelanga

Philippi Village: Dance Performances & Talk

Philippi Village, 1 Cwangco Cres, Philippi

·        12 April & 19 April | 2:00 PM: Embodied Reciprocity dance performance by CTDPS dancers

·        20 April | 2:00 PM: Artist Talk with Thembalezwe Mntambo & Dunja Herzog

The exhibition will be open from 28 March - 20 April at Philippi Village:

·        Wednesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

·        Sunday, 20 April: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

RSVP by 24 March to hivingandhuming@gmail.com

Free Admission - Lunch Included (please confirm dietary requirements)

Transport (28 March)

Shuttle Service:

·        Pickup: 9:30 AM | [Location in town, to be confirmed]

·        Return: 3:30 PM

Escort Pickup:

·        Pickup: 9:30 AM | [Petrol Station, to be confirmed]

·        Return: 3:30 PM

(Number plates will be required for this)

This project is made possible with the generous support of: Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, Aargauer Kuratorium, Centre for Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies, University of Cape Town, Kunstkredit Basel-Stadt, Kulturförderung Basel-Landschaft, Philippi Village, South African College of Music, University Cape Town, Stiftung Erna und Curt Burgauer.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Thembalezwa Mntambo and Dunja Herzog