Jagged tones of music can be heard between the stolen moments of people laughing and wine glasses clanging, as the first sips of happy hour commences. The atmosphere is booming with cascades of life, Cape Town, is alive tonight.
On the first Thursday of every month, there is an undeniable buzz that manifests around the CBD. Various antique shops and art galleries stay open long after the sun goes down. Bree, Loop, Long and Waterkant streets fill up as various culture-goers gather to celebrate all things creative.
One particular exhibition worth mentioning is the solo exhibition of Gregor Röhrig, which was hosted at Shop 115 on Waterkant Street. Gregor is a brilliant photographer who has mastered the art of capturing still images that evoke strong feelings of liveliness.
The exhibition kicked off with welcoming drinks, a choice of spice-infused Musgrave Gin, or your preference from a selection of fine white and red wines. After settling into the space, we were cued to fill in at the centre of the room as Gregor, the man of the hour, provided his eager guests with a brief commentary on his work and the experiences that followed.
His work captures everyday moments that might go unnoticed to the mundane eye, and juxtaposes the image to his personal engagement with it. Because his work is so personal, it takes you on a spiritual journey that encourages you to interpret the piece accordingly and when that happens, his work triumphs.
One particular piece I found myself going back to, was titled Concert at Tu Duc. This piece was an image of an old church in Vietnam that is contrasted with deeply textured colours of burnt orange and deep sea blues. In this pieces, Gregor demonstrates two vastly different colours emerging above the old Church, commenting on certain influences that have come from the West and have been imposed on the people residing in the area. A powerful image that encourages engagement and social commentary around its nature.
As the evening drew to a close, I felt compelled to go and congratulate the man that was in question tonight. I thanked him and naively asked where his inspiration comes from, he smiled at me and simply replied, ‘Life. I am inspired by life.’
Six words, that amounts to an infinite amount of possibilities. Don’t you just love the arts?
Photography courtesy Alex Shellar