Nel Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Cape Town, is inviting locals and visitors to explore upcoming art events featuring artists with international careers. The program begins with a two-day live performance by the interdisciplinary artist Holger Maik Mertin, whose work brings together sound, movement, and performance. The gallery will then welcome the African spring season with a solo exhibition by the Dutch (formerly South African) artist Ina van Zyl. Read on to discover more about these upcoming events.
Holger Maik Mertin at Nel Gallery
Holger Maik Mertin’s two-day live performance, So. Und?, takes place at Nel Gallery on August 26-27, 2026. During the performance, the artist uses the gallery space as part of his work, exploring the connections between sound, movement, and the surrounding environment.
Mertin has become known for his unique approach to transforming environments into musical instruments and bringing the body and space together as creative tools for exploring acoustic experiences. He follows principles of sustainability and minimalism in his work and is also a teacher and researcher in sound semiotics, percussion, and interdisciplinary sound studies. Since 2019, Mertin has increasingly explored political and activist themes, incorporating community-based collaborations and sustainability-focused projects into his practice.
Paintings by Ina van Zyl
On September 1, Ina van Zyl will open the spring season at Nel with a selection of paintings and works on paper that elevate ordinary objects and experiences to the status of art subjects. The artist was born in Ceres in 1971 and graduated from Stellenbosch University with a BA in Fine Arts. She now lives and works in Amsterdam, and her work can be found in Dutch museums, as well as private and corporate collections.
Van Zyl is interested in isolating familiar objects from their everyday contexts and examining their ability to communicate a sense of consciousness through altered representations. Her upcoming solo exhibition will be her first in South Africa in more than 30 years, giving visitors an opportunity to explore her distinctive visual language and artistic philosophy.
According to the artist’s personal statement, she draws on centuries-old traditions of portraiture, still life, and landscape painting. However, rather than simply imitating objects from the natural world, van Zyl focuses on the deeply personal and subjective responses they evoke in her.
Stay tuned for more news about upcoming art events at Nel. The gallery is getting ready for the active summer season with new collaborations and one-of-a-kind art shows scheduled for the coming months.