Zeitz MOCAA presents Spring Is Rebellious: The Art & Life of Albie Sachs, an exhibition that engages the public life of South African lawyer, activist, writer and former judge appointed to the first Constitutional Court of South Africa by Nelson Mandela, Albie Sachs. This exhibition narrates the intertwined artistic and political histories of two nations: Mozambique and South Africa. It recognises that revolution unfolds along a continuum, and it honours the many struggles for freedom that came before Sachs, and those still to come.
Albie Sachs is a renowned South African activist, writer, and former judge on the Constitutional Court (1994–2009), appointed by Nelson Mandela after the country’s first democratic elections. As a young advocate, he defended those charged under apartheid laws before going into exile in 1966. He later taught law in Mozambique, where in 1988 he survived a car bomb attack by South African agents, and lost his right arm and vision in his left eye.
A key figure in shaping South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitution, Sachs is the author of numerous books and continues to share lessons in justice, memory and healing. In 2025, The Albie Collection was launched to mark his 90th birthday. Carrying forward the spirit and ideas of Moses Kotane, Ruth First, Oliver Tambo and countless others, Sachs’ life and contributions act as a vessel for collective memory reflecting on Sachs’ cultural and intellectual legacy through artworks he collected, commissioned, curated, collaborated on, or helped inspire.
Rooted in the ideals of resistance, liberation and transformation, the exhibition examines the trajectory of revolutionary struggle and questions the limits of its founding principles. It opens a window into the ongoing project of African political freedom and social justice, and uses Sachs’ life and collections as entry points to reflect on how art helps shape political and social life. The exhibition reflects on political transformation—a complex process both Mozambique (post-1975) and South Africa (post-1994) have faced—through the layered perspectives offered by the artworks.
Albie Sachs had this t say: ‘For those of us who lived through the freedom struggles in Southern Africa, art was never a luxury, it was part of our survival. A mural, a poem, a song, a sculpture, a dance, they carried our defiance, our memory, our dreams. In Mozambique, I saw creativity thrive amid hardship. In South Africa, art gave spirit to our Constitution—the jazz musicians wrote the Constitution in music before the lawyers did in words. Spring Is Rebellious honours those who fought, created, and imagined a just world. Art helped us see freedom before it arrived. It still does. The struggle isn’t over—and neither is the dreaming.’
Spring Is Rebellious: The Art & Life of Albie Sachs draws from three main collections: the UWC-Robben Island Mayibuye Archives, featuring Sachs’ Mozambican works, the Constitutional Court Art Collection as well as Sachs’ own personal collection. A detailed timeline runs through this exhibition, linking Sachs’ biography to the broader social, cultural and historical context of both countries. Sachs’ voice features directly, both in the written elements and audio guide. This exhibition stands as a tribute to freedom fighters, cultural workers and social justice advocates who gave of themselves in the ongoing pursuit of collective liberation.
Zeitz MOCAA Assistant Curator and curator of Spring Is Rebellious: The Art & Life of Albie Sachs, Dr Phokeng Setai, had this to say: ‘So why this show? Our purpose is clear: to illustrate how art and culture are integral to law and justice, politics and nation-building. We hope the public come away with a deeper understanding that the realms of art and intellectual expression are not peripheral but central to building free and just societies.’
As a groundbreaking institution dedicated to promoting and preserving contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, Spring Is Rebellious speaks to Zeitz MOCAA’s vision to produce and present cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions and art historical knowledge, enhance the careers of Africa’s most talented artists in the 21st century and beyond, strengthen its education programmes and ensure access for all.
Zeitz MOCAA’s exhibition and curatorial programming is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation and BMW South Africa. Spring Is Rebellious opened on the 24th of July 2025 and will run until the 23rd of August 2026 at Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town.
