Joao Ferreira Gallery, Cape Town

Capitalising on the success of its spring series, the Joao Ferreira Gallery is set to open a provocative summer show. Beginning December 7, a selection of works from the gallery's permanent collection - including pieces by artists like Dorothee Kreutzfeldt, Ruth Sacks and Claudia Shneider - will be available for public view. These works challenge visitors in particular to move beyond first interpretations of familiar looking objects and images, to re-examine their contexts and the conditions that produced them. At Ruth Sacks' exhibition, visitors were shown photographs of a fading "Don't Panic" instruction written in the sky, bright T-shirts printed with the names of symbolically significant South African towns and school chairs that had been "vandalised" with graffiti, begging the spectator for help. A video game, in which two dancers battle to keep up with an ever faster beat, added an intercultural twist and a sense of fun to the show. Focusing on contemporary painting and sculpture, the summer show will continue to explore the work of these artists, also including works by Anton Karstel. For spectators new to the South African art scene, the exhibit should provide a carefully-designed introduction to the themes and artists shaping the new national art scene.