This year, the 2Roads Foundation launched their first-ever 6-week visual arts residency at 2Roads Farm in the Vaal, designed to unearth, nurture, and showcase emerging South African artists. After a nationwide call for entries, we received over 200 submissions from promising artists, and selected 7 exceptional talents—4 residents and 3 guest artists.

On the 14th of November, to mark both the launch of the Foundation and the close of the residency, the foundation is hosting the 2Roads Gallery on the Greens where artist’s works will be exhibited and auctioned, giving collectors a unique opportunity to add works from this exceptional group of young artists to their collections.

Taking the Road Less Travelled — Via the Vaal River

The Quiet Power of Divergence, a group exhibition curated by Annicia Manyaapelo

This exhibition delves into the subtle strength found in choosing paths that transcend the ordinary.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference. — A quote from Robert Frost's 1916 poem.

The inspiration for the 2Roads Foundation, along with the geographical and metaphorical significance of the Vaal River, has profoundly shaped the artists' journeys.

The featured artists, emerging talents who have completed a six-week residency and mentorship at the 2Roads Farm near the Vaal River, have fully immersed themselves in this unique environment. They have connected with the river's rhythms and the serene landscape of the farm, allowing various workshops to mold their artistic practices through experiences of place and time.

The Vaal River, rich in history and dynamic currents, serves as a living archive of journeys— personal, communal, and ecological. These artists engage with the river and their surroundings as both subjects and metaphors, tracing the contours of life through photography, painting, mixed media, and innovative experimentation.

Chosen from over 200 applicants, each emerging artist has brought a unique contribution to the creative process. Their works capture moments of stillness or transition, reflect on overcoming grief, and reveal how water impacts not only the land but also the human experience of belonging and transformation.

Each artist’s creations embody their personal journeys—their less-travelled roads—reflecting on stillness, addressing mental health challenges within the African context, and challenging cultural stereotypes surrounding horror art, all while engaging in the profound spiritual journey of self-discovery.

We invite viewers to engage with “Taking the Road Less Travelled...via the Vaal River” as an opportunity to slow down, observe closely, and listen to the gentle rhythms that lead us away from the familiar. This perspective serves as a reminder that every journey, regardless of its quiet nature, leaves a mark on the landscape of time.