In silence we feel draws from the visual vocabularies of Islamic Art in Cape Town and the deep histories of its intricate global connections. It brings together a range of calligraphic, geometric, figurative and abstract aesthetic traditions to provide a space for contemplation.

The exhibition unifies multiple genealogies and heritage, some of which span more than 2000 years in Africa and the Middle East, while others, like Ndebele mural art, were developed in the 19th century. It also shows the innovation of new combined styles, sensibilities and motifs drawn from the South African floral kingdom. The featured artists reveal deep connections between the local and the global, emphasising the significance of working across material and immaterial boundaries.

Inspired by the words of the Sudanese artist, Ibrahim El-Salahi, In silence we feel is a call to commune through multiple narratives and experiences; to feel with others, to see through each other’s eyes and to be in solidarity as we respond to the precarity of humanity and unnecessary loss of life in Gaza, Rakhine State, Darfur, Xinjiang and many other contexts.

In silence we feel assembles multiple voices in the spirit of collectiveness and collaboration.